Professional certifications — what your agency can actually pay for.

Before 2001, federal agencies faced repeated GAO decisions blocking reimbursement of what looked like ordinary employee-development expenses. A 1982 decision said agencies could not pay bar review courses or bar membership fees for their attorneys, calling these "personal expenses related to qualifying for office." A 1976 decision blocked medical licensing fees for Public Health Service physicians. A 1995 decision blocked Certified Government Manager designation costs. The rule was: credentials are a personal investment, not a federal expense. Congress responded with Section 1112(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002, which added 5 U.S.C. 5757 to Title 5 effective December 28, 2001. For the first time, agencies had clear statutory authority to pay for professional credentials.

This article explains what 5757 authorizes, the GAO-established scope limits on what counts as a reimbursable credential, how agency implementing policies typically work, the major credential families federal employees pursue (with IT and cybersecurity covered separately in IT & Cybersecurity Certifications in Government), and the practical strategy for getting a credential approved and funded. Everything reflects law and guidance in effect as of April 2026.

Section I The 5 U.S.C. 5757 framework

The statute reads, in relevant part: "An agency may use appropriated funds or funds otherwise available to the agency to pay for (1) expenses for employees to obtain professional credentials, including expenses for professional accreditation, State-imposed and professional licenses, and professional certification; and (2) examinations to obtain such credentials."

Three elements of the statutory text matter:

1. "May" — the authority is discretionary. Congress authorized; it did not mandate. Each agency decides whether and to what extent to exercise the authority.
2. "Professional credentials" — a specific term with a defined meaning. The GAO has interpreted this narrowly (see Section II below). Not every employee-development expense qualifies.
3. Subsection (b) exclusion — "The authority under subsection (a) may not be exercised on behalf of any employee occupying or seeking to qualify for appointment to any position that is excepted from the competitive service because of the confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character of the position." Schedule C employees and certain political appointees are excluded.

The reimbursement mechanics

5757 does not set its own procedures — the authority is exercised through each agency's internal training and credential policies. Reimbursement typically flows through the same SF 182 training authorization process that governs other federal training, covered in Training Rights & the Government Employees Training Act. Common mechanics:

• Pre-approval required — you submit a request before incurring the expense, not after
• SF 182 or agency equivalent — the training authorization form documents the credential, cost, and justification
• Agency policy controls — the decision follows the agency's credential list, thresholds, and supervisor approval requirements
• Continued Service Agreement may apply — for higher-cost credentials or those requiring significant training; see CSA mechanics in Topic 01
• Direct pay or reimbursement — agencies may pay the credentialing body directly, or reimburse the employee after the expense is paid

Section II Scope limits — GAO B-302548 and what counts

The defining GAO decision on 5757 scope is B-302548, issued in response to a question from the Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency about whether it could use 5757 to pay for California CPA Society (CalCPA) memberships for its accountants. GAO said no, and the reasoning in that decision is the controlling interpretation of 5757 scope.

The core rule from B-302548

GAO held that 5757 authorizes agencies to pay only for expenses required to obtain or maintain the license or official certification needed to practice a particular profession. The analysis turns on one question: is the expense required to hold the license? If yes, 5757 covers it. If no, 5757 does not.

Expense Category	Covered by 5757?	Why
Licensing fees (state bar dues, PE license fees, etc.)	Yes	Required to obtain or maintain the license
Certification exam fees (PMP exam, CPA exam, CISSP exam)	Yes	Required to obtain the credential
Required continuing education to maintain a credential	Yes	Maintenance of the credential requires it
State bar membership where required for attorney licensure	Yes	GAO specifically distinguished this as required for license maintenance
Bar review courses	No	Personal preparation, not a credential requirement
Voluntary association memberships (ABA, AICPA, CalCPA, federal-only professional societies)	No	Not a condition of holding the license
Certified Government Manager designation (1995 GAO B-260771)	No	Pre-2001 decision; 5757 itself passed later, but the "voluntary professional title" reasoning still influences interpretation
Professional journal subscriptions	Usually no	Not required for the credential itself
Conference attendance (as a credential requirement, e.g., mandatory CPE)	Sometimes	Only if the conference provides required CE credits for the credential; otherwise separate training authority applies

The 5 U.S.C. 5946 parallel prohibition

There is a separate statute that reinforces the scope limit. 5 U.S.C. 5946 prohibits the use of appropriated funds to pay for voluntary memberships in societies or associations by employees already credentialed in their fields. 5757 is an exception to 5946, but only to the extent that 5757 itself reaches — which means only for required memberships conditioning the license or certification. An agency cannot route a voluntary AICPA or ABA membership through 5757 as an end-run around 5946.

