CHALLENGES vs. APPEALS
Please refer to the following definitions that explain all key words and entities on this page.
APPEAL: A request to the Certification Appeals Committee for a reversal of a decision made by the Certification Committee that affected the appellant’s certification status.
COMPLAINT: An objection to a certification related process or the activities of a Candidate, Certificant or Assessment Center staff that does not qualify as a Technical Challenge, Operational Challenge or Appeal.
OPERATIONAL CHALLENGE: An objection to a candidate's physical testing environment or experience.
TECHNICAL CHALLENGE: An objection to the validity of a certification exam question.
For more details on our certification policies, please read
ICC's Certification Committee Rules of Procedure.
Is your feedback about something
that happened during the exam?
YES
Is your feedback about the content of the exam?
NO
Is your feedback about a certified individual?
YES
This is a technical challenge. Complete the form here within
30 days of the exam.
YES
This is a complaint. Contact us at appeals@iccsafe.org to tell us more
about your issue so that we can assist
you.
NO
Is your feedback about an operational issue, such as temperature at the test site, or
behavior of the proctor?
NO
Does the issue concern a decision made by the Certification Committee (CC) that affected your certification
status?
YES
This is an operational challenge. Complete the form here within
30 days of the exam.
YES
This is an appeal. Appeals must be submitted by completing this form within 30 days upon submission of notice of the Certification Committee's decision. Such notice will be submitted via email.
NO
Contact ICC at appeals@iccsafe.org to tell us more
about your issue so that we can assist
you.
NO
Contact ICC at appeals@iccsafe.org to tell us more
about your issue so that we can assist
you.
EXAMPLES OF CHALLENGES/APPEALS:
Issue: Candidate fails the Commercial Building Inspector exam by one point. He thinks there was an item on the exam that was incorrect, and wants to dispute this.
This is a technical challenge.
Action: Follow the flowchart for technical challenge. Client Relationship Manager will process as per Assessment Center policy.
Issue: Candidate fails the Residential Mechanical Inspector by one point. She says there was a marching band performing outside the Pearson VUE test site, and that she couldn’t concentrate. She wants a free exam.
This is an operational challenge.
Action: Follow the flowchart for operational challenge. Pearson VUE will be contacted to verify incident and a free exam will be provided if appropriate.
Issue: Certificant says he can’t get enough CEUs from ICC or a Preferred Provider before his Electrical Plans Examiner certification expires. He wants the required CEU number lowered so that he has enough CEUs to renew.
This is a request to the Certification Committee.
Action: Client Relationship Manager will work with Director of the Assessment Center to take to the Certification Committee.
Issue: Candidate is found writing in his book during an exam at Pearson VUE. Pearson VUE confiscates his book and notifies ICC of the situation.
This is a disciplinary hearing.
Action: Client Relationship Manager will work with Director of the Assessment Center to take to the Certification Committee.
Issue: PRONTO proctor discovers candidate taking cell phone pictures or video of the screen during an exam. Proctor stops the exam and notifies ICC.
This is a disciplinary hearing.
Action: Client Relationship Manager will work with Director of the Assessment Center to take to the Certification Committee.
Issue: A disciplinary hearing was held with the Certification Committee who nullified a candidate's test result. The candidate wishes to appeal the Certification Committee's decision.
This is an appeal.
Action: Follow the flowchart for appeal. Client Relationship Manager will work with Director of the Assessment Center to take to the Certification Appeals Committee.