List certifications in their own section, titled “Certifications” or “Licenses and certifications,” and give each one three facts: the full name of the credential, the organization that issued it, and the date you earned it or the date it is valid through. If the job requires a credential, also put it after your name or in your summary so nobody can miss it.
Mark unfinished ones “in progress” with an expected date, and never present a lapsed credential as current.
Key takeaways
- Every entry needs the credential’s full name with its abbreviation, the issuer, and a date.
- Required credentials go where they are seen first: after your name, in the summary and at the top of the section.
- An in-progress certification is worth listing once you are enrolled or have an exam date. Say “expected” and give the month.
- An expired certification either comes off or is shown with its real dates. A license you need in order to practice must be active.
- A certificate from a course is training, not a certification. Give it a different heading.
- Employers can check. Use the issuer’s exact wording and keep your credential ID handy.
01
Certification, license or certificate: which do you have?
The three words are used loosely, but they mean different things, and a reader in your field will know the difference. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics draws the line this way: certifications are issued by a non-governmental body, while licenses are awarded by a government agency and convey a legal authority to work in an occupation.
| What you have | Who issues it | Examples | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certification | A professional body, industry group or vendor | Project Management Professional (PMP), CompTIA Security+, AWS Certified Solutions Architect | Certifications section |
| License | A government agency, often a state board | Registered Nurse, Professional Engineer, real estate salesperson | Licenses section, or a combined “Licenses and certifications” |
| Certificate of completion | A school, bootcamp or course provider | A university extension certificate in data analytics | Education, or a “Training” or “Courses” section |
Calling a course certificate a certification is a common slip. It is harmless in conversation, but on a resume it can read as overclaiming to someone who holds the real credential.
02
Where do certifications go on a resume?
Placement depends on how much the credential matters for the job.
| Your situation | Where to put it |
|---|---|
| The posting requires it | After your name in the header, in the first line of your summary, and in a section placed above experience |
| It strengthens your case but is not required | A dedicated section after experience or skills |
| You have only one | A line under education, with the heading changed to “Education and certifications” |
| You are changing careers or have little experience | A section above experience, because it is your most relevant evidence |
| You have more than five | Keep those that fit this job; drop the rest or move them to an “Additional training” line |
Credential letters after a name are the convention in fields where the credential is the entry ticket.
Maria Okafor, RN, BSN Columbus, OH | 614-555-0126 | maria.okafor@email.com | linkedin.com/in/mariaokafor
Write the credential in the body as well, spelled out and abbreviated, so a search for either form finds it. The guide to resume keywords explains why both forms matter. If certifications are standing in for a degree, the guide to getting a good job without a degree covers how to build the rest of the page around them.
03
How to format a certification entry
Use one line per credential, in the same order every time.
[Full name of credential] ([Abbreviation]) | [Issuing organization] | [Earned Month Year] or [Valid through Month Year]
CERTIFICATIONS Project Management Professional (PMP) | Project Management Institute | Valid through March 2027 Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) | Scrum Alliance | Valid through June 2027
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS Registered Nurse (RN) | Ohio Board of Nursing | License #[number] | Active through October 2027 Basic Life Support (BLS) | American Heart Association | Valid through May 2027 Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) | American Heart Association | Valid through May 2027
CERTIFICATIONS AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate | Amazon Web Services | Valid through January 2028 CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA | Valid through August 2028 Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals | Microsoft | Earned 2024
Four details make the section easy to trust:
- Use the issuer’s exact name for the credential. Copy it from your certificate or digital badge. “AWS certified” is not the name of anything.
- Choose the right date. Give the date earned for credentials that do not expire and “valid through” for those that do. A reader should never have to wonder whether it is current.
- Order by relevance to the job, then by date. The credential named in the posting goes first.
- Add a license or credential number when it helps. It is expected for licenses in regulated fields and optional elsewhere. A verification link works too.
04
How to list a certification in progress
List it when there is something concrete behind it: you are enrolled in the program, you have booked the exam, or you have passed part of a multi-part exam. “Planning to study for” does not belong on the page.
