Renewing Your NHA CCMA in 2027: NHA One, the $195 Fee, and 10 CE Credits

A CCMA lasts two years and expires on the date printed on your certificate, so the people renewing in 2027 are mostly those who certified or last renewed in 2025. That timing matters: NHA changed how renewal works in July 2026, when it launched NHA One, and a 2027 renewal is often the first time a CCMA meets the new system. The rules below come from NHA's renewal page, its Candidate Handbook and its Help Center, as checked on October 28, 2026.

NHA CCMA renewal rules that apply in 2027

NHA hasn't announced a 2027 change to renewal. Its Product & Cert Portal Updates page, where it posts certification changes, lists none for renewal fees or continuing education as of October 28, 2026, so the current rules are the ones to plan with:

The handbook calls the first month after expiry a one-month grace period. During it, your certification counts as expired (the renewal page speaks of a certification that "expired less than 30 days ago"), so treat the grace month as a safety net, not a deadline.

Which renewal path you're on in 2027

NHA One is built into certification: NHA's enrollment article says certified professionals are enrolled "when they certify or recertify," and that no one can sign up mid-cycle. Provisional certification holders, and pharmacy technicians without a second certification, are excluded. For a CCMA expiring in 2027, that gives three likely situations:

• You certified or renewed before July 2026 and never bought NHA Membership. You renew at the standard $195, as the renewal page's steps show: complete or upload 10 CE credits, select "Renew Certifications," pay the fee. The same page then says you are part of NHA One
• You're a legacy NHA Member. NHA Membership was sold from March 2025 until July 14, 2026. NHA's membership article says existing plans continue under their terms, including the free recertification benefit where eligible, and legacy members aren't moved into NHA One. Follow NHA's renewal steps for members
• You're already in NHA One. You pay $95 each year, and NHA uses your certification anniversary, the date you earned or last renewed the credential, as the reference point for those payments. NHA's NHA One article says that while those payments are current and your CE is complete, renewal costs nothing extra. If the payments lapse, renewal costs $195 plus the cost of CE

Two NHA One payments over a cycle total $190, against $195 for the standard renewal (Passy's arithmetic), so the main difference is unlimited NHA CE and paying yearly. The CCMA cost guide puts these amounts next to the exam's own costs.

Earning 10 CE credits before your 2027 date

Ten credits means 20 hours of continuing education. NHA's CE article sets out where they can come from:

• NHA's own CE library. NHA One professionals and legacy members get the full library (specialty CE excepted). Other certified professionals get a select number of courses at no charge and can buy the rest. Completed NHA CE is recorded to your account automatically
• CE from other providers. NHA generally accepts it. Upload it under "Upload External CE" in your account with the title, the hours and official documentation such as a certificate of completion, following NHA's upload steps. The account converts hours to credits for you
• State rules. NHA notes that some states have their own CE requirements that affect which courses count, so check your state's rules before you choose courses

The handbook says NHA typically reviews uploaded CE documents within five business days, and longer if your submission is chosen for audit. You can submit documentation each year or all at once before the expiration date.

Passy's study materials don't award NHA continuing education credits. If your role has changed since you certified, though, a refresher can still help: planned CCMA flashcards cover insurance terms and legal documents as well as clinical facts.

A 2027 CCMA renewal timeline

A schedule that leaves room for problems (Passy's suggestion, built on NHA's rules):

Renewing a month or two early costs nothing extra under NHA's "no penalty for renewing early" rule, and it keeps the five-day review time and any audit away from your deadline.

If your CCMA lapses in 2027

The renewal page is strict about the one-year line: "Expired certifications that are not reinstated within one year are no longer valid," and you must retake the exam to certify again. In that case you re-register, pay the full exam price and sit the CCMA exam NHA offers on your new date. If you don't pass, the usual retake rules apply: a 30-day wait and up to three attempts before a one-year wait.

A lapse also matters before the one-year mark. The handbook says that missing the recertification requirement before your expiration date "will nullify the credential," and it allows you to use the credential behind your name only "if you achieve a passing score on the exam and have a current valid credential." NHA can share a certification's current status with schools and employers.

If you do end up back at the exam, planned CCMA prep covers all seven domains for a return to the test, and the CCMA retake guide has a 30-day plan.

State renewals run separately from NHA's

Renewing with NHA doesn't renew a state credential, and the reverse is also true:

• Washington. The state medical assistant-certified credential renews every two years on your birthday and has no continuing education requirement, according to the Department of Health's FAQ. The same FAQ says you don't need to keep your national certification current to renew the state credential, although your employer may set its own requirement
• California. NHA's handbook requires California CCMAs who train other medical assistants to complete 60 continuing education hours every five years

The CCMA state requirements guide covers both states in more detail.

Renewing more than one NHA certification in 2027

If you also hold the CMAA or another NHA certification, the renewal page says "the 10 credits apply toward one or more certifications": three certifications still need 10 credits in total. The page also says "there is a separate fee for stacked certifications" but doesn't list the amount on the page, so check it in your account. The CCMA vs CMAA guide compares the two medical assistant exams.

What to recheck before you renew in 2027

NHA's renewal page was last checked in a copy dated October 12, 2026, and the Help Center articles on October 28, 2026. Fees and processes can change, and NHA's renewal how-to says address changes must be made through your NHA account. Before you pay, confirm three things in your account: the expiration date, the credits recorded, and the fee shown at checkout.

Your next step for a 2027 CCMA renewal

Log in today, note your expiration date and your recorded credits, and put the six-month check from the timeline in your calendar. If you're planning further ahead, the after-passing guide covers the whole first cycle, and if your certification has already lapsed past a year, weigh a 30-day planned CCMA access period if you must sit the exam again.