Accreditations & Certifications
The AAP Prep Program
Becoming an Industry Leader
Accredited ACH Professionals (AAPs) are an elite group of highly-skilled professionals who are recognized for their electronic payments expertise and who have a strong competitive edge in functioning as effective partners in the business and financial arenas. The AAP accreditation is recognized as the gold standard in ACH excellence.
AAPs bring a wide range of experience and a critical knowledge base that is a valuable asset to any organization and Regulators seek out AAP’s during exams.
Exam Dates: TBA
What is an AAP?
AAPs (Accredited ACH Professionals) are recognized as experts on ACH-related issues. As an AAP you’ll become a leader in your field while increasing your value to your organization. It’s a win/win situation. However, before you embark on the journey, a certain amount of preparation is required.
It is recommended that you have at least two years of payments-related experience before you attempt to take the AAP exam.
In addition, you’ll want to prepare for the exam by attending classes offered by Macha that provide the information you’ll need to pass the exam, as well as purchasing the necessary study materials.
The AAP Offer
Macha offers a special incentive package to individuals who want to take the AAP exam in October. You will need certain publications for reference and study, as well as training sessions (see the “AAP Recommended Publications” and “Recommended AAP Training Sessions”) which cover information necessary to pass the AAP exam. Wouldn’t it also be helpful to have a study guide that told you what to expect and how to prepare for the exam? Macha has developed the AAP Study Kit which provides useful tips, sample tests and quizzes– delivered electronically.
Nacha AAP Program Testimonials
“The knowledge of our Accredited ACH Professionals (AAPs) is invaluable. We have changed several policies and updated many agreements since our first AAP came onboard 10 years ago.”
“Our Accredited ACH Professionals (AAPs) have helped identify and explain risks others in the bank didn’t know even existed.”
“With the growing number of rules changes in the ACH Network that affect all financial institutions, having an Accredited ACH Professional (AAP) on staff is invaluable.”
“By having an AAP on staff, we have been able to streamline processes to ensure compliance with payment systems requirements.”
“As AAPs, we have a thorough understanding of the rules and regulatory requirements to help us avoid fines. We have even been able to put processes in place to help us avoid account takeover, etc.”
“Having AAPs on staff is an important way that financial institutions can demonstrate their commitment to rules and regulatory compliance, sound risk management and operations practices to regulators and examiners, other financial institutions and their business clients.”
NCP - National Check Professional Preparation
What is the NCPC Program?
The NCPC (National Check Professional Certification) program is sponsored by the Electronic Check Clearing House Organization (ECCHO). This designation recognizes professionals who have successfully proven a certain level of understanding of the current check payments landscape.
Set Yourself Apart as a NCP
A National Check Professional (NCP) designation recognizes professionals who have successfully proven an expert 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
Why a Financial Institution Should Have a NCP on Staff
Although check volume is on the decline, checks are still here and check fraud is increasing. According to the American Bankers Association Deposit Account Fraud Survey, $1.00 out of every $3.00 in losses are due to counterfeit and returned checks. In addition, we are in the midst of numerous check regulation and rule changes, including: changes to Regulation CC (funds availability and more); FTC changes on Remotely Created Checks (RCCs); and FFIEC’s IT Examination Handbook addition of Appendix E: Mobile Financial Services, which affects Remote Deposit Capture (RDC).
Having a NCP on staff will help your financial institution stay compliant, decrease losses, and be ahead of the curve! NCPs have proven knowledge in every significant aspect of the check payment system including: products and operations; relevant rules and laws; industry standards; and fraud and risk mitigation.
Which Areas of Check Will the Exam Cover?
The NCPC (National Check Professional Certification) Exam covers four major categories of the check business:
- Rules, laws, and regulations
- Fraud and Risk Mitigation
- Check Operations
- Check Products
Exam Dates: April 19 – May 10, 2025
Registration for the NCPC Exam is administered through ECCHO. More details on the NCPC program, including registration information, are available by visiting the ECCHO website.
