Healthcare Credential
How to Verify an Infection Control Certification
Verify CIC (Certified in Infection Control) credentials through APIC and CBIC. Understand eligibility requirements, the 5-year renewal cycle, and a credentialing checklist for infection preventionist hiring in hospital and public health settings.
Quick answer
The CIC (Certified in Infection Control) is administered by CBIC (Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology). Verify CIC credentials at cbic.org → Verify a CIC. Also verify the candidate's underlying clinical license (typically RN) through the state nursing board or NURSYS.
CIC credential verification
The Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology (CBIC) is the certifying body for the CIC. CBIC operates in partnership with APIC (Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology) but is an independent certification body.
Verify CIC credentials at: cbic.org → Verify a CIC Certificant. The portal confirms:
- Credential holder name
- CIC certification status (Active / Inactive / Expired)
- Certification expiration date
CIC certification is valid for 5 years. Renewal requires demonstrating ongoing professional development and passing recertification requirements. Confirm the certification is Active — an expired CIC is not a current credential.
Who holds the CIC
The CIC is a multidisciplinary credential. Eligible candidates include:
- Registered Nurses (most common; often called Infection Preventionists)
- Medical technologists and laboratory scientists
- Epidemiologists and public health professionals
- Physicians and advanced practice providers
- Environmental services and sterile processing professionals in some cases
Verify the underlying clinical or professional license separately. For RN-based infection preventionists, verify the RN license through NURSYS or the state nursing board in addition to the CIC.
CIC in Joint Commission and CMS accreditation
The Joint Commission and CMS Conditions of Participation require hospitals to have a qualified infection prevention and control program. While CIC certification is not mandated by name in most CMS CoPs, it is the recognized professional standard and is expected in many hospital credentialing and accreditation contexts.
Many health systems require their Infection Preventionists to hold the CIC within a defined period of hire (commonly 2 years). Confirm the requirement for the specific role and institution.
Verification checklist
- 1. Verify CIC at cbic.org — confirm Active status and expiration date
- 2. Verify the underlying clinical license (RN at NURSYS/state board, or other applicable license)
- 3. Confirm renewal cycle (5-year) is current and recertification requirements are met
- 4. For candidates without current CIC: confirm institutional timeline for obtaining certification if role requires it
Verify nursing and public health program accreditation
Infection preventionists typically hold nursing or public health degrees. Nursing programs must be ACEN or CCNE accredited; public health programs should be CEPH accredited. Use VerifyED to confirm a candidate's program accreditation status.
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