CompTIA Security+ | CompTIA | In progress, exam scheduled November 2026 Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | [State] Board of Accountancy | Passed [number] of [number] exam sections; remaining sections scheduled for early 2027 [Program name] Certificate | [Provider] | 6 of 8 courses complete, expected December 2026
Two cautions. Do not put the letters after your name until the credential is granted. And when an application form asks “Do you hold this certification?”, the truthful answer is no until you do. Use a comments field or your cover letter to say when you expect it.
05
What to do with expired certifications
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Lapsed and unrelated to the job | Remove it |
| Lapsed, but the knowledge still matters | Show the real dates, such as “2019 to 2022,” or move the skill to your skills section |
| Lapsed and you are renewing | Add “renewal in progress, expected [Month Year]” |
| A license you need to practice is inactive | Say “inactive” and start reinstatement before you apply |
| The issuer retired the certification | Keep it with the date earned if it is still relevant |
Renewal rules differ from one issuer to the next, so check the issuer’s own page instead of assuming. Two examples: AWS says renewing a certification adds three more years of validity, and the certification must still be active to renew. Microsoft says its fundamentals certifications do not expire, while its associate, expert and specialty certifications are renewed through a free online assessment that extends them by one year.
Honesty here is practical as well as right. Many credentials can be looked up by anyone. Nursys, run by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, lets the public check a nurse’s license and discipline status for free where the state board takes part. Other issuers offer registries or badge links that do the same, and an employer that requires a credential can verify it before you start, sometimes as part of a background check.
06
Which certifications to leave off
- Anything unrelated to the job. A food handler card does not help an application for a financial analyst role.
- Credentials for technology nobody uses now. They date you without adding evidence.
- Lower levels of a ladder you have climbed. Keep the highest level unless the posting names the lower one.
- Short course badges. Group the useful ones on a single “Training” line and drop the rest.
- Anything you cannot verify. If you have lost the record and the issuer cannot confirm it, leave it out.
Three to five relevant credentials usually make a stronger section than a long list. If you are moving into a new field, the guide to a career change resume shows how to place new credentials next to older experience, and skills to put on a resume covers where the underlying skills should appear.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Where do certifications go on a resume?
In a dedicated section titled “Certifications” or “Licenses and certifications.” Put it above your experience when the job requires the credential or when it is your strongest evidence, and after experience or skills otherwise. If the credential is required, also add its abbreviation after your name and mention it in your summary.
Should I include certifications that are in progress?
Yes, once you are enrolled, have an exam date or have passed part of the exam. Write “in progress” and the month you expect to finish. Do not add the credential’s letters after your name or answer yes to “Do you hold this certification?” until it has been granted.
Should I list expired certifications?
Only if the knowledge is still relevant, and only with the real dates so it is clear the credential has lapsed. Remove expired certifications that are unrelated to the job. Never list an expired credential without dates in a way that suggests it is current.
Do I need to include the certification number?
Usually not. Include a license number when the field expects it, such as nursing, or when the posting asks for it. For other credentials, keep the ID or a verification link ready and provide it when an employer asks.
Do online course certificates count as certifications?
No. A certificate shows you completed a course. A certification is issued by a professional body, industry group or vendor, usually after an exam. List course certificates under education or a “Training” heading, and only the ones that relate to the job.
Can I put a certification after my name?
Yes, when it is a recognized credential that matters for the job, such as RN, CPA, PE or PMP. Limit it to one or two, and add them only once the credential has been granted and while it is current.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Data on certifications and licenses (CPS): the difference between a certification and a license.
- Amazon Web Services: AWS Recertification: renewing adds three more years of validity, and a certification must be active to renew.
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Certification Renewal: free annual renewal for associate, expert and specialty certifications; fundamentals certifications do not expire.
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing: Nursys: free public lookup of nurse license and discipline status.
- Marquette University Career Center: Resume, Cover Letter, and References Guide: listing the certifications and licenses that relate to your career goal.
Published by Jobbie and last updated on October 6, 2026. This guide is general information for job seekers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.