Definition

"1 approved hour" equals 1 credit

 

Requirement

Each member, unless exempt, will be required to complete 16 (A.I.M.A.) or 20 (M.I.M.A.) approved hours of continuing professional development (CPD) within each 2-year cycle.

 

The IMA Board of Directors may mandate additional requirements on a per cycle basis as deemed appropriate.

 

Exemptions

Exemptions apply to the following categories:

• Affiliate members;
• Honorary members;
• Life members;
• Parked membership;
• Retired members (defined as fully retired from practicing in the property assessment and related professions); and
• Exceptional circumstances. (Note: The IMA will consider applications for exemption to CPD based on individual merit and at its sole discretion.)

CPD Cycle

CPD Cycle 6 runs from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2026. All members follow the same 2-year cycle.

NOTE: Where a member enters the cycle midway owing to new membership, reinstatement, or a return from parked-membership leave, the required credits will be prorated based on the following guidelines:

• The 2-year cycle is broken into 24 months. For members who enter the cycle midway the required credits will be prorated on a monthly basis and rounded down to the nearest 0.5 hours.  For example, a member who enters the program with 12 months remaining, is required to complete 8 hours; a member who enters the program with 4 months remaining, is required to complete 5 hours.

Qualifying Hours

A qualifying hour must be not less than 60 minutes of relevant, creditable experience - independent study, networking, travel, and lunch and coffee breaks are not creditable hours. Qualifying hours are rounded up to the nearest .5 hours.

• A.I.M.A.- Of the 16 hours required, a minimum of 11 hours must be in the category of learning hours, a minimum of 3 hours must be in the ethics category and a maximum of 2 hours may be in the category of general hours.
• M.I.M.A. - Of the 20 hours required, a minimum of 14 hours must be in the category of learning hours, a minimum of 3 hours must be in the ethics category and a maximum of 3 hours may be in the category of general hours.

Qualifying Development Opportunities

Each member shall undertake continuing professional development relevant to the member's work and professional responsibilities. The professional development must be directed toward developing and maintaining the member's competence in the practice of property assessment.

The IMA will provide a list of pre-approved activities and their respective credits. The IMA may limit the number of credits obtainable through any given activity. Any activity not listed requires approval from the IMA's Continuing Professional Development Committee, and will be added to the list, on approval.

CPD Credits can be obtained through:

• Formal educational courses;
• Attendance at conferences, IMA district meetings, IMA business meetings, seminars, and workshops;
• Preparation of published research material or technical articles;
• Attendance at employer-based formal in-house training programs;
  
• Preparation or presentation of approved workshops and seminars; and
• Active service on the IMA Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and related or similar committees.

Learning hours are CPD Credits which must be related to the following fields of study, or to alternate fields provided that pre-approval is obtained from the IMA's CPD Committee:

• Assessment legislation;
• Construction, architecture, and building design;
• Economics;
• Ethics;
• Law (legal or paralegal related to property assessment, property taxation, or property valuation, fields of practice);
• Real estate appraisal;
• Property assessment; and
• Property management

Ethics hours are CPD credits from IMA exclusive ethics courses which will be available online and at IMA events.

General hours are optional relevant professional credits and are subject to approval by the IMA CPD Committee and can be obtained in the area of relevant competencies, for example:

• Report writing,
• Public speaking, and
• Computer/technical program.

Accumulation and Documentation of CPD Hours

To be recognized, all learning activities must be quantifiable in terms of hours and a reasonable estimate of the time spent on the activity. The professional development must be verifiable by a competent source (for example, a professional association or an employer).

IMA event CPDs will be posted to the members CPD portal after confirmation of attendance. It is the member's responsibility to record any non IMA CPD Credits on their CPD portal. The IMA will send a semi-annual reminder to each member summarizing the member's current CPD status. The email will also include a notice of the date and the consequences of non-compliance.

CPD hours obtained in excess of the minimum requirement may be carried over to the next cycle if the credits were attained in the months of January, February and March preceding to the next cycle. Example, January, February, March of 2026 qualify for cycle 7 that begins on April 1st, 2026.

 

Audit Process

CPD hours that members record on the IMA website portal are subject to audit. It is therefore the responsibility of each member to retain supporting documentation for all recorded hours. Proof of participation in a reported activity must be included when updating the CPD records, e.g. Payment Receipt, CPD Form, etc. A generic copy of a program is not proof of participation and will not be accepted.

Failure to produce appropriate supporting documentation may result in the loss of the member's designation and loss of membership with the IMA.

 

Failure to Complete Mandatory Hours or Additional Cycle Requirement(s)

Failure to complete the required hours of professional development or additional Cycle requirement(s) within the 2-year period may impact the status of the member's designation. The IMA will inform members who are in default. To correct the default, members must either complete the required CPD within 30 days (April 30th) or

1. Have a plan approved to complete the required CPD within 90 days, and
2. Pay the $50 administration fee.

Failure to Complete the Required CPD Hours or Additional Cycle Requirement(s) within 90 Days 

The IMA will maintain a publicly accessible list of members with their accreditation and status as follows;

1. A non-recertified member will be shown as "Not Recertified"
2. A recertified member will be shown as "Good Standing".

Reactivation Opportunity

Within two years of a default, a member may request to have their designation status reactivated by filing a reactivation request. An action plan must also be completed agreeing to:

1. Complete the outstanding minimum CPD hours within 6 months of obtaining the committee's approval of the action plan;
2. Complete the CPD hours required within the current 2-year cycle (in addition to any hours required by the reactivation plan); and;
3. Pay the $100 administration fee.

Approval of the request by the IMA's CPD Committee is based on its sole discretion and the merits of each individual case. The decision of the Continuing Professional Development Committee is final.

Members who have failed to reactivate their status within two years of default, will be "Suspended" from using the A.I.M.A. of M.I.M.A. designation. A member with a suspended designation may apply for reinstatement through the IMA's reinstatement policy.