Accreditation Programs

UMACHA can help you attain or renew your Accredited ACH Professional (AAP), Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP) or National Check Professionals (NCP) designations. We provide a variety of preparation-based training sessions including webinars, tele-seminars, and classroom sessions. Need to earn continuing education credits? Between the Education Calendar & the On-Demand Education Library, UMACHA has all that you'll need to meet your continuing education requirements.

Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) designation is obtained by passing a nationally administered exam given annually in October. The AAP exam covers a wide range of ACH information including; knowledge of the ACH Network and comparative payment systems; knowledge of ACH rules and regulations; technical ACH skills, including operational requirements; understanding of ACH products and applications; risk management and other policy issues; marketing ACH services; management of electronic payment services; Regulation E and other federal requirements. Learn more about acquiring and maintaining your AAP accreditation.  

Did you know those who participate in the UMACHA's AAP Exam Prep Series have a 10-20% improvement on their pass rate compared to the national pass rate?  Learn why AAPs are so important and an AAP stands out in the payments industry.

Why Become Certified?

  • An Accredited ACH Professional (AAP®) designation recognizes professionals who have successfully proven a certain level of understanding of the current ACH payments landscape. This sets you apart by:
  • Recognizing your knowledge and comprehension of ACH payments
  • Recognizing you as a leader in your field
  • Strengthening your professional credibility
  • Demonstrating your commitment to customer service
  • Demonstrating your commitment to stay on the leading edge of industry trends and topics of interest
  • Positioning you for professional advancement

Why Have Your Employees Certified?

  • The Accredited ACH Professional certification program enhances the credibility of your team and gives you a competitive advantage in a constantly changing and challenging environment with:
  • Improved customer service
  • Improved audit performance
  • Enhanced understanding of industry products, trends, and practices
  • Increased understanding of how and why ACH payments continue to provide value for your customers
  • Increased industry leaders
  • An industry-recognized opportunity for employee professional development and advancement

UMACHA's AAP Exam Training

UMACHA will help you attain the Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) designation.  Did you know UMACHA Members who participate in the AAP Exam Prep Series have a better pass rate than the national pass rate?

Many financial institutions and companies want staff to become AAPs to show their commitment to having expert ACH knowledge so that they may ensure safe and efficient processing of customer's electronic payments. AAPs demonstrate experience and expertise in ACH operations, product management and marketing strategies.

UMACHA provides a variety of preparation training sessions for AAP candidates including webinars and classroom sessions.


Helpful Materials to Get Your AAP Training Underway

  • So You Think You Want to Be An AAP Webinar
    • Learn what it takes to become an AAP and whether you should consider pursuing the accreditation.
  • AAP Justification Letter
    • Need some help convincing your supervisor of the benefits of becoming an AAP?  Use this sample letter to help justify your reasoning for earning your AAP!
  • UMACHA's 2023 AAP Training Offerings (Tier Information)
    • Whether you are looking to purchase an AAP training tier a la carte or are looking to register for the entire AAP Exam Prep Series, this document will help you understand the details of each AAP training tier and the benefits of participating in the entire AAP Exam Prep Series.

Register for AAP Training with UMACHA

Click the preferred training link below to begin registering for UMACHA's AAP training:

Register for the AAP Exam with Nacha

  • AAP Exam Testing Window: Monday, October 2 – Saturday, October 28, 2023
    • Don't forget to register for your AAP Exam with Nacha to pick your testing date and location, and to receive your AAP Handbook.
      • NOTE: Registering for UMACHA's AAP training does not register attendees with Nacha for the AAP Exam.

Click Here to Register for the 2023 AAP Exam with Nacha

Renewing Your Certification


AAP® accreditation is valid for five years. You may maintain your status as an AAP by earning and reporting 60 continuing education credits during the five year period or by passing another exam. Participation in AAP® training sessions, Payments University, and select annual conference sessions all qualify as continuing education credits

Helpful Links


The APRP credential demonstrates that you have mastered the complexities of risk management for ACH, check, wire, debit, credit and prepaid cards, and emerging and alternative payments. Participation in UMACHA's risk based training sessions and our annual conference, Navigating Payments, all qualify for Continuing Education Credits

Effectively managing payments risk is crucial for organizations that provide payment services, such as financial institutions, solution providers and processors, businesses and other end-user entities that use these services, and examiners who oversee this activity Learn More about acquiring and maintaining your APRP.

Thinking About Taking The APRP in 2023? Check out the Nacha website for certification details

Why Should You Become Certified?

  • Propel your business forward
  • Recognition throughout the payments industry
  • Show that you mastered the complexities of Risk Management for:
    • ACH
    • Check
    • Wire
    • Debit
    • Credit & prepaid cards
    • Emerging & alternative payments
  • Show you’re committed to risk management regulation compliance
  • Be the go-to expert in risk management across payment types

Who Should Get Certified?

