Certification or Licensing
The Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics’ Compliance Certification Board awards the certified compliance and ethics professional, the certified compliance and ethics professional international, and other credentials to those who pass a certification exam and meet educational and experience requirements.
The Regulatory Compliance Association offers the chartered regulatory analyst and the chartered regulatory counsel designations. The American Bankers Association provides the certified regulatory compliance manager credential to applicants who have at least three years of industry experience, meet the requirements for continuing education credits, and pass an examination.
Compliance managers and chief compliance officers are typically required to have their Series 7 (General Securities Representative), Series 24 (General Securities Principal), and Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) credentials from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the self-regulatory arm of the investment industry. To earn these credentials, applicants must pass examinations. Some firms hire compliance professionals who do not yet have these credentials, but require them to earn them in set period of time (typically within three to six months of being hired).