NKBA | KBIS
Certified Kitchen & Bath Designer (CKBD) Frequently Asked Questions
View the most frequently asked questions regarding NKBA’s CKBD Certification.
No. Certification is a member benefit therefore this opportunity is exclusively for NKBA members.
Applying to the program is FREE. Candidates only receive a bill if they are approved.
Simply access the online application here and follow the prompts. Applicants can also save their progress and return to complete at a later date.
Applicants will be notified within 10 business days (minus holidays).
Once the candidate’s application has been approved they receive an automated email along with the invoice link to submit payment. They can also phone into our Member Service team as well.
Based on education and work experience criteria, the applicant will qualify under one of (3) candidate types. These include Allied Professional and two categories of Post-Secondary Education.To see which candidate type you qualify under, review the CKBD one-sheet here.
These applicants must provide a current NCIDQ certificate or Architect registration. They will be required to upload their current documentation within the application.
These applicants must provide proof of education by uploading a photocopy of their Master’s Bachelors, Associate Degree or Diploma as well as an educational transcript. They are also required to submit the work experience verification form attesting to a minimum of (2) years industry related of which (1) of those years full-time K&B design focused.
These applicants must provide proof of education by uploading a photocopy of their Certificate as well as an educational transcript. They are also required to submit the work experience verification form attesting to a minimum of (3) years industry related of which (2) of those years full-time K&B design focused. They will be required to complete an additional 30 NKBA education hours which is provided with purchase.
Yes. Applicants who earned a degree/diploma/certificate outside the US or Canada must submit a World Education Services form (WES.org).
Only candidates #2 and #3 will need to provide transcripts. They need to be uploaded directly within the online application.
The fillable PDF work verification form is available within the application. Applicants can also access here.
The work verification form has a section for self-employed members. This needs to be filled out by either a vendor, attorney or accountant.
Candidate #1 and #2 will owe $750 whereas candidate #3 will owe $1150. The price difference is to cover the additional 30 NKBA education hours.
Yes. There is a section prompt on the application dedicated to these candidates. They will enter the program as candidate #3 unless they have the required educational background outlined under candidate #2.
Regardless of the track the applicant qualifies under, each purchase provides everything necessary for the applicant to complete the program. Suggestions to enhance your professional toolkit are made throughout the study program and coursework however, they are merely suggestions and do not need to be purchased to successfully earn the NKBA’s CKBD Certification.
Yes. The NKBA no longer supports a program structure dedicated to earning the CKD and CBD appellations. The examination process will be the same for all candidates.
If members purchased a CKBD Bundle between 2020-2022 they will be granted a credit toward the purchase of the new program. They will still need to complete the online application.
No. This new structure does not affect any NKBA member who currently holds a CKBD certification.
No. Everything necessary to complete the program is provided in the purchase price.
Yes. To avoid accounting delays the pending invoice will become null and void after 120 days. The candidate must resubmit their application.
Applicants have one full year to complete both the Fundamental Exam and Portfolio Evaluation from the time we receive payment.
The (4) hour timed, Fundamental Exam consists of 200 true/false, multiple choice, scenario based questions derived directly from the NKBA’s 4th Edition K&B Planning Guidelines. The Fundamental Exam needs to be completed during the Spring Period deadline of (April) and during the Fall Period deadline of (October).
The Portfolio Evaluation must consist of the designer’s own work and will include one kitchen and one bath project. The Portfolio Evaluation needs to be submitted during the Spring Period deadline of (May) and during the Fall Period deadline of (November).
Both the Fundamentals Exam and Portfolio Evaluation results will be provided by email within 4-6 weeks after completion. The fundamental exam results will be provided with a sliding scale report for each K&B Planning Guidelines section. The participant can gauge where they require additional study time and also areas where they excel. The portfolio evaluation results will be provided by email with a pass/did not pass result from the juror committee.
No. As long as they are both completed in one-year from purchase there is no particular order in which they need to be completed/submitted.
Candidates will have access to our new Learning Management System (LMS) called Learn Dash. This platform contains everything necessary to successfully complete the program.
No. The members NKBA account and Learn Dash account are completely separate platforms and will have separate login credentials.
No. The Certification Pathway is a fully online program accessible within the Learn Dash platform. Both the fundamental exam and portfolio exam can be completed online at the candidates convenience.
No. All the coursework, study material, practice exams, additional resources and exams will be completed online only.
Only candidates #3 are required to complete the additional 30 NKBA education hours and attend office hours throughout the year. Candidates will receive a schedule with available dates.
No. The candidate must be the designer of record and provide their own projects. However, the timing of designs is not a factor and can be both current or previous projects. If the candidate has designs from a previous employer they must provide a formal letter releasing the designs from that employer.
Candidates who do not successfully complete or pass the fundamental exam will be charged a $300 retake fee to retest.
Candidates who do not successfully complete or pass the portfolio exam will be charged a $400 retake fee to resubmit.
Yes. If the candidate does not complete the program within the designated one-year timeframe they need to submit an extension request form along with the extension fee of $100 (US dollars). Once approved the applicant will have an additional for (6) months to complete the program.
Certified NKBA members need to submit an annual $100 certification fee as well as maintain active NKBA membership. The certification fee is in addition to the annual membership dues.
Yes. All Certified members must self-report 20 hours or (2.0) CEUs during the two-year CEU cycle.
Community platforms and additional resources are available to CKBD candidates however, the NKBA recommends that candidates check with their local chapter for more guidance and support.
No. Currently the NKBA is not awarding CEUs for completion of the program.