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What a CPD certificate should show (and how to check one)

Published 2 October 2026 · 5 min read

A CPD certificate is the part of accreditation most people actually see. Employers file it, professional bodies ask for it, learners attach it to their CPD records. Its value depends entirely on whether it can be trusted. Here's what a credible one shows, and how to check any certificate in under a minute.

What a credible CPD certificate should show

There's no single legal format for CPD certificates, but a certificate that's useful as evidence will normally show:

• The learner's name — the person who completed the course.
• The course title — matching the course that was accredited.
• The provider — who delivered the training.
• The completion date.
• The CPD hours — the justified figure for the course, not a rounded-up one.
• The accrediting body and a reference — so anyone can check the claim.
• A way to verify it — a code, a link or a QR code.

How AssuredCPD certificates are verified

Every AssuredCPD-accredited certificate carries a unique code and a QR link. Anyone — an employer, a professional body, the learner — can enter the code or scan the QR code on our verification page to confirm the certificate is genuine and current. It's instant and needs no login.

Wording a certificate must avoid

Section 9 of our Standards Framework permits wording such as “CPD accredited by AssuredCPD” and “independently accredited.” It prohibits describing accreditation as “Ofqual-approved,” “government-approved,” an “official qualification” or a “regulated qualification.” Watch for level language too: a non-regulated course described as “Level 2” can mislead buyers into thinking it's a regulated qualification — a common issue we cover in our food hygiene guide.

And a certificate shouldn't imply more than the course delivered. A CPD-accredited first aid awareness certificate, for example, isn't evidence that someone is a trained workplace first-aider — see our first aid guide.

A four-step check for any CPD certificate

1. Find the accrediting body. If none is named, it's the provider's own certificate, not an accredited one.
2. Find the reference. Look for a code, number or QR link.
3. Verify it with the body, not the provider. Use the accrediting body's own website, typed in yourself rather than reached through a link on the certificate.
4. Check it matches. Do the course, the dates and the hours on the verification result match the certificate in front of you?

The provider's side of the bargain

Section 8 of the framework requires accredited providers to issue certificates only for learners who have genuinely met the assessment, and accreditation can be suspended or withdrawn for issuing certificates for learning that wasn't completed. That rule is what makes a verified certificate mean something.

FAQ

What should a CPD certificate include?

A credible CPD certificate normally shows the learner's name, the course title, the provider, the completion date, the CPD hours, the accrediting body with a reference, and a way to verify it independently, such as a code or QR link.

How do I check if a CPD certificate is genuine?

Find the accrediting body and the certificate reference, then verify the reference on the accrediting body's own website rather than through a link supplied by the provider, and check that the course, dates and hours match. AssuredCPD certificates can be checked instantly on its verification page with no login.

Can a CPD certificate say Level 2?

Level language on a non-regulated course can mislead people into thinking it is a regulated qualification. AssuredCPD's framework prohibits describing its accreditation as a regulated qualification, so any level wording must make clear the course is CPD accredited, not a regulated award.

Apply for accreditation   Read the Standards Framework