  • Anyone involved in payments
  • Financial Institutions
  • Corporate end-users
  • Regulators
  • Service Providers
  • Processors

We Can Help!

UMACHA will help you attain and renew the Accredited Risk Payments Professional (APRP) designation designation by providing a variety of preparation and recertification training sessions for APRP candidates including webinar and classroom sessions. Check out our Education Schedule, for these sessions. Continuing education credits are also available by attending Payments University and the Navigating Payments conference.

Training Review Courses by UMACHA
2023 APRP Exam Prep Series

  • Webinar Series
    • A series of webinars, each one focusing on a specific topic to be covered on the exam, with two review sessions closing out the series.
    • Webinars will take place from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. (CST)
  • 2 Options for the APRP 2-Day Review -Two days of intense review in preparation for the APRP exam
    • In-Person Workshop, in Brooklyn Park, MN: July 11 & 12, 2023
    • Virtual Workshop, via Zoom:  July 26-27, 2023

Register for the 2023 APRP Certification Training Package
The APRP Exam Preparation Series is ideal for UMACHA members who are considering, or are planning on sitting for, the APRP exam in August 2023


Test Window: Monday, Aug. 7 – Saturday, September 2, 2023

Exam Registration Deadline Friday, June 23, 2022

Register to Take the Exam

Questions?


So You Think You Want to be an APRP Recording (2023 COMING SOON) Free of charge
So You Think You Want to be an APRP Presentation (2022)


Through the certification process, National Check Professionals® (NCPs) demonstrate a working knowledge of every significant aspect of the check payment system including products and operations, relevant rules and laws that govern checks, industry standards, and fraud and risk mitigation considerations. Additionally, NCPs will explore those characteristics of check payments that make checks unique among payments and that continue to provide lasting value for billions of payments each year valued at tens of trillions of dollars.  Did You Know UMACHA Members who participate in the NCP Exam Prep Series have a better pass rate than the national pass rate?

Why Get Certified?

A National Check Professional (NCP®) certification recognizes professionals who have successfully proven a certain level of understanding of the current check payments landscape. This sets you apart by:

  • Recognizing your knowledge and comprehension of check payments
  • Recognizing you as a leader in your field
  • Strengthening your professional credibility
  • Demonstrating your commitment to customer service
  • Demonstrating your commitment to stay on the leading edge of industry trends and topics of interest
  • Positioning you for professional advancement
  • To learn more about the NCP® certification program, click to view the NCP Certification Program Brochure.

Why Have Your Employees Certified?

The National Check Professionals Certification® program enhances the credibility of your team and gives you a competitive advantage in a constantly changing and challenging environment with:

  • Improved customer service
  • Improved audit performance
  • Enhanced understanding of industry products, trends, and practices
  • Increased understanding of how and why check payments continue to provide value for your customers
  • Increased industry leaders
  • An industry-recognized opportunity for employee professional development and advancement 

We Can Help!

In addition to the Helpful Links section below, UMACHA will help you attain and renew the National Check Professionals Certification® by providing a variety of preparation and recertification training sessions for NCP® candidates including webinar and classroom sessions.  Review the information below and click the link to register for the 2023 NCP® Exam Prep Series:

2023 NCP® Exam Prep Series

  • Consists of 12 webinars*, each one focusing on a specific topic likely to be covered on the NCP® exam.
  • Includes two open forum sessions to grant attendees the opportunity to ask questions of NCP-certified speakers.
  • The choice to add a two-day, in-person NCP® review workshop** to assist NCP® candidates with their final preparations before sitting for the NCP® exam.

* Individual webinars may be purchased à la carte from the On-Demand Education Library following the addition of each webinar.

** The two-day, in-person NCP® review workshop may also be purchased à la carte from the NCP workshop's registration page.  UMACHA does not plan to offer a virtual version of the NCP workshop.

The NCP® Exam

  • Upcoming Exam Window: Saturday, April 15 – Saturday, May 6, 2023
  • Registration deadline: Friday, March 31, 2023
  • Additional details:
    • Three-hour computer-based exam
    • 120 multiple choice questions (100 scored)
    • Nationwide test centers (for in-person testing)
    • Online proctoring optional
    • NCP Exam Blueprint


Register To Take The 2023 NCP Exam

Note: UMACHA does not offer any discounted/member pricing on the NCP exam.  Candidates should speak with their supervisor to determine if their organization is a member of ECCHO to receive discounted pricing on the exam.

Renewing Your Certification

The NCP® certification is valid for five years. You may maintain your status as an NCP by earning and reporting 50 continuing education credits and by completing any three mandatory annual ECCHO NCP® workshops during the five-year period or by passing another exam. Participation in NCP® training sessions, UMACHA's Payments University (in-person or virtual), and select Navigating Payments sessions all qualify as continuing education credits.

National NCP Day

Click here for more information on how this day will be recognized and for ideas on celebrating in your office.

  • Next National NCP Day: Monday, August 7, 2023

Helpful Links