The "not to qualify for appointment" limitation

5 U.S.C. 5757 cannot be used to qualify an applicant for a position. The statutory text is directly written into subsection (b), and most agency policies read it more broadly to also exclude credentials sought specifically to meet qualifications for a higher-grade position the employee does not currently hold. For example, an agency generally will not use 5757 to pay for a PMP for a GS-11 project coordinator seeking promotion to a GS-12 project manager position where PMP is a listed qualification. The credential has to fit the employee's current role, not create eligibility for a different role.

Section III How agencies implement 5757

Each agency establishes its own policy for credentialing. There is no government-wide credential list. A credential funded at DHS may not be funded at USDA based solely on policy differences. Typical elements of an agency credentialing policy:

• Approved credential list — specific credentials the agency pre-approves for reimbursement, often organized by occupational series or position type
• Eligibility criteria — who can seek credentialing (typically requires current federal employment, GS-level or equivalent thresholds, performance rating requirements)
• Annual cost caps — agencies may cap annual credential spending per employee
• Approval chain — supervisor, organizational head, HR review, budget approval
• Priority tiers — required credentials (FAC-C, DAWIA, specific licensure) funded first; recommended credentials funded next; voluntary credentials funded last if budget remains
• Recapture provisions — CSA requirements for more expensive credentials

To find your agency's policy, search for terms like "professional credentials" or "certification reimbursement" on your agency's HR SharePoint or intranet. Most agencies also have a training coordinator whose job includes knowing which credentials are on the approved list and which are not.

Section IV Mandatory certifications by occupation

Some federal credentials are not optional. The position description requires them, and the agency must fund them. The most significant mandatory credentials by occupational area:

Acquisition workforce — FAC-C (civilian) and DAWIA (defense)

Contracting officers (GS-1102 series) and contracting officer's representatives are subject to certification requirements under the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) and the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act.

• FAC-C (Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting) — required for civilian agency 1102 positions, with three levels (I, II, III) corresponding to experience and training hours. Maintained through 80 hours of continuous learning every two years.
• DAWIA — required for DoD 1102 positions, aligned to specific functional areas (contracting, engineering, program management, business, life cycle logistics, etc.) with required certifications at each level. Administered through Defense Acquisition University (DAU).
• FAC-COR (Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer's Representative) — required for CORs, with three levels based on contract complexity.
• FAC-P/PM (Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers) — required for designated program and project manager positions.

For these credentials, the agency is obligated to fund the training and certification — they are a condition of holding the position, not discretionary professional development. DAU training for DoD employees is free at the point of delivery. FAC-C training is typically agency-funded through specific appropriations.

Financial management — CGFM and CDFM

The Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) is offered by AGA and recognized across civilian agencies. The Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) is the DoD equivalent, offered by ASMC. Neither is universally mandatory, but many agencies require one or the other for senior budget, accounting, and financial management positions (0510, 0505, 0560 series). Both are reimbursable under 5757 when required by the position.

Law — state bar licensure

Attorneys in the 0905 General Attorney series are typically required to maintain active bar admission in at least one state. GAO B-302548 explicitly confirmed that required state bar membership is reimbursable under 5757 as a license requirement. Attorney CLE fees required to maintain bar admission are also reimbursable. Voluntary ABA, Federal Bar Association, or specialty section memberships are not reimbursable.

Medicine and health professions

Physicians in the 0602 series, nurses in 0610, pharmacists in 0660, and other licensed health professionals must maintain active licensure to practice. State licensing fees and required CME to maintain licensure are reimbursable. Board certifications (ABIM, ABFM, ABEM, etc.) are typically reimbursable when they are required for the position — for example, VA physician positions often require board certification, making it reimbursable under 5757. Voluntary specialty society memberships are not.

Section V Finance and audit credentials

Federal employees in financial and audit occupations have a well-developed credential ecosystem, with many credentials reimbursable when required or supported by agency policy.

