What is the difference between ACC PCC and MCC

The three International Coaching Federation (ICF) credentials represent increasing levels of coaching competence, experience, and mastery.

Credential

Best for

Training

Coaching Experience

What it demonstrates

ACC (Associate Certified Coach)

New professional coaches

60+ hours

100+ hours

Strong foundation in the ICF Core Competencies

PCC (Professional Certified Coach)

Experienced coaches

125+ hours

500+ hours

Advanced coaching that consistently creates client insight and transformation

MCC (Master Certified Coach)

Master coaches

200+ hours

2,500+ hours

Exceptional coaching presence, partnership, and mastery in complex coaching situations

ACC – Associate Certified Coach

At the ACC level, the coach demonstrates they can:

• Coach ethically.

• Build trust.

• Establish a coaching agreement.

• Ask open, non-leading questions.

• Listen actively.

• Help clients create awareness and actions.

An ACC coach is learning to coach consistently and avoid common pitfalls such as giving advice or leading the client.

PCC – Professional Certified Coach

A PCC coach goes beyond following the coaching process. They:

• Partner deeply with the client.

• Coach the whole person, not just the problem.

• Notice patterns, beliefs, values, and emotions.

• Help clients generate profound insights.

• Allow the client to lead the direction of the conversation.

• Create sustainable behavioural change.

Many organisations consider PCC the benchmark for experienced professional coaches.

MCC – Master Certified Coach

MCC is the highest ICF credential and represents true coaching mastery.

An MCC coach:

• Works with exceptional presence.

• Creates effortless, client-led conversations.

• Uses very few words, yet creates deep transformation.

• Responds intuitively to what is emerging in the moment.

• Helps clients uncover identity-level shifts rather than simply solving problems.

• Partners so completely that the client experiences profound ownership of the coaching process.

MCC coaching is often described as feeling natural and spacious, with the coach saying less while the client discovers more.

The progression

Think of the three levels like this:

• ACC: "I can coach competently."

• PCC: "I consistently facilitate transformation."

• MCC: "I embody coaching as a way of being."

Which credential should you aim for?

• If you're starting your coaching career, ACC is the natural first milestone.

• If you want to coach executives, leaders, or work with large organisations, PCC is often the credential clients look for.

• If your goal is to become a mentor coach, coach trainer, or one of the world's leading coaches, MCC is the highest professional standard.

For most coaches, the recommended path is ACC → PCC → MCC, building experience and mastery at each stage, even though ICF allows direct application to PCC if you already meet all the education and experience requirements