The American Canoe Association (ACA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit paddlesports organisation. Kayacool’s coastal kayak courses in Malaysia follow ACA skill and teaching standards. This page covers the types of credentials, a short history, and membership plus annual dues (amounts as published on the ACA site at the time of writing).
ACA website Kayacool ACA course page
A short history
On 3 August 1880, 24 paddlers formed the ACA on the shores of Lake George, New York. Early aims were to share cruising information and to meet once a year. Nathaniel H. Bishop is often called the father of the ACA; the first Commodore was William L. Alden.
In 1901 the Association bought St. Lawrence Island on the U.S.–Canada border (later Sugar Island) and held its first Meet there in 1903. Formal instructor certification began in 1973 with the Canoe Instruction Certification Committee, which became today’s Safety Education & Instruction Council (SEIC), responsible for course outlines and instructor certification.
ACA’s own figures: about 15,000 members and more than 300 clubs and affiliates; more than 6,500 certified instructors in the United States teaching ACA-approved programmes to over 800,000 people a year; members and instructors also in other countries (the site cites about 35). Fuller timeline: ACA History.
What a “certificate” is, and the types
What students call an “ACA certificate” is not one national exam diploma. Credentials are issued by course type. SEIC policy separates them:
Practice and coaching. A participation card may be issued; it does not prove a skill has been mastered.
A formal check against the official skill list. If you pass and are a current ACA member, the national office issues an assessment credential in the CMS.
To teach or lead groups, follow the Instructor, Leader or Guide path. New instructors complete an IDW + ICE (or a combined ICW), then register with SEIC. Instructor certification is typically valid for 4 years and expires on 31 December of that year.
Coastal kayak levels remain L1–L4 (introduction, touring essentials, coastal, open water), matching the course page. If you do not meet the standard, the coach explains the gaps rather than lowering the bar to issue a credential.
To become an instructor, ACA also requires: age 18 or over, current full membership, a completed certification workshop, current first aid and age-appropriate CPR, and the ability to demonstrate and teach the outline for that level. See Become an Instructor.
What the credential looks like
The usual format now is a digital credential package in the CMS: after the instructor submits the roster, members open the item on the dashboard, view it online, and Export to PDF. A skills participation card is not the same file as an assessment or instructor credential. Assessment records are not kept on the general membership profile — only in the CMS.
The image below is from ACA’s public CMS user guide. It shows the on-screen “result / credential status” view, not a scan of a named student’s paper certificate. The PDF layout you download after login is the official one.
Printed membership cards and posted certificates are no longer the main method (the CMS guide lists cutting print-and-mail as a goal). Check that CMS Status is Active and that you can export the package.
Membership systems: Sport:80 and CMS
ACA splits “pay dues” and “course / credential records” into two systems. The username and password are usually the same:
- Membership account (Sport:80): join, renew, SEIC dues, profile, liability waiver sync. Start at Join the ACA.
- Course Management System (CMS) (launched February 2020): cms.americancanoe.org. Instructors register and report courses; students and instructors view assessments and certifications. The guide states that instructor status and skills-assessment records are not stored on the general membership profile.
To keep an instructor credential Active you typically need: annual membership + SEIC, current first aid/CPR, and teaching plus an Instructor Update within the four-year cycle. If dues or first aid lapse, CMS can show Inactive even before the 31 December expiry date.
Annual dues (USD; check the official site)
Figures below are from ACA’s Join the ACA page and instructor notes (checked September 2026). Dues are non-refundable. FX and later price changes follow the ACA site. Kayacool does not collect ACA dues.
| Type | Annual (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 40 | Base membership for supporting the ACA, taking instruction, and starting the instructor/leader/guide path. Expires one year after join or last renewal. |
| Competition Individual | 40 | For competition-related individuals; this type expires on 31 December each year. |
| Competition License | +80 extra | Required for athletes 18+ (and relevant officials/coaches/volunteers) in ICF national/international events and selection races; SafeSport and background-check rules also apply. |
| SEIC (Instructor / Leader / Guide) | +30 extra | Annual SEIC fee on top of the $40 membership; ACA’s example total is about $70. |
| SEIC (Instructor Trainer / ITE) | +110 extra | Trainer / trainer-educator rate, in addition to individual membership. |
| Paddle America Club / Affiliate / OLG | 125 | Clubs, affiliates, and outfitter/livery/guide organisations. |
| Pro School | 650 | Organisations that meet ACA Pro School criteria. |
Blue / Bronze / Silver / Gold / Green Paddle upgrades are optional (often with merchandise), not required for class. During join you may pick a Paddle America Club, or “ACA Member (No Club Affiliation)”.
To receive an assessment credential you must be a current individual member when you pass; otherwise CMS will not issue it. Taking a Kayacool ACA course does not enrol you in the ACA. If you need the credential, join or renew on the ACA site and give us your member number so the instructor can report the roster.
Fees and rules are set by the ACA and may change. Join, renew, SEIC and PDF export are done in your ACA account. For course questions, email Kayacool.