Eligibility Requirements

Are you ready to get your CCOM™ and CCP™ credential?

The eligibility requirements are the prerequisites that candidates must substantiate before being allowed to sit for a certification test. Candidates must show that they meet the following four requirements: 

Age: You must be 21 years of age or older.

Education: You must be a graduate of a U.S. high school or have the equivalent (GED). This includes the equivalent of a high school program outside of the United States.

Training in Compost Operations: In order to be certified as a Compost Operations Manager, you must have attended an instructor-led basic compost operation training course of 3 or more days. Candidates who have had additional training in areas such as Compost Facility Design, Safety, Management, and Odor Control and Operations are ideal candidates.

The Commission requires that all Certified Composting Professional™ applicants have completed at least Five (5) days of training in composting operations and compost use. This must include at least one training of 3 days (or longer) in compost operations, which must include hands-on activities and/or a field trip. If the training course is less than 5 days, the CCP applicant must document the additional one or two days of training in any aspect of compost facility management to total at least 5 days of training.

Experience: A CCOM™ must have a minimum of the equivalent of two years of full-time experience related to organics recycling, including a minimum of one year of working full-time in compost facility operations. Candidates with experience in managing one or more composting facilities are ideal candidates for a CCOM™.

Because the CCP candidate may have worked with or for many different compost facilities for short periods of time, the Commission requires a minimum of 4 years of full time experience related to composting facility design, implementation and/or operation. This could be in the role of consultant, engineer, equipment designer or sales, regulatory compliance, or as an educator of compost operators.

NOTE: Membership in the USCC is NOT a requirement for eligibility.  On the other hand, association involvement and participation in trainings, courses and professional development events can certainly help you qualify for certification.

Now, here’s some helpful information to start your journey…

Your Guide to a Successful CCOM™ or CCP™ Application

Test Room

The mission of the USCC Certification Commission is to develop and administer national, valid, credible, vendor-neutral certification programs for organics recycling professionals which enhance the profession of organics recycling facility management and in turn benefit the community business and environmental outcomes. The initial development of the CCOM™ was by the Composting Council Research and Education Foundation thanks to a grant from the 11th Hour Project.