Certified Licensing Professional Program

The CLP Board of Governors is pleased to announce the launch of the Certified Licensing Professional (CLP) program.

CLP Certification Renewal Policy

The CLP credential will be recognized for a period of three (3) years from the last day of the month in which certification was earned. CLP designees are required to demonstrate continued competence in their field to maintain their certification status.  Below is a summary of the recertification requirements.  Download the full CLP Certification Renewal Policy (available in a PDF format) with complete details on the following acceptable sources and value of continuing education (CE) credit, failure to recertify, reinstatement, verification, and more. 
Recertification Requirements

• Individuals who hold the CLP designation can renew their credential by completing and submitting a renewal application attesting to 40 continuing education (CE) credits by the last day of the month, three (3) months prior to the certificant’s expiration date.
• Renewal candidates must still be active in the licensing field.
• Renewal candidates must pay the renewal fee of $400.
• Renewal candidates must have at least three (3) years of full-time licensing experience within the prior eight years.
• Renewal candidates must include the name and location of the meeting, title of the session(s) they attended/presented, short description of the session(s) they attended/presented, and a copy of the publication they wrote (if selecting this option for CE credit).  

CLP, Inc. will accept credits earned in 2008 and 2009 prior to the official publication of this certification renewal policy.  If you have questions regarding recertification, please contact CLP at clpinfo@licensingcertification.org. 

CLP News

CLP Exam Now Available at More than 400 Test Sites Worldwide
Candidates for the CLP credential can now opt to take the exam at one of more than 400 test sites worldwide. The CLP exam will be offered this year in March and September. Click here to apply for the exam. You can choose an international test site during the scheduling phase of the application process for an additional fee of $200.

The CLP Vision

• Publicly recognize the licensing professional's experience and qualifications;
• Publicly recognize the licensing professional's education and professional development;
• Focus the licensing professional's individual development on internationally applicable standards, ethics, and excellence; and
• Provide greater visibility to the licensing profession with added credibility and prestige.

To become a CLP, a candidate must:

1. Submit the CLP Application,
2. Satisfy the CLP Standards, which includes passing the CLP Examination, and
3. Pay a non-refundable Application Fee of $995, which includes processing the application and two testing opportunities.

Licensing Definition

Licensing includes identification, valuation, development, use, transfer, marketing, and/or management of intellectual property for commercial purposes. Certified Licensing Professionals are people of good ethical reputation who subscribe to the CLP Rules of Conduct and who in business or professional activities have significant Licensing responsibility. Licensing professionals work in a variety of settings, including health care; high tech; chemicals, energy, and materials; financial markets; consumer products; and university, research organizations, and government; and as service providers to the above.

Who Should Take the CLP Exam?

The CLP™ credential is relevant for those focused on the multi-disciplinary aspects of licensing and are in the professional development phase of their licensing career. The certification is available to those who have received a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited university and have at least three years of professional experience in the licensing field. The CLP™ program is not limited to LES members.

Chances are that you are an ideal candidate to for the CLP certification program. To help you decide if the CLP credential is the right step for you, review the checklist below. If you can check off all of these items, you may be ready to take the exam.

I have at least three years of experience in the licensing industry.
I have a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited university.
I currently work in the licensing field.
I want to earn a credential that demonstrates my experience and proficiency in the licensing and commercialization of intellectual property.

Take the next step in your career today by applying for the CLP credential. We encourage you to apply early to allow time to study for the exam.

Candidate Handbook

Click here to download a printable PDF of the CLP Candidate Handbook. The handbook contains all of the information you'll need to help you prepare to take the CLP certification examination. The handbook contains application directions, eligibility requirements, exam scheduling, exam domains, sample questions, reference list, and other exam prep materials.

Application Fees

The application fee is $995. The application fee includes two testing opportunities within a 13-month period that begins with the application submission. If the candidate does not take the examination or does not pass it within the 13-month period, then the application is closed and the candidate must reapply and pay the application fee again. Paid applicants also have access to a free online practice test with 50 sample questions.

Application & Testing Process

It is recommended that CLP candidates take the following steps:

1. Review the candidate handbook completely before completing the application.

2. Review the eligibility requirements. To sit for the CLP examination, an applicant must have received a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited university, work in the licensing field at the time of submission of the application, have at least three years of professional-level experience in the licensing field, and have accumulated the three years of experience within the prior eight years.

3. Complete the application and pay the application fee. A completed application must be submitted through www.castleworldwide.com/clp before a candidate can schedule his/her testing appointment.

4. Complete the application 60 days before the opening of the testing window.

5. Schedule a testing session. Upon the approval of your application, CASTLE Worldwide, our testing partner, will notify you of your eligibility to sit for the examination and will provide you with a username, password, and directions on how to schedule a testing session.

6. Sit for the examination. The examination consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. You will be given three (3) hours to complete the examination.

7. Wait for the examination results. Currently, examination results are mailed (United States Postal Service) within six to eight weeks of your testing session. For reasons of privacy and confidentiality, examination results are released only in writing by mail. Examination results will not be given via telephone or fax.

CLP Examination Content

The certification examination consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. You will be given three (3) hours to complete the examination. Eight major performance domains account for the examination's content. Below is the number of questions included in each performance domain.

Domain No. of Questions
Domain I: Strategy (20)
Domain II: Intellectual Property Protection (26)
Domain III: Opportunity Assessment and Development (22)
Domain IV: Valuation (10)
Domain V: Marketing (5)
Domain VI: Agreement Development and Drafting (27)
Domain VII: Negotiation (30)
Domain VIII: Agreement Management (10)

KEY DATES

In 2009, applicants may register to take the three-hour exam anytime during the months of March or September.

• March exam period: applications must be submitted at least 15 days before the desired test date.
• September exam period: applications must be submitted at least 15 days before the desired test date.

Applications for the CLP examination are now being accepted. CASTLE Worldwide, the testing agency for the CLP exam, maintains more than 300 testing centers in the United States and Canada to administer the exam.

Please note: testing centers are subject to change without notice, and testing centers maintain individual dates and times of operations. Testing appointments are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Accordingly, you are encouraged to submit your application as soon as possible.

Click here to submit an online application.

Follow these links for more information on the CLP Program.

1. CLP Program Overview
2. CLP Candidate Handbook and Study Guide
3. CLP Rules of Conduct
4. Click here to view a copy of the Online CLP Application
5. Information on the Online CLP Application
6. CLP Recertification

CLP Board of Governors

Kathleen Denis, The Rockefeller University, Chair
Dwight Olson, V3Data, Vice Chair
Allen Baum, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, Treasurer
Tom Picone, Schering-Plough Corp. , Secretary
Jack Anthony, Osprey Pharmaceuticals USA
Frédéric Caillaud, L'Oréal
John Craighead, Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
Katherine Ku, Stanford University
Patrick Jones, University of Arizona
Simone Nuzzi, General Electric Co. Frederick Caillaud, L'Oréal
Pat O'Reilley, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Resources for CLP Certificants
For more information on how to use your new credential and promote your achievement to your friends and colleagues, download the following documents:

• It's Your Credential, It's Your Career - Make the CLP™ Credential Work for you
• Guidelines for Using the CLP™ Credential
• Sample Press Release

Already a Certified Licensing Professional?

If you have already earned the CLP credential and need to make changes to your listing in the CLP registry, click here.

Please note: you will need to log into the system using the same user name and password that you created when you initially applied.

Contact Us:
Certified Licensing Professionals, Inc.
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 280
Alexandria, VA 22314
clpinfo@licensingcertification.org