ICF performance evaluation
What to Do If Your Recording Doesn’t Pass
By Gary Malcolm, Master Certified Coach (ICF) · Updated 1 September 2026
Key takeaways
- A failed ICF performance evaluation gives you two options: a retake (a new recording, $150 per recording) or a rescore (the same recording re-evaluated, $150, refunded if the score changes to a pass; one rescore maximum).
- The retake window is 6 months. Results take 6 to 8 weeks after an assessor is assigned, so the window realistically allows one well-prepared attempt.
- Choose a rescore only when the feedback says something is missing that you can point to in the transcript.
- The most expensive mistake is resubmitting a new recording with the same habits. ICF feedback usually names the competencies but not the moments, so find out which moments fell short before you record again.
- ACC and PCC candidates: the recording pathway closes 31 March 2027, so a failed attempt near the deadline may leave no retake at all.
If your recording does not pass the ICF performance evaluation, you have two options: retake or rescore. A retake means submitting a new recording, at $150 per recording, within a 6-month window. A rescore means paying $150 to have the same recording evaluated again, with the fee refunded if the result changes to a pass. You get one rescore. The rest of your application stays in progress.
Retake or rescore?
Read your feedback with the transcript open. If you can point to evidence in the transcript that the feedback says is missing, a rescore may be worth it. If the feedback names behaviors that are actually there, a rescore is likely to return the same result, and a retake is the better route.
Why retakes fail
ICF feedback usually names the competencies that fell below standard without pointing to the moments. If you do not know which moments fell short, it is easy to record a new session with the same habits, pay another $150, wait another 6 to 8 weeks, and get the same result. The habits that most often hold a recording below standard are steering summaries, stacked and leading questions, evaluative praise and coach-designed actions.
Planning the 6-month window
Allow a few weeks to work on the specific habits, time to record new sessions, and 6 to 8 weeks for ICF results. That is one careful cycle. ACC and PCC candidates should also check the dates: the recording pathway closes for portfolio applications on 31 March 2027, and a late failure can leave no time for a retake.
Preparing the next recording
Find the moments in the old transcript that fell short, work on those habits, record two or three new sessions, rank them, and submit the strongest once you have checked it against the standards.
Check your next recording before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I fail the ICF performance evaluation?
You can retake (submit a new recording, $150 per recording, within your 6-month retake window) or request a rescore of the same recording ($150, refunded if the evaluation flips to a pass; only one rescore is allowed). Your credential application otherwise remains in progress.
Should I choose a retake or a rescore?
Rescore only if you can point to specific evidence in your transcript that the assessor appears to have missed. If the feedback names behaviors that really are there, a rescore is likely to return the same result. In most cases a retake is the better route.
Is the rescore fee refundable?
Only if the rescore changes the outcome to a pass. The retake fee is not refunded.
How long do I have to retake?
Six months. With results taking 6 to 8 weeks after assessor assignment, the window realistically allows one well-prepared attempt.
Why did my recording fail when the session felt strong?
Assessors mark observable behavior across the whole session, and the habits they most often mark down can feel like good coaching at the time: summaries that steer the client, questions with the answer built in, evaluative praise, actions the coach proposes. A session can feel connected and still show these throughout the transcript.
The ICF feedback names competencies but not moments. How do I find what actually failed?
Go through your transcript against the competencies named in the feedback and look for the habits above. An independent review can help: Review My Coaching links each finding to a timestamp in your recording.
Does a failed attempt near the 2027 deadline end the recording pathway for me?
It can. ACC and PCC portfolio applications can use recordings only through 31 March 2027. If your result arrives after the window closes, the route forward is the new mentor coaching pathway with an MCS-credentialed mentor. MCC candidates are unaffected; MCC keeps recordings.
Can I check the replacement recording before submitting it?
Yes. Review My Coaching reviews your recording against the current ICF standards. Expert reviews include a Submit / Not Yet / Do Not Submit verdict reviewed by Gary Malcolm, MCC.