Any time in the two years. There is no rule telling you to wait until your expiration year, for either RCFE or ARF. Title 22 section 87407(a) simply requires the 40 hours during each two year certification period, and section 85064.3(a) says the same for ARF. Waiting is a habit, not a requirement, and it is the habit that causes most lapsed certificates.
The calendar works against you at the end
Start early because the calendar works against you at the end. Section 87407(c)(1) caps counted instruction at 10 hours per day, so 40 hours needs at least four days. Live classes fill, they run on fixed dates, and the required subjects are not offered every week. An administrator who starts in month 22 is depending on someone else’s schedule.
The submission window closes 90 days out
Start early because the submission has its own window. Section 87407(d), and section 85064.3(d) for ARF, require your LIC 9214, proof of hours, and the processing fee to be postmarked on or up to 90 days before your expiration date. The regulation prints $100 and CDSS currently charges $140. That means your hours need to be finished before that window closes, not during the final week.
Your license depends on it
Start early because your license depends on it. Title 22 section 87405(a) requires every RCFE to have a currently certified administrator, and section 87406(a) requires the certificate before a person may be employed as an administrator. An expired certificate is not just a personal problem, it is a facility compliance problem, and that is true whether you run an RCFE or an ARF.
A system that works
The practical system is simple. Put your expiration date on a calendar the day you get certified, take a block of hours in year one, finish the rest early in year two, and keep every certificate of completion in one folder as you earn it. NCPI’s 40 hour RCFE and ARF renewal package never expires once purchased, so you can buy now and schedule your class days when they work for you. It is $239.99 and $199 for our previous students, the lowest price in California. Call or text 619-322-9578 or email contact@ncpicare.com.