Macha's NCP Certification Preparation Package
Macha has built this special preparation package to prepare individuals for the NCPC Exam.
Macha’s NCPC Preparation Package includes:
- 14 Webinar Training Sessions
- One Open Forum
- Two Day Exam Review
- NCP Prep Flash Cards
- CheckPro
NCP Preparation Package Member Price: $1,650.00 | Non-Member Price $3,300.00
Accredited Payments Risk Professional
Nacha has an advanced certification program called the Accredited Payments Risk Professional (APRP) Certification. The certification esteems itself to identify those individuals who are competent in risk across payment channels at an enterprise level. Be sure to register early for the next APRP exam and training sessions.
Exam Dates: August 2025
The exam will cover the following areas:
- Fundamentals of Payments Risk Management
- Payment Systems
- Payments Risk Policy & Governance
- Payments Risk Management Systems and Controls
- Physical and Information Security
- Regulatory Environment
APRP Certification Propels Your Business & Career Forward
Becoming an APRP will help you to advance both your financial institution as well as your career. Having an APRP employee shows examiners that your Financial Institution is committed to risk management and regulatory compliance. As an APRP, you can rest assured that you will rise above the rest by exemplifying that you are committed to your payments-related profession and helping your employer remediate risk.
APRP Prep Series
Macha offers a comprehensive APRP Prep Series that includes nine webinars that cover the details one needs to know for the APRP Certification Exam and learn all about payments risk, plus three opportunities to review the material.
Please contact our Education Department at education@macha.org for more information.
Accredited Faster Payments Professional
The inaugural exam is full. Please only purchase this plan if you have a confirmed exam registration.
Demonstrate Your Faster Payments Proficiency
Nacha, the U.S. Faster Payments Council (FPC) and our nation’s Payments Associations formed a first-of-its-kind alliance to create the Accredited Faster Payments Professional (AFPP) program.
This partnership demonstrates a cross-industry collaboration to benefit the entire payments community. The AFPP is a rigorous and centralized accreditation program allowing payments professionals to demonstrate their expertise across all faster payment types, including Same Day ACH, RTP®, FedNow and Push-to-Card.
Who should consider becoming an AFPP?
An AFPP is an individual who possesses a comprehensive knowledge of instant payment methods in the U.S., an understanding of and experience in one or more faster payments network rails and has a broad knowledge of concepts that relate to the payments system as a whole.
The program is designed for payments industry stakeholders, including individuals employed by financial institutions, financial technology companies, regulatory bodies, and service providers.
Inaugural exam
The first AFPP exam will be administered between February 17 - March 8, 2025.
For more information or to register for the exam, visit https://www.nacha.org/afpp.
AFPP Prep Series
Macha offers a comprehensive AFPP Prep Series that includes eight webinars that cover the details one needs to know for the AFPP Certification Exam and learn all about instant payments.
Faster Payments Professional
Faster payments are here to stay, and with Same Day ACH, RTP® and FedNow® - it’s more important than ever to be prepared.
The Faster Payments Professional (FPP) certificate is a first-of-its-kind program providing professionals with holistic views of faster payments and getting them acquainted with current offerings. Earning this certificate demonstrates your proficiency in the faster payments field. The certificate program will be offered in three (3) separate modules. Each module will include a series of pre-recorded webinars that allows for self-paced study. Once each module is complete, there is a short quiz. Once all modules and quizzes are complete, one final certification exam will be offered. Each module will be sold separately.
Price per Module: $299/member, $598/nonmember
What's Covered
Module 1: Faster Payments Fundamentals
- Terminology
- Platforms and Platform Basics
- Defining Participants and Participant Roles
- Technology
- Basic Rules and Regulations
Module 2: Faster Payments Functionality
- Authentications
- Authorizations and Agreements
- Operational Functions
- Eligibility and Enrollment Requirements
Module 3: Faster Payments Fraud, Risk & Legal
- Fraud Review
- Rules Considerations
- Regulatory Risk Management
- Liquidity Management
Review Course & Exam
Faster Payments Professional Certificate (Now Available)
