Agencies

Certification Exam - Limited English Proficiency

Limitadong kasanayan sa ingles    |   제한된 영어 능력     |   Trình độ tiếng anh hạn chế  

Maîtrise limitée de l'anglais            |   英语水平有限       |   Konpetans angle limite 

The HUD Housing Counselor Certification Exam is available in English and Spanish. Candidates with limited English proficiency and limited Spanish proficiency may request additional exam time.

Please complete the Limited Language Proficiency Accommodations Request Form to request additional exam time due to limited English and limited Spanish proficiency. Additional time is limited to one additional hour for a total of 3 hours.

TENGA EN CUENTA: Si el español es su idioma principal, no es elegible para una adaptación de idioma porque el examen está disponible en español.

Please call 210-489-1461 if you require assistance. Support is available 8:00 a.m. –  4:30 p.m. Eastern Time Monday – Friday except federal holidays.

Certification Exam - Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are provided to eligible test takers in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Before completing the Reasonable Accommodations Request Form, please review the information below. Requests that do not comply with the guidance below may not be approved.

If you seek extra time due to limited language proficiency, please review the Limited English Proficiency Policy. Limited language proficiency is not covered by the ADA.

Important Information About the Request Process:

  • Gather documentation before submitting your request.
  • Request accommodations before you register for the exam.
  • Submit a new request for each exam attempt.
  • Request accommodations for exams at a test center at least 45 days in advance (Test Center Locator).
  • Request accommodations for online exams at least 5 days in advance.
  • Note the following accommodations are only available at test centers:
    • Special software or equipment
    • Professional reader or recorder
  • Call 210-489-1461 if you have questions or concerns. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time Monday–Friday except Federal holidays.

Examples of Accepted Documentation 

  • Recommendations of qualified professionals
  • Proof of past testing accommodations
  • Documented observations by educators
  • Results of psycho-educational or other professional evaluations
  • An applicant’s statement of his or her history regarding testing accommodations

Important Notes 

  • Requests are not complete until Support confirms that sufficient documentation has been provided.
  • Online exams are proctored remotely using software that blocks all other computer applications. Screen reader or screen magnification programs will not  function during online exams.
  • Online exam candidates must provide their own equipment.
  • Candidates should contact Support if canceling or rescheduling a test center exam with accommodations. 
  • Call 210-489-1461 if you have questions. Hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time Monday–Friday except Federal holidays.

Certification Exam - Certification Maintenance

The purpose of HUDHousingCounselors.com is to help counselors prepare for the HUD Housing Counselor Certification Exam and provide access to the exam. After passing the exam and transferring the results to FHA Connection, counselor certification activities shift from HUDHousingCounselors.com to FHA Connection.

Counselors maintain their certification status by updating personal information on the HUD Certified Housing Counselor Database Update/Renewal page on FHA Connection. Exam results and counselor application information are stored permanently on FHA Connection. Counselors should become familiar with FHA Connection to understand which steps are required to update and maintain personal information, including changing employers.

It is important to note that agencies are required to validate the end of a counselor’s employment. If a counselor is between agencies, hiring agencies will NOT be able to find the counselor in the database if the previous agency has verified their end of employment in FHA Connection. After the counselor’s end of employment has been verified, they no longer meet the criteria for certification.

In order to demonstrate to hiring agencies that a counselor has been previously certified, it is recommended that counselors maintain a copy of their most recent certificate which names the counselor and the agency. Certificates are available to download and print from FHA Connection only while a counselor’s employment at an approved housing counseling agency is validated in FHA Connection. Each time a counselor’s employment is verified at a new agency, a certificate is available to print with the new agency’s information displayed.

A certificate is not available to print during periods when the counselor is not employed by an approved agency or when the counselor is employed by an approved agency but their employment has not been verified in FHA Connection.

Please visit the HUD Exchange for more information. If you require assistance with FHA Connection Contact housing.counseling@hud.gov and include “FHAC” in the subject line of your message.

Agencies - Agency Role in Certification

The role of the HUD participating housing counseling agency in HUD Certified Housing Counselor Application Process is to verify counselor employment in FHA Connection and to update FHA Connection when counselor employment status changes.

HUDHousingCounselors.com also acknowledges the important role agencies play in supporting counselors as they prepare for certification. To best support your counselors through the certification process, please consider the following important information:

  • HUDHousingCounselors.com user accounts are owned by the user. Changes to the account or exam schedule can only be initiated by the user regardless of exam payment source. Access to user accounts and related information is not permitted by third parties unless authorized by the user.
  • Counselors should be encouraged to create their user account with an email address they can access from anywhere at any time.
  • Registration for the HUD Housing Counselor Certification Exam must be completed through each counselor's HUDHousingCounselors.com user account. There is no method to register and pay for a group of candidates in a single transaction.
  • Agencies should avoid creating HUDHousingCounselors.com user accounts for those who do not plan to take the exam.
  • Counselors should log into their user account and initiate requests for help on their own behalf at Support.

For questions about this information, please visit Support or call 210-489-1461 Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. except federal holidays.

Certification Exam - Group Testing Events Information

Registration for the HUD Housing Counselor Certification Exam must be completed through each candidate’s HUDHousingCounselors.com user account. There is no method to register and pay for a group of candidates in a single transaction. However, there is a method to reserve a test center location and test time for a group of candidates.

To Arrange a Group Testing Event

  • Group testing events must be coordinated by HUDHousingCounselors.com Support.
  • Groups may initiate a request by submitting an issue ticket at HUDHousingCounselors.com/Support or by calling Support at 210-489-1461.
  • Complete requests must be submitted 45 days in advance of the group’s earliest target test date.
  • Requests are subject to test center capacity and availability.
  • Each test taker must register and pay for the exam at least 10 business days before the confirmed test date or forfeit their seat.
  • Group testing events are subject to the No Shows and Cancellations Policy.