ICF submissions
ICF Recording Requirements for ACC, PCC and MCC
By Gary Malcolm, Master Certified Coach (ICF) · Updated 1 September 2026
Key takeaways
- An ICF performance evaluation recording must be 20 to 60 minutes long; sessions outside that range are not scored.
- It must be one continuous, unedited audio file of a real coaching session with a paid or pro bono client who has given written consent.
- Accepted audio formats include MP3, WMA, MP4 and M4A, with a file size limit of 95MB. Video is not required; audio only is standard.
- Each recording needs its own verbatim, speaker-labelled, timestamped transcript, plus an English translation if the session is in another language.
- ACC portfolio applications submit 1 recording; PCC and MCC submit 2. The recording pathway for ACC and PCC portfolio closes 31 March 2027.
ICF’s recording requirements are a compliance gate that rejects submissions before any assessor scores them. The rules: a real coaching session with a consenting client, 20 to 60 minutes, one continuous unedited audio file in MP3, WMA, MP4 or M4A format up to 95MB, accompanied by a verbatim, speaker-labelled, timestamped transcript, with an English translation if the session is in another language.
The rules that catch people
The length window is hard. A 19-minute or 61-minute session is not scored, however good the coaching. Recording a 65-minute session and trimming it to 60 breaks the unedited rule instead. Plan sessions to land comfortably inside the window.
Continuity is absolute. One file, no edits, no pauses. If the recorder stopped mid-session, that session is unusable for submission. This is also the rule nobody else can verify for you: a clean splice is inaudible, and ICF holds the candidate responsible.
Consent is written, and worth doubling. ICF requires written client consent. Asking the client to also confirm on the recording that they agree to its use for accreditation protects both of you if consent is ever questioned.
We check the compliance layer before any review begins, and a failed basic never wastes your credit.
Compliance is the entry ticket, not the exam
A compliant recording can still fail: assessors mark coaching behavior, and the habits that carry recordings below standard, steering summaries, stacked questions, coach-designed actions, live inside perfectly compliant files. Compliance gets you scored; the standards decide the score.
Compliance check plus five assessor perspectives plus an MCC-signed verdict, always under the $150 retake fee.
Frequently asked questions
- How long must an ICF recording be?
- Between 20 and 60 minutes. ICF does not score sessions shorter than 20 minutes or longer than 60, so a 61-minute file fails before assessment begins.
- Can I edit or trim my recording?
- No. The recording must be one continuous, unedited file. Trimming, splicing multiple parts together, or pausing and resuming the recorder all make the submission non-compliant, and multi-part recordings are rejected outright.
- What audio file formats does ICF accept?
- MP3, WMA, MP4 and M4A, up to 95MB. Audio is sufficient; you do not need video.
- Does my client need to consent?
- Yes, in writing. The session must be a genuine coaching session with a paid or pro bono client who has consented to the recording being used for your credentialing. Good practice is to also capture the client confirming this verbally on the recording itself.
- Can I use a session in a language other than English?
- Yes, but you must provide an English translation of the transcript alongside the original. The translation is your responsibility, including its accuracy.
- How many recordings do I need?
- ACC portfolio: 1 recording. PCC portfolio: 2 recordings. MCC: 2 recordings. Each needs its own transcript.
- What gets recordings rejected before scoring?
- The compliance layer: wrong length, edited or multi-part files, missing or non-verbatim transcripts, missing translations, unsupported formats. These rejections cost you the submission cycle even though no assessor ever scored your coaching.
- Can someone check my recording is compliant before I submit?
- Yes. Review My Coaching checks what a file can show, length, transcript presence and format, translation, before any assessment begins, and if a basic fails your review credit carries over to the replacement recording.