Credential	Issuing Body	Typical Federal Use
CPA (Certified Public Accountant)	State boards of accountancy	Auditors (0511), accountants (0510), some budget analysts. Required state licensure fees reimbursable.
CGFM	AGA	Government financial managers across civilian agencies
CDFM	ASMC	DoD financial managers — budget, accounting, finance
CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)	IIA	Internal audit positions, particularly IG offices
CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)	ISACA	IT audit positions; see IT & Cybersecurity Certifications
CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)	CFA Institute	Less common in federal; found in SEC, Treasury, Federal Reserve
CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner)	ACFE	Fraud investigators, IG staff, financial crimes units
EA (Enrolled Agent)	IRS	IRS examiners and tax specialists; can be required for the position
CGAP (Certified Government Auditing Professional)	IIA	Government audit specialists, particularly state-federal audit

Section VI HR and project management credentials

HR credentials

Federal HR specialists (0201 series) and generalists typically pursue one of three credential paths:

• SHRM-CP / SHRM-SCP (Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional / Senior Certified Professional) — the most common HR credential in the federal space, recognized across civilian and defense agencies
• IPMA-HR (International Public Management Association for Human Resources) — public sector HR focus, often preferred for federal HR positions with policy and labor relations content
• HRCI credentials (PHR, SPHR, GPHR) — widely recognized; some agencies prefer SHRM over HRCI but both are typically reimbursable

These credentials are generally reimbursable under 5757 when the agency's HR policy identifies them as supported. Most larger agencies maintain SHRM site licenses or bulk testing vouchers, making this one of the more accessible credential paths in federal service.

Project management credentials

Federal project and program managers commonly pursue PMI-family credentials:

• PMP (Project Management Professional) — the most widely sought federal project management credential; held by GS-13 and above project managers across IT, acquisition, construction, and program offices
• PgMP (Program Management Professional) — senior program management; fewer holders, typically GS-14+ and above
• PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) — Agile/Scrum focus; growing in popularity in federal IT modernization and digital services
• CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) — entry-level PMI credential; occasionally funded for GS-11/12 project coordinators

PMP, in particular, is strongly supported by agency policies because PMI credentials align with the FAC-P/PM competency framework. Most agencies that fund FAC-P/PM also fund PMP because the overlap is significant. Maintenance requires 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) every three years; agencies typically fund the renewal fees but expect employees to earn PDUs through work-related training and activities.

Section VII Engineering, law, and medicine

Engineering — PE license

The Professional Engineer (PE) license is issued by state engineering licensing boards. Federal engineering positions (0801 general engineering, 0810 civil engineering, 0850 electrical engineering, others) do not universally require PE licensure, but specific positions do — particularly those where the engineer signs and seals designs, operates as an engineer of record, or supervises licensed engineers. Where the PE is required by the position, exam fees, licensing fees, and required CE are reimbursable under 5757. Voluntary PE licensure pursued for career development is typically not reimbursable.

Related engineering credentials that may be reimbursable when required:

• LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional) — for sustainability-related engineering roles
• Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) — ASQ credential for quality engineering positions
• ASME, IEEE, and society-issued specialty certifications — handled on a case-by-case basis; required certifications reimbursable, voluntary ones not

Law — state bar and specialty credentials

For attorneys, state bar membership is the fundamental reimbursable credential. Specialty credentials vary by practice area:

• Mandatory CLE — required by most states for continued bar admission; reimbursable
• Specialty board certifications (e.g., Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law, Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy) — reimbursable only when required for the position, which is rare in federal service
• Graduate law degrees (LLM) — handled under academic degree training (5 U.S.C. 4107), not 5757; see academic degree training mechanics

Medicine and health professions

Active state medical, nursing, pharmacy, and related licenses are reimbursable when required by the position. Board certifications (internal medicine, family medicine, emergency medicine, pediatrics, etc.) are reimbursable when the position requires them — VA, Indian Health Service, and military treatment facility positions often do. Required CME is reimbursable; conference attendance specifically to earn CME credits is typically reimbursable under training authority. DEA registration fees for prescribing authority are typically reimbursable as a credential required for the position.

Section VIII Getting a certification approved

Credential approval is fundamentally a matching exercise — matching the credential to the position, to agency policy, and to available budget. Employees who consistently get credentials approved do four things well:

Two additional practical points. First, some credentials require prerequisite work experience that you must already have — CISSP requires 5 years, PgMP requires 7,500 hours of program management experience, PE requires passing the FE plus 4 years of qualifying experience. Before seeking funding, confirm you meet eligibility. Second, some credentials have maintenance fee structures that recur over decades — CPA annual license fees, PE CE costs every 1-2 years, PMP PDUs every 3 years. Agency policy may fund the initial credential but defer maintenance to the employee, or vice versa. Read your agency's policy carefully on the maintenance side.

Section IX Frequently asked questions