How Long Is an Anti-Money Laundering Certificate Good For?

An anti-money-laundering certification is generally good for one to three years, depending on which credential you hold and who issued it. The Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) from ACAMS, the most widely held AML designation, runs on a three-year cycle. Associate-level ACAMS credentials renew every year, and the FIBA AML Certified Associate renews every two years. Every major AML certification requires continuing education credits and, in most cases, a renewal fee to stay active.

Validity Periods by Credential

There is no single standard across AML certifications. Each issuing organization sets its own cycle.

ACAMS Certifications

ACAMS ties the length of the cycle to the level of the credential. Associate-level certifications — the Certified Know Your Customer Analyst (CKYCA), Certified Transaction Monitoring Analyst (CTMA), and Certified AML FinTech Compliance Associate (CAFCA) — are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. Specialist-level credentials, which include the CAMS, the Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS), the Certified Cryptoasset Anti-Financial Crime Specialist (CCAS), and the Certified AML FinTech Compliance Specialist (CAFS), are valid for three years. Advanced specialist designations, including Advanced CAMS-Audit, CAMS-FCI, and CAMS-RM, also run on a three-year cycle.1ACAMS. Maintain Your ACAMS Certification

ABA Certified AML and Fraud Professional

The American Bankers Association’s Certified AML and Fraud Professional (CAFP) is valid on a three-year continuing-education cycle. Holders must earn 45 CE credits across each three-year period, pay an annual maintenance fee, and remain in good standing under the ABA’s code of ethics.2American Bankers Association. Maintain the CAFP

FIBA AML Certified Associate

The Florida International Bankers Association’s AML Certified Associate (AMLCA) is valid for two years. Keeping it active requires 20 hours of continuing education in that window plus a biannual recertification fee.3FIU Business. Program Guidelines FIBA AMLCA Certification Online

Continuing Education You Have to Earn in That Window

The validity period is really a compliance window. Miss the credit requirement inside it and the credential lapses at the end. The credit totals differ by credential:

Only credits earned after your certification date, or after your most recent recertification, count toward the next cycle.5ACAMS. Stay Certified – A Practical Guide to Recertification If you hold more than one ACAMS certification, the same eligible credit may count toward more than one designation.1ACAMS. Maintain Your ACAMS Certification

Renewal Fees and the ACAMS Deadline Structure

For ACAMS specialist and advanced specialist certifications, the three-year recertification fee depends on when you submit within the expiration year:

  • Early submission, by October 1 of the expiration year: $200
  • Standard submission, by December 15 of the expiration year: $250
  • Late submission, by March 31 of the year after expiration: $300

Associate-level ACAMS certifications carry no recertification fee, but all ACAMS credentials require an active ACAMS membership, which is $345 per year for private-sector professionals and $225 per year for public-sector professionals.6ACAMS. ACAMS Membership Benefits You cannot recertify without an active membership.1ACAMS. Maintain Your ACAMS Certification Associate-level credentials renew automatically at no additional fee as long as the membership is active and credits are met.5ACAMS. Stay Certified – A Practical Guide to Recertification

The ABA CAFP charges an annual maintenance fee of $290, billed each October with payment due by January 31.7American Bankers Association. Maintain the CAFP The FIBA AMLCA charges a $150 biannual recertification fee, with a $100 late fee if you miss the June 30 deadline.3FIU Business. Program Guidelines FIBA AMLCA Certification Online

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

For ACAMS specialist and advanced specialist credentials, missing the March 31 late deadline means the designation expires.1ACAMS. Maintain Your ACAMS Certification Once a certification has expired before the current year, you may have to retake the full certification exam. ACAMS directs anyone in that position to contact its Help Center to find out whether recertification is still possible or whether the exam is required.5ACAMS. Stay Certified – A Practical Guide to Recertification

ACAMS may grant an extension for exceptional circumstances such as extended medical leave or a family emergency. The request must be submitted during your recertification year and include supporting documentation.1ACAMS. Maintain Your ACAMS Certification

A lapse creates problems beyond the credential itself. Employers in financial services track staff certification status as part of their compliance programs, and if yours expires, you may be reassigned away from roles that require the credential.

Certification Is Not the Same as BSA Training

One boundary worth flagging. The AML certifications above are voluntary professional credentials. They are separate from the ongoing AML employee training every financial institution must provide under federal law.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 31 US Code 5318 – Compliance, Exemptions, and Summons Authority9Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The Bank Secrecy Act Federal regulators do not set an exact frequency for that institutional training, leaving it to each firm’s risk profile, and banks typically cover it at orientation and refresh it annually.10FFIEC BSA/AML InfoBase. BSA/AML Training Starting January 1, 2026, FinCEN extends the AML/CFT program requirement, including the ongoing training obligation, to registered investment advisers and exempt reporting advisers.11Federal Register. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network – Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism Program and Suspicious Activity Report Filing Requirements for Registered Investment Advisers and Exempt Reporting Advisers Meeting your employer’s BSA training obligation does not keep your CAMS, CAFP, or AMLCA active. Those still run on their own cycles, and only the credits, fees, and deadlines set by the issuing organization will keep the certificate valid.