NBCSS Terms of Membership and Platform Use

1. Who we are and what these terms cover

1.1 "NBCSS", "we" and "us" mean the National Board of Cost Segregation Specialist, a professional membership organization (dba NBCSS). "You" means the person creating an account, applying for membership, or using the platform.

1.2 These terms govern your account, your membership application, your membership if approved, member education, the certification process, the member directory, the community, the jobs board, and every other feature of the platform. Separate texts govern payment authorization (the consent shown before you save a payment method), refunds (Refund Policy), personal data (Privacy Notice), data retention (Retention Schedule) and the affiliate program (Affiliate Program Terms). Where they conflict, the more specific text controls.

1.3 By creating an account, submitting an application, or using the platform you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.

2. Membership is a closed professional group

2.1 NBCSS is a closed membership organization. Member education, member-only instruction, the private community and the directory are benefits of membership. NBCSS does not sell courses to the public and does not enroll non-members in any course.

2.2 NBCSS does not claim, hold or imply approval, licensure, accreditation or exemption from any state education, career-school or continuing-education authority. Member education is professional development within a membership organization. Completing member education does not earn continuing-education credit with any licensing board unless NBCSS expressly states otherwise for a specific activity.

2.3 Membership classes, eligibility criteria and the application process are set by NBCSS and may change. Changes do not affect an application already submitted or a membership already active for its current term.

3. Applying for membership

3.1 There are two application paths. A Professional Member applicant provides work history and two authorized, client-redacted sample reports. A Practitioner Candidate Member applicant completes a background questionnaire. Both applicants save a payment method before submitting.

3.2 Applying is free. Saving a payment method charges nothing. Your saved payment method is charged only if, and when, NBCSS approves your application, in the amount and for the items stated in the payment authorization you accepted.

3.3 Every application is reviewed by people. NBCSS may ask for more information, decline an application, or close it as incomplete, at its discretion and consistent with its published criteria. A declined applicant may appeal once at no charge; an independent reviewer decides the appeal.

3.4 You may withdraw an application at any time before approval; nothing is charged. You warrant that the work history, sample reports, statements and questionnaire answers you provide are true, that you were authorized to share each sample report, and that client-identifying information has been removed.

3.5 Uploaded files are screened before any reviewer can open them. Files that fail screening are quarantined and never reach review.

4. Membership term, dues, renewal and lapse

4.1 Membership runs for one year from the date your approval charge is confirmed and renews automatically each year at the then-current annual dues, charged to your saved payment method, unless you cancel renewal before the renewal date. You can cancel renewal at any time from your member billing page; benefits continue to the end of the paid term.

4.2 If a renewal charge fails, NBCSS notifies you and retries. If dues remain unpaid after the retry period, membership lapses. On lapse, member-only benefits (including member-only instruction) are suspended; your learning progress, records and any earned credential history are kept and restored when membership is reinstated, subject to the certification maintenance rules.

4.3 Dues are not refundable except as stated in the Refund Policy.

5. Member education and the Practitioner Program

5.1 The Practitioner Program is member-only instruction available to active Practitioner Candidate Members who authorized its fee with their application. Program access begins when the confirmed approval charge is received and continues while membership is active, subject to section 4.2.

5.2 Program materials are licensed to you personally for your professional development. You may not copy, share, resell, record or publish them, or use them to create competing materials.

5.3 Completing the Program earns a "Certificate of Completion — NBCSS Practitioner Program", a professional-development record. It is not a credential, a license, or a certification, and it does not permit you to describe yourself as certified.

5.4 Course content, sequence and requirements may be updated. You are enrolled in the approved version current when each course is granted; a later version does not remove a completion you already earned.

6. Certification

6.1 The CCSS credential (working name; subject to legal clearance) is awarded only by NBCSS's assessed certification decision under its published scheme, made by qualified reviewers. Payment, membership approval, course completion, and any automated or advisory score never award certification.

6.2 Eligibility, assessment conditions, integrity rules, retakes, appeals, credential maintenance and revocation are set out in the certification scheme and the assessment conditions you accept before each attempt. Assessment content is confidential; sharing or soliciting it is grounds for disqualification and revocation.

6.3 Until the scheme is formally adopted, any award is a labeled test issuance and confers no credential.

7. Your account and conduct

7.1 Keep your login credentials confidential; you are responsible for activity under your account. Tell us promptly if you suspect unauthorized use.

7.2 You must not: misrepresent your identity, credentials or experience; post client-identifying information, confidential or privileged material, or assessment content; use the platform to fix prices, allocate markets or otherwise coordinate competitively sensitive conduct with other members; harass others; attempt to access records that are not yours; or interfere with the platform's operation.

7.3 NBCSS may remove content, suspend or terminate an account, or decline, suspend or revoke membership for breach of these terms, professional misconduct, or conduct that harms members, clients or the organization, with a recorded reason and, where the scheme provides, a right of appeal.

8. Directory, community, jobs and other optional features

8.1 The member directory lists only members who opt in with a separate consent, shows only the information they choose, and never shows a street address. NBCSS may suppress a listing that violates these terms.

8.2 The community is private to members. Posts are moderated; moderation actions are recorded with reasons.

8.3 The jobs board is offered as a convenience. NBCSS does not verify employers beyond the checks described on the board, is not a party to any employment relationship, and is not responsible for postings or applications.

8.4 Optional paid services (printed certificate, website service, affiliate program) have their own terms shown at purchase or enrollment.

9. Fees and payment

9.1 Fees are stated in US dollars on the pricing page and in the payment authorization you accept. Taxes are added where required by law.

9.2 You authorize NBCSS to charge your saved payment method for the items and amounts you expressly authorized, and for renewals as described in section 4. You may update or replace your payment method at any time.

9.3 Chargebacks made after receiving a benefit, or to avoid the Refund Policy, are treated as a debt owed and may lead to suspension of membership until resolved.

10. Intellectual property and your content

10.1 The platform, its materials, marks and content are owned by NBCSS or its licensors. You receive a personal, non-transferable license to use them for your membership.

10.2 You keep ownership of content you submit. You grant NBCSS a license to store, process, display to the people entitled to see it, and use it for the purpose you submitted it (for example, to review your application). Sample reports are used only for admission review and retained per the Retention Schedule.

11. Privacy

Personal data is handled as described in the Privacy Notice, which forms part of these terms.

12. Disclaimers and limits of liability

12.1 The platform, member education and certification are provided "as is". NBCSS does not warrant that education or certification will produce any particular professional or financial result, that the platform will be uninterrupted, or that content is error-free. Nothing on the platform is legal, tax or engineering advice.

12.2 To the fullest extent permitted by law, NBCSS's total liability to you for all claims arising out of these terms or the platform in any twelve-month period is limited to the fees you paid to NBCSS in that period, and NBCSS is not liable for indirect, consequential, special or punitive damages, or lost profits.

12.3 Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations; in those jurisdictions the limits apply to the extent permitted.

13. Changes, termination and survival

13.1 NBCSS may update these terms. Material changes are announced to members at least 30 days before they take effect and apply from the next renewal or, for non-fee terms, from the effective date. Continued use after the effective date is acceptance.

13.2 You may close your account at any time. Records required for certification integrity, legal, tax and dispute purposes are retained per the Retention Schedule.

13.3 Sections 6.2, 9.3, 10, 12 and 14 survive termination.

14. Governing law and disputes

14.1 These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.

14.2 Before starting any formal proceeding, you agree to contact NBCSS support and allow 30 days for good-faith resolution.

15. Contact

Support: the support form in the platform or support@nbcss.org. Privacy requests: the privacy page in your member area or privacy@nbcss.org. General contact: contact@nbcss.org.