Leader / Guide Resources & Policies

What are SEIC Dues?

SEIC Dues are an annual fee required for anyone who holds an ACA certification as an Instructor, Leader, or Guide under the Safety Education & Instruction Council (SEIC) program.

They help cover the behind-the-scenes costs of keeping the certification system active and supported, including:

• Maintaining the SEIC training and certification platform and member records

• Processing certifications, renewals, and updates

• Supporting committee work that keeps standards and curriculum current

• Providing administrative support for Leader / Guide resources and program operations

Important: SEIC Dues are separate from ACA membership dues. If you are certified, you must keep SEIC Dues current, even if you are already an ACA member.

What Can I Do With My Certification?

ACA Leaders and Guides are certified to plan and lead paddling trips within the environments and operating conditions established by their certification and corresponding ACA skills assessment. Leaders are certified to lead single-day trips, while Guides are certified to lead overnight, multi-day trips, and expeditions. Both may lead trips within their authorized operating conditions, including less challenging environments.

For example, an Advanced River Guide with a Level 4: Whitewater Kayaking skills assessment may lead overnight and multi-day river trips within their assessed operating conditions, as well as less challenging river trips, including single-day outings.

Unlike ACA Instructors, Leaders and Guides are certified to facilitate paddling experiences rather than conduct formal ACA skills courses or skills assessments.

Can I Certify Other Leaders and Guides?

ACA Leaders and Guides CANNOT certify other Leaders / Guides. ACA Leaders and Guides can lead trips within their respective discipline and up to their venue of certification:

Only ACA Leader/Guide Trainers & Leader/Guide Trainer Educators can certify new Leaders and Guides.

How Many Participants Can I Have on My Trips?

ACA Leader and Guide to Participant Ratios are established within the certification criteria for each level of the Leader Pathway. The maximum number of participants permitted on an ACA trip is as follows:

• Community Paddlesports Leader (CPL): 6 participants per Leader; 12 participants with a qualified assistant.
• Paddlesports Leader (River or Coastal): 6 participants per Leader; 12 participants with a qualified assistant.
• Advanced Paddlesports Leader (River or Coastal): 4 participants per Leader; 8 participants with a qualified assistant.
• Paddlesports Guide (River or Coastal): 6 participants per Guide; 12 participants with a qualified assistant.
• Advanced Paddlesports Guide (River or Coastal): 4 participants per Guide; 8 participants with a qualified assistant.

Important: These ratios represent the maximum permitted group sizes, not necessarily the recommended group size for every trip. Leaders and Guides should consider participant experience, paddlecraft, weather and water conditions, environmental hazards, and their ability to effectively supervise and assist everyone in the group.

Additional restrictions may be established by land management agencies, permits, outfitters, or outside insurance providers. When multiple requirements apply, always follow the most restrictive ratio.

How Do I Request ACA Services Such as Insurance or Posting To The Online Calendar?

To obtain ACA liability insurance coverage for your trips, submit a registration via the ACA Course Management System (CMS). To access the CMS and associated resources, please visit: www.americancanoe.org/CMS. Your log in credentials for the CMS are the same as those associated with your general ACA membership profile. To request insurance through the ACA General Liability Insurance Policy, an ACA Leader/Guide must be in good standing, which includes:

• Current ACA Membership & SEIC dues
• Appropriate level and discipline of ACA certification for the trip
• Appropriate First Aid & CPR certification (proof is required and should be uploaded to your profile within the CMS)

 If you would like assistance ‘getting the word out’ about your trips, the ACA can post your trip dates, location, and other details to our online calendar, so anyone looking for events in your area can find you! This benefit is absolutely free! To request that your trip be put on the calendar, you need to register the trip via the ACA Course Management System (CMS) and select “Yes” when asked if you’d like to place the event on the ACA Online Calendar.

First Aid & CPR Requirement

ACA Leaders and Guides are required to maintain appropriate First Aid and age appropriate CPR training from a nationally recognized First Aid and CPR provider throughout the term of their ACA certification. First Aid and CPR courses must include hands on practice and skills demonstration.

If a Leader or Guide’s First Aid or age appropriate CPR certification expires during the period of his or her ACA certification, the ACA certification is no longer valid. Leaders / Guides whose certifications are not valid are not eligible for ACA insurance coverage. For additional details, please review the SEIC Policy Manual.

Certification Maintenance Requirements

Leader / Guide Maintenance Requirements:

All ACA Leader / Guide certifications are valid for a 4-year certification period and expire on the last day of the year, 12/31/20XX. They will never expire at any other mid-year date. By the end of the 4-year certification period, the following minimum maintenance requirements must be met for the certification to be renewed for an additional 4 years:

• Maintain annual ACA membership and SEIC registration.
• Lead and properly report four trips every four years. At least one of these must be at their highest level of certification.
• Successfully complete a Leader/Guide Update during the certification period.

Leader / Guide Updates can be accomplished by one of the following methods:

• Leaders and Guides may complete a formal “Leader or Guide Update” course in the appropriate discipline, at their highest level of certification.
• A Leader or Guide may take or co-lead a development workshop and certification exam or a full certification workshop in their discipline and at the appropriate level, and the supervising LT, LTE, GT, or GTE must report both the co-lead and update within the course roster within the CMS.
• A Leader or Guide may co-lead a trip, at their highest level of certification, with an appropriately certified supervising LT, LTE, GT, or GTE. The Leader or Guide then must complete a review of current ACA Policies and Procedures under the direction of the supervising LT, LTE, GT, or GTE.

Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC)

ACA courses are open to all individuals who acknowledge the ability to perform the following essential eligibility criteria.

• Breathe independently (i.e., not require medical devices to sustain breathing)
• Independently maintain sealed airway passages while under water
• Independently hold head upright without neck / head support
• Manage personal care independently or with assistance of a companion
• Manage personal mobility independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance
• Follow instructions and effectively communicate independently or with assistance of a companion
• Independently turn from face-down to face-up and remain floating face up while wearing a properly fitted life jacket*
• Get on / off or in / out of a paddlecraft independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance*
• Independently get out and from under a capsized paddlecraft*
• Re-mount or re-enter the paddlecraft following deep water capsize independently or with a reasonable amount of assistance*
• Maintain a safe body position while attempting skills, activities, and rescues listed in the appropriate Course Outline, and have the ability to recognize and identify to others when such efforts would be unsafe given your personal situation*

* To participate in adaptive programs, participants must acknowledge only the first six EEC listed above. Entry-level adaptive programs will involve teaching and practicing EEC #7-11.

Does my trip assistant need to be ACA certified?

The ACA does not put strict parameters on the definition of “qualified assistant” on purpose; your chosen assistant does not need to be certified, but they need to understand the trip curriculum and be able to meaningfully assist in the delivery of a quality trip as well as provide assistance and rescue should an emergency arise. Generally speaking, they should not need constant supervision like a brand new student/participant. You need to know and trust that person, and they need to be fully aware of their responsibility as an assistant.

Administrative Extension of Leader / Guide Certification

In accordance with the SEIC Policy Manual, the SEI Department may authorize a one-year administrative extension of certification if requested in writing prior to the certification expiration. Click here to submit the request form.

*Note: To be eligible to apply for an administrative extension, your ACA and SEIC Dues must be current.