CMCA vs AMS vs PCAM: What Your Condo Manager’s Credentials Mean
CMCA, AMS and PCAM are the three credentials you will see most often on a condo manager’s resume. They build on each other. The CMCA is the entry exam. The AMS adds two years of experience and more coursework. The PCAM is the highest designation, and it takes at least five years in the field…
CMCA, AMS and PCAM are the three credentials you will see most often on a condo manager’s resume. They build on each other. The CMCA is the entry exam. The AMS adds two years of experience and more coursework. The PCAM is the highest designation, and it takes at least five years in the field plus a graded case study. Massachusetts does not license condo managers, so these credentials are one of the few outside checks a board has on a manager’s training.
Table of Contents
What is a CMCA?
CMCA stands for Certified Manager of Community Associations. An independent board called CAMICB issues it, not CAI. To earn it, a manager completes CAI’s M-100 course (The Essentials of Community Association Management) and passes a proctored exam on governance, finances, risk, facilities and operations. To keep it, they complete 16 hours of continuing education every two years and follow a code of ethics.
A CMCA means the manager passed a test on the basics. It says nothing about how long they have done the job.
What is an AMS?
AMS stands for Association Management Specialist, a designation from the Community Associations Institute (CAI). It requires the CMCA, at least two years of community association management experience, and two of CAI’s advanced M-200 courses. Designees renew every three years with more coursework.
An AMS adds proof of time on the job and training past the entry course.
What is a PCAM?
PCAM stands for Professional Community Association Manager. It is the highest designation CAI awards to managers. It requires at least five years of direct community association management experience, a passed CMCA exam, all six M-200 courses, and the PCAM Case Study, a graded evaluation of a real community association. Designees renew every three years.
A PCAM has run associations for years and has been tested on the whole job: budgets, reserves, insurance, facilities and governance.
CMCA vs AMS vs PCAM at a glance
| Credential | Issued by | Experience required | Education | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CMCA | CAMICB | None to sit the exam | M-100 course and the CMCA exam | 16 CE hours every 2 years |
| AMS | CAI | 2+ years | CMCA plus two M-200 courses | Every 3 years |
| PCAM | CAI | 5+ years | CMCA, all six M-200 courses and the case study | Every 3 years |
Does the credential belong to the company or the person?
The person. A company cannot hold a CMCA, AMS or PCAM. (CAI’s separate company accreditation is the AAMC, Accredited Association Management Company.) When a firm calls itself “credentialed,” ask who holds the credential and whether that person works on your building.
How to check a manager’s credentials
CAI keeps a public Directory of Credentialed Professionals. Search the manager’s name and state. Managers can remove themselves from the listing, so if someone is missing, ask them for proof of active status. Every designee can download it from their CAI account.
Questions to ask in the interview
- Which credentials does the manager assigned to our building hold, and are they current?
- Who at your company holds a PCAM, and how involved are they in our account?
- How many hours of continuing education did our manager complete last year, and on what topics?
- Who reviews our financials and reserve plan, and what credentials do they hold?
- Can you show us the directory listing or a certificate?
For the full interview script, see our guide to the questions to ask a condo manager in an interview.
Where Green Ocean stands
Jarrett Lau, our CEO, holds all three: CMCA, AMS and PCAM. You can confirm his AMS and PCAM in CAI’s directory. Green Ocean has managed condo associations in Greater Boston since 1977 and today manages 90+ associations and 1,500+ condo units. See how we manage condo associations in Boston.
Frequently asked questions
Is a PCAM better than a CMCA?
A PCAM includes the CMCA. Every PCAM has passed the CMCA exam, and has at least five years of experience and six advanced courses on top of it.
Does Massachusetts require condo managers to be licensed?
No. Massachusetts does not license community association managers, so a voluntary credential is one of the few outside checks on a manager’s training.
Does a credential guarantee good service?
No. It shows training and experience. Also check references, how fast the firm answers, and how it reports the association’s money each month.
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