What Happens After I Apply?

Step 1: Confirmation Email (24–48 Hours)

Within 24 to 48 hours of submitting your application and payment, you will receive an automated confirmation email. This email is your proof of submission and contains several important pieces of information:

• Application reference number — Save this. You will need it for any status inquiries, correspondence with the board, or verification requests.
• Documents received — A summary of the documents that were successfully uploaded and received as part of your submission.
• Missing documents (if any) — If your submission is incomplete, the confirmation email will list which required documents were not received and provide instructions for submitting them.
• Estimated review timeline — A reminder that the standard review period is 4–6 weeks from the date the board confirms your application is complete.

Step 2: Document Review (Weeks 1–4)

Once your application is confirmed complete, it is assigned to a credentialing reviewer. The review process varies slightly by tier:

Tiers I–II (IBC-HHA™ and IBC-HHP™): A single reviewer verifies your training documentation, practice hours, and peer reference letters. This is the most streamlined review track and typically resolves in 3–4 weeks.

Tier III (IBC-HHE™): In addition to documentation review, a credentialing committee verifies your teaching activity and curriculum contribution materials. A brief committee review is conducted to confirm that your contributions meet the board's standards for educator-level recognition.

Tier IV (IBC-HHD™): Your doctoral credentials are verified directly with the issuing institution before the full committee review begins. International doctoral credentials require an equivalency review through a NACES-member evaluation service if not already provided. This is the most document-intensive review phase.

Tier V (IBC-DHH™): After your documentation is verified, the examination scheduling process begins. You will be contacted to select an examination date and format (written component is typically administered first, followed by the applied component within 30 days).

During the review period, you may be contacted for additional information or clarification. Respond promptly to any requests — delays in responding pause the review clock and extend your overall timeline.

Step 3: What If the Board Needs More Information?

If a reviewer determines that additional documentation is needed, or if something in your application requires clarification, you will receive a specific information request email. This email will:

• Identify exactly which document or piece of information is needed.
• Explain why it is needed and what standard it must meet.
• Provide a response deadline (typically 14–21 days from the request date).
• Include instructions for submitting the additional materials.

Respond to information requests by replying directly to the email and attaching the requested materials. Do not submit a new application — simply respond to the existing request. Once the additional materials are received and verified, your review restarts from the date of receipt.

If you do not respond within the stated deadline, your application may be placed on hold or, after an extended period without response, closed. A closed application requires a new submission with a new application fee.

Step 4: Decision Notification

When the review process is complete, you will receive a decision notification email. This email will clearly state one of three outcomes:

Approved: Your application has been reviewed and you have been awarded the credential. The approval email includes your official credential document as a PDF attachment or a secure download link, your credential verification number, and the official date of your credential (which is the approval date, not the date you download your document). You may begin using your designation immediately upon receiving this email.

Declined: Your application did not meet the requirements for the credential at this time. The email will briefly explain the reason (for example, insufficient practice hours, ineligible training provider, or missing prerequisite credential). Declined applicants may reapply once requirements are met. The application fee is not refunded for declined applications.

Held pending examination (IBC-DHH™ only): Your documentation has been approved and you are cleared to sit for the examination. Examination scheduling information and instructions will follow in a separate email.

"Receiving your approval notification is the official moment your credential begins. Everything that follows — the certificate, the directory listing, the verification record — is the record of what is already true."

Step 5: Credential Issuance and Directory Listing

After approval, your credential is formally issued and your practitioner record is created or updated in the ICONIC Board system. The following actions occur in the days following approval:

1. Approval date (Day 0): Your credential becomes active. You are authorized to use your designation after your name in professional materials, on your website, in email signatures, and in marketing materials. You may cite your credential verification number for independent verification.
2. Days 1–3: Your official digital credential document is emailed to you. If you requested a physical certificate, it will be mailed separately within 7–10 business days. Physical certificates are available for an optional fee and must be requested at the time of application or within 30 days of approval.
3. Days 5–7: Your name, credential designation, and location appear in the ICONIC Board's public practitioner directory. The directory is searchable by the public, by employers, and by clients seeking credentialed holistic health practitioners.
4. Within 14 days: Your credential verification number becomes fully searchable in the board's online verification system. This system allows anyone to confirm your credential status, the date of issuance, and whether your credential is current — without contacting the board directly.