Emeritus Status

The knowledge and experience of all Certified Archivists throughout their careers are invaluable to the Academy of Certified Archivists and our profession. Retired CAs or those otherwise no longer performing daily archival work may qualify for Emeritus status.

What is meant by daily archival work? Emeritus status might be an option for a CA working in a museum who finds their position has evolved so that their work responsibilities and professional development are now focused on museum collections and related functions. In another qualifying example, perhaps a CA has moved from the Head of Special Collections to a Dean of Libraries position and is no longer able to meet the requirements to recertify by petition or examination.

Emeritus status:

  • honors contributions to the archival profession
  • allows those in changing professional circumstances to remain active with the ACA
  • reduces annual dues to $10.00
  • permits the member to use the CA Emeritus designation upon payment of annual dues
  • once approved, does not require recertification to maintain

To qualify, candidates must have recertified at least once since taking the exam, be current on all dues and/or fees, and not have let their certification lapse.

Certified Archivists who wish to join the ranks of the CA Emeriti must complete the brief application form below. ACA will review each request and be in touch shortly.

Complete the Emeritus Membership Application Form

Note: Emeritus Status is not meant for CAs who are unemployed, experiencing challenging personal circumstances, or otherwise temporarily unable to maintain certification. If you have any questions, please contact ACA’s office at office@certifiedarchivists.org.

Upcoming Events

Call for Proctors

Are you interested in assisting ACA exam candidates while earning recertification credits? We are seeking volunteers to proctor the online exam June 11-13, 2026. Sign up here. The 3-hour exam will be offered multiple times throughout the three days, and you can choose the time slots that fit your availability. Each proctoring session lasts for 5 hours and is entirely online. It’s a great chance to meet your fellow CAs and to help future CAs!

To ensure that everyone can earn points toward recertification, please do not sign up for more than two time slots. Proctor training will be provided several times in early June. If you have any questions, please reach out to examadmin@certifiedarchivists.org.