ADHD Coach Certification: Programs, PAAC and ICF Routes
ADHD coach certification comes in two layers, and the best training gives you both. The first is general coaching skill, which the International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredits at Level 1 or Level 2. The second is ADHD-specific knowledge and practice, which the Professional Association for ADHD Coaches (PAAC) assesses through its own credentials: the CACP, PCAC and MCAC. A few schools are accredited by both bodies; many ADHD courses are only one or the other, or neither.
ADHD coaching also has a particular honesty problem. Some programs describe a short continuing education course as "ICF accredited," or claim to be the "only" program allowed to certify ADHD coaches, which isn't how either body works. This guide compares the main ADHD coach training programs as their own sites described them in October 2026, explains what PAAC's credentials require, and flags the claims to read twice.
Once you're trained, Coachful's team will build your ADHD coaching website for free on every plan, so your first clients can book without you wrestling a website builder.
The two credentials an ADHD coach can earn
| Body | Credentials | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| International Coaching Federation | ACC, PCC, MCC | General coaching skill: coach education, logged hours, mentor coaching, a performance evaluation and an exam |
| Professional Association for ADHD Coaches (PAAC) | CACP (Certified ADHD Coach Practitioner), PCAC (Professional Certified ADHD Coach), MCAC (Master Certified ADHD Coach) | ADHD coaching specifically: paid ADHD coaching hours and recorded sessions with real clients reviewed by PAAC assessors |
From PAAC's credentialing page: a CACP needs 60 ADHD coaching hours and a PCAC 250, with 90% of the hours paid in both cases. PAAC says its credential "is earned through demonstrated coaching performance, not coursework alone." It runs three six-month credential programs: a School Credential Program for graduates of a PAAC-accredited school ($250), a Cohort program ($450) and a Portfolio program ($650), billed only once you're accepted. You'll see older PAAC credential names, such as SCAC, in some trainers' bios; they don't appear on PAAC's current pages.
The ICF side works as it does for every coach. Our guide to ICF certification has the requirements and fees.
ADHD coach training programs compared
Criteria: accreditation stated on the program's own site (ICF level and PAAC), then published hours. Prices as listed in October 2026.
| Program | Accreditation, as stated | Hours | Format | Price, paid in full |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA) Advanced | ICF Level 2; PAAC School Credential Program | 228 | Live virtual classes, twice weekly | $14,583 |
| ADDCA Professional | ICF Level 2; PAAC School Credential Program | 174 | Live virtual classes, twice weekly | $9,359 |
| ADDCA Basic | ICF Level 1; PAAC School Credential Program | 116 | Live virtual classes, twice weekly | $7,781 |
| MentorCoach ADHD Coaching Certification | PAAC-accredited; ICF level not stated on its ADHD page | About 83 (Level One) and 125 (Level Two), by our count of its listed courses | Weekly classes | $6,181 (Level One), $9,942 (Level Two) |
| iACTCenter CALC | "ICF Accredited Level 1 and Level 2" | "Over 175"; its itemized courses add up to about 131 | Live virtual, one year, classes of up to 15 | $9,700 |
| JST Coaching & Training, Coaching Neurodivergent Learners | ICF Continuing Coach Education, 20 CCEUs | About 12 live, by our count of the schedule | Weekly sessions over about five weeks | $1,699 |
The programs in more detail
ADD Coach Academy (ADDCA)
The only school on this list that states both ICF accreditation and PAAC school accreditation for the same programs, and PAAC's own credentialing FAQ names it as a PAAC-accredited school. Three tiers: Basic (116 hours, ICF Level 1), Professional (174 hours) and Advanced (228 hours), the last two at ICF Level 2. Classes are live and virtual, meeting twice a week for 90 minutes. Payment plans start with a $3,397 deposit and cost more in total: $8,192 for Basic, $9,859 for Professional and $15,353 for Advanced. Watch for: at Basic, seven group mentor coaching hours are built in, but the three one-to-one hours that complete the 10 are "an additional cost not included in tuition." Program lengths in months aren't stated.
MentorCoach ADHD Coaching Certification
MentorCoach says it is "one of only two coach training schools in the world" designated a PAAC Accredited ADHD Coach Training Program, which matches PAAC's own list. It includes six individual coaching supervision sessions, an oral exam and an open-book written exam. There's also a $3,141 path for already-credentialed coaches that leads to the PAAC CACP. Watch for: its ADHD page shows an ICF logo but doesn't state an ICF accreditation level; MentorCoach's main site says its 125-hour program leads toward the ICF's PCC. Ask which level applies to the ADHD track.
iACTCenter
Its CALC program runs live and virtual over one year, in classes capped at 15, with six hours of small-group mentor coaching included. One-to-one mentor sessions cost extra, at an average the site puts at $1,300 to $1,600. An accelerated A-CALC is $14,670. Watch for: three things. The site claims to be "the only ADHD Coach Training Program Accredited by the ICF to Certify ADHD Life Coaches," but the ICF accredits training programