Guide
IKECA certification: what it does and doesn’t guarantee
Vendors put “IKECA certified” on quotes and stickers. Operators need to know whether that names a person who passed a knowledge exam — or whether it implies the whole company and every job are covered. Those are different claims.
Short answer
IKECA credentials (CECT, CECS, CESI) are earned and maintained by individuals. IKECA does not certify companies. Treat a named credential as one vetting signal: verify the person in IKECA’s Credential Search, then still require written scope, photos, insurance, and a real report.
Credential map
| Credential | What it is | Operator use |
|---|---|---|
| CECT | Certified Exhaust Cleaning Technician — individual knowledge credential for cleaning crew roles | Baseline signal that a tech sat an IKECA exam on codes and practice |
| CECS | Certified Exhaust Cleaning Specialist — individual credential; CECS exam materials describe 100 questions, two hours, closed book | Common ask when a jurisdiction wants a “certified” cleaner on site |
| CESI | Certified Exhaust Systems Inspector — individual inspection-focused credential | Useful when the visit is inspection/measurement, not only cleaning |
| PECT | Professional Exhaust Cleaning Technician — designation for employees of current IKECA member companies (precursor path) | Not the same as CECT/CECS; ask which credential is actually held |
| BCCS / BCSI | Boston-specific IKECA programs tied to City of Boston requirements | Relevant only if you operate under Boston’s rules |
What a credential can support
- Evidence the named person studied industry codes/standards material and passed IKECA’s exam
- Searchable individual status via IKECA’s Credential Search
- A clear answer to “who on the truck is the certified person?”
- Membership context: North America member firms are expected to have at least one CECS or CESI employee — membership is still not company certification
What it does not guarantee
- Company certification — IKECA states it does not certify companies
- That every crew member on every visit is credentialed
- Bare-metal ducts/fan, access panels, or photo-complete reports
- General liability, pollution liability, or workers’ comp
- IKECA membership (a credential holder is not automatically a member)
Field checks before you book
- Name the person — full name and credential type (CECT / CECS / CESI), not “IKECA company”
- Verify — Credential Search for individuals; Member Directory only if you care about company membership
- Scope still wins — written yes/no on hood, filters, plenum, ducts, fan, containment
- Proof after the job — report + service label + photos of plenum/duct/fan
- Insurance — COI and workers’ comp are separate from any IKECA card
Logo, membership, and job quality are three different claims
IKECA’s own CECS application page draws hard lines operators can use on bid day. Treat each claim separately — do not let a logo on a truck collapse them into one.
| Claim on the quote | What IKECA’s published materials actually say | What you still require |
|---|---|---|
| “IKECA certified” | Credentials are individual. CECS exam: 100 multiple-choice questions, two hours, closed book (Meazure Learning on-site or live remote). Certification through the program does not require IKECA membership. | Full name + credential type; verify in Credential Search before the crew arrives |
| “IKECA member company” / logo use | Passing the exam and/or signing the Code of Professional Conduct does not convey membership or the privilege of using the IKECA logo. Membership is corporate (firms); IKECA states it does not have an individual membership category. North America active members are expected to have at least one CECS or CESI employee. | Member Directory check plus named credentialed person on site — membership ≠ every tech credentialed |
| “Meets the standard / C10 cleaning” | ANSI/IKECA C10-2021 is the methodology standard for cleaning commercial kitchen exhaust systems (inspection-driven frequency/necessity, acceptable cleaning methods, post-cleaning cleanliness). ANSI/IKECA I10-2025 covers inspection methodology. IKECA standards are voluntary consensus standards designed to work with NFPA 96; IKECA does not enforce compliance as a government agency. | Written scope (hood → fan), photos, report/label — credential alone does not prove C10-level work on your system |
| “You’re covered if something goes wrong” | IKECA states it does not warrant the performance of any individual or company. | COI (GL + workers’ comp), photo report, inaccessible-area callouts — same stack as any other vendor |
Practical script: “Name the CECS/CECT/CESI on the truck, show Credential Search status, confirm whether the firm is a member (logo rights), and paste yes/no on every exhaust section.” If they only answer with a logo file, keep shopping. Pair with red flags, contract questions, and vendor choice after an AHJ violation.
Who it’s for / not for
- For: kitchen managers comparing bids, multi-unit ops setting vendor standards, anyone asked “are they certified?” by a broker or AHJ
- Not for: treating IKECA as a government license, or skipping local fire-marshal rules because a logo appeared on a quote
Sources
- IKECA FAQs — IKECA does not certify companies; certifies individuals
- IKECA Credential Search — credentials are individual; membership is separate
- IKECA Membership — corporate membership; North America active members expected to have ≥1 CECS or CESI employee
- IKECA CECS application — 100-question / 2-hour closed-book exam; certification does not require membership; passing does not convey membership or logo rights; IKECA does not warrant performance of any individual or company
- IKECA — ANSI/IKECA standards — C10-2021 cleaning methodology; I10-2025 inspection methodology; voluntary consensus; works with NFPA 96
- HoodFilters — NFPA 96 excerpts (2024) (secondary; A.12.6.1 note that ANSI/IKECA C10 provides cleaning guidance)
Next step
On your next bid, require the named CECS/CECT/CESI person who will be on site, verify them in the Credential Search, and paste your full-system component list into the same email.