Guides / EC-Council ECE credits explained
EC-Council ECE credits explained
Last checked: October 5, 2026. Every figure links to the certifying body’s official page. Rules change, so confirm with the certifying body before you rely on them.
EC-Council certifications covered by its continuing education scheme need 120 credits per certification within three years, registered in the EC-Council Aspen portal. Credits are counted by calendar year and must be registered by February 1 of the following year. Members also pay an annual CE fee, which is US $80 for most certifications that require continuing education.
Renewing CEH? Our blog post CEH renewal: how EC-Council ECE credits work, with a 120-credit plan shows how the credit values add up, with a sample plan you can copy.
ECE or CPE? A note on the name
EC-Council has long called its program ECE (EC-Council Continuing Education). Its current policy page is titled “CPE Policy” and uses both terms side by side. They refer to the same scheme. This guide uses “ECE credits” because that is the name many members know.
How many credits you need
According to the EC-Council policy page:
- Certifications are valid for three years from the date of certification.
- Each certification in the scheme needs 120 credits within its three-year window.
- Credits are earned per calendar year (January 1 to December 31) and must be registered by February 1 of the following year to maintain certification status.
- Qualifying activities must be completed within the three-year window.
Certifications covered include CEH, CEH (Practical), CHFI, CND, ECIH, CCISO, CPENT, LPT (Master), CTIA, ECES, EDRP and others listed on the policy page.
Credit categories
The policy page lists the activity categories and a credit value for each. Examples:
- Association or organization chapter meeting: 1 credit per meeting
- Education seminar, conference or event: 1 credit
- Education course: 1 credit
- Presentation: 3 credits
- Reading an information security book, article review, book review or case study: 5 credits
- Higher education: 10 credits per quarter or 15 per semester
- Authoring an article, book chapter or white paper: 20 credits
- Certification examination related to IT security: 40 credits
- Authoring a book: 100 credits
- Passing an EC-Council certification exam in the scheme: 120 credits
In EC-Council’s member portal, a seminar or conference earns 4 CPE for a half day and 8 for a full day (shorter events: 1 CPE per hour). EC-Council’s public pages don’t list these values, so confirm in your own portal. Two limits apply across categories: only IT security related activities qualify, and activities that are part of your job role do not earn credits.
Holding more than one EC-Council certification
The policy says credits earned are applied across all your certifications, but since January 1, 2013 each certification has its own recertification requirement within its own three-year window. In practice, an activity may count toward one credential and not another depending on dates and eligibility, so check each certification in Aspen.
The annual CE fee
EC-Council’s Continuing Education Fees page sets the annual CE fee by certification:
- US $80 a year ($240 over three years) for most certifications that require continuing education, including CEH, CHFI, CND and ECIH.
- US $100 a year for CCISO.
- US $250 a year for CPENT, LPT and LPT (Master).
- US $20 a year for certifications that do not require continuing education, such as CSCU.
You generally pay one annual fee for all your EC-Council credentials, except CCISO, CPENT and LPT, which carry their own fee category. Fees are paid in Aspen. EC-Council says there is no grace period for a missed payment. A member who has not paid is classed as Inactive even with 120 credits logged, and cannot add new credits until fees are paid.
How to submit credits
Register credits in the EC-Council Aspen portal at aspen.eccouncil.org. If an activity is not listed in Aspen, the policy page says to contact the administrator for help.
Audits, suspension and revocation
- Evidence: the policy requires certified members to keep sufficient evidence of their involvement in each activity.
- Suspension: members who miss the requirement can be reinstated if they meet the 120 credits within 12 months after the three-year window ends and their CE fee is paid. The next window is shortened by the suspension period.
- Revocation: if the requirement is still not met, the certification is revoked and you must pass the current exam to regain it.
- Appeals: must reach EC-Council in writing within 90 days of the suspension or revocation notice.
EC-Council says the policy can change without notice, so check the current requirement on the EC-Council policy page before planning your cycle.
MyCertRenewal lets you log an activity once and see the credit it earns at each certification it applies to.
Questions
How many ECE credits do I need for CEH?
120 credits within the three-year window, per EC-Council’s policy page. Each certification in the scheme has its own 120-credit requirement.
How much is the EC-Council annual CE fee?
US $80 a year for most certifications that require continuing education, US $100 for CCISO, US $250 for CPENT and LPT, and US $20 for certifications outside the scheme.
When do I have to register EC-Council credits?
Credits are counted by calendar year and must be registered in Aspen by February 1 of the following year.
Can I claim credits for my normal job?
No. EC-Council’s policy says credits are not awarded for activities related to your job role.
Sources
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Certification renewal and CPE/CEU tracking for IT and security professionals who hold more than one certification. MyCertRenewal is a ConsultraCloud product.
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