Registered Environmental Manager · REM®
Put the credential environmental employers already know after your name.
The Registered Environmental Manager (REM®) is NREP's highest credential, for professionals who run environmental, health and safety programs. Find out in a minute whether your degree and experience qualify.
- Apply online, then test online, with a proctor or at a testing center. No fixed exam windows.
- $445 to apply and sit the exam, as listed on nrep.org. That's less than the CIH or CHMM.
- Holders are listed in NREP's Official Registry of Environmental Professionals.
Check your eligibility in 60 seconds
Four questions. See which NREP credential fits your background.
Why REM
Built for the people who run environmental programs, not just support them.
NREP describes the REM® as its highest professional and managerial distinction: for the people who coordinate environmental auditing, hazardous materials management and environmental assessment.
Recognition you can name
NREP states the REM® is recognized by agencies including the U.S. Postal Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Department of Energy.
A registry clients can check
Credential holders are listed in NREP's Official Registry of Environmental Professionals, so clients, employers and agencies can confirm your status.
Lower cost to certify
$175 to apply and $270 for the exam on nrep.org's current pages: $445, against $530 for the CIH and $560 for the CHMM.
Test when you're ready
Once approved you get an online exam link that stays valid for a year. You can also test with a proctor or at a testing center. No twice-a-year windows.
Your experience counts
No degree in the field? NREP counts three years of work experience as one year of study toward the degree requirement.
Since 1987
NREP has credentialed environmental professionals for nearly four decades and reports over 15,000 members worldwide.
How it compares
REM next to the CIH and CHMM
Published fees and rules for three senior EHS credentials. They cover different specialties, so pick the one that matches your work; this table compares cost and logistics, not the credentials themselves.
| Item | REM® (NREP) | CHMM® (IHMM) | CIH® (BGC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application + exam | $175 + $270 = $445 | $185 + $375 = $560 | $160 + $370 = $530 |
| Degree | Bachelor's in an environmental field (3 years' experience counts as 1 year of study) | Bachelor's required | Bachelor's in a science or engineering field + 180 hours of IH coursework |
| Experience | 5 years | 4 years in hazardous materials management | 48 months of broad-scope industrial hygiene practice |
| When you can test | Any time within a year of approval (online, proctored or test center) | On demand within 12 months of approval | Two windows a year (Apr–May, Oct–Nov) |
| Keeping it current | 15 CE hours a year; renew for 1, 3 or 5 years | $170 a year; recertify every 5 years | $180 a year plus a maintenance program |
Sources: nrep.org REM credential and exam pages; IHMM fee schedule (Sept 2024) and CHMM eligibility; BGC fees (Aug 2024) and CIH applicant handbook. Checked October 2026. Fees change, so confirm with each body before you apply.
Find your route
Not ready for REM yet? There's a credential for where you are now.
The eligibility check points you to one of these three. Each is applied for and awarded by NREP.
REM®
Registered Environmental Manager
- You need
- An environmental bachelor's + 5 years of directly related experience
- Fees on nrep.org
- $175 application · $270 exam · $380 study guide
- Best for
- Managers running EH&S programs, audits and hazmat work
CESCO
Certified Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer
- You need
- 2 years of environmental or safety work + HAZWOPER 40, OSHA 10/30 or a bachelor's
- Fees on nrep.org
- $145 application · $270 exam · $180 study guide
- Best for
- Compliance and EHS staff who want a credential now and REM later
AEP®
Associate Environmental Professional
- You need
- 1 year of a related bachelor's program (or 3 years' work for each year of study); no experience
- Fees on nrep.org
- $145 application · $270 exam · $180 study guide
- Best for
- People starting out, or moving into environmental work
The process
From application to REM, step by step
Apply on nrep.org
Create an account and submit the REM application ($175). It stays open for up to 6 months.
Send your documents
Degree or transcript, resume and any certificates such as OSHA or HAZWOPER.
Get approved
NREP reviews your education and experience against the REM requirements.
Take the exam
Online link valid for a year, a proctored sitting, or a testing center ($270).
Join the Registry
You're listed as an REM®. Keep it current with 15 CE hours a year.
Fees, upfront
What REM costs, before you start
These are the fees on nrep.org's REM pages today. The application fee isn't refundable, so check your eligibility first.
- Application$175
- Exam$270
- Exam retake, if needed$170
- REM study guide (listed as required material)$380
- Sample exam questions (optional)$80
- Renewal: 1 / 3 / 5 years$175 / $335 / $525
From REM holders
What the credential has done for them
In their own words, as published on nrep.org.
"I have truly benefitted from REM® because I have been able to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in solving compliance issues we have had ranging from hazardous waste, stormwater, and above all remediation."
"Achieving and being awarded these certifications have led to the advancement in my career, salary raises, and have opened more opportunities for me both educationally and professionally."
"I have used my certification for energy and environmental work during my 33 years at Northern States Power (NSP), now Xcel Energy, (retired in 1996), and since for consulting."
Who awards it
Run by REM holders since 1987
Every member of NREP's board holds the REM® themselves.
Founded in 1987 by Dr. Richard A. Young, Ph.D., P.E., REM®, who led NREP for nearly 35 years. He founded and published Pollution Engineering magazine for 15 years and wrote 31 books on environmental safety and engineering.
Christopher A. Young
REM®, CESCO · Executive Director
Scott Spear
REM®, CEA, CESM · Chairperson, Exam Committee
Charles J. McAfee
REM®, CEA, CIAQM · Director
Marie Hunter
REM® · Director
Questions
What people ask before they apply
Am I eligible for the REM?
NREP asks for a bachelor's degree in an environmentally related field (sciences, engineering or an environmental major) plus 5 years of directly related work experience. Work experience can stand in for the degree at 3 years per year of study, but it can't replace the 5 years of experience. The check at the top of this page gives you an indicative answer in a minute.
Can I apply without a degree?
Yes, in many cases. NREP counts 3 years of work experience as 1 year of education toward the degree requirement. If you're not there yet, CESCO (2 years' experience) or AEP (no experience) are the usual starting points.
Does a degree from outside the U.S. count?
Yes, if it's equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. NREP verifies your documents as part of the application.
What do I need to send with the application?
Your degree or transcript, a resume, any professional certificates (OSHA, HAZWOPER and similar) and, if you're using experience in place of a degree, NREP's Education Waiver Form.
How do I take the exam?
After NREP approves your application you get an online exam link that's valid for a year. You can also ask for a proctored exam or, for the REM, sit it at a computerized testing center.
Do I have to attend a workshop?
No. NREP runs workshops from time to time, but they aren't required to sit the exam.
What does it cost?
On nrep.org's current REM pages: $175 to apply, $270 for the exam ($170 for a retake), $380 for the study guide and $80 for optional sample questions. The application fee isn't refundable.
How do I keep the REM current?
Renew online for 1, 3 or 5 years and log 15 continuing-education hours a year. Courses, conferences, college classes, teaching and published articles can all count.
Who is behind this site?
nrep.courses is a marketing website for NREP, run on its behalf. You apply, pay and test on nrep.org, and NREP makes every credential decision.
See where you stand in about a minute.
Answer four questions and we'll tell you which NREP credential fits your degree and experience, with the exact next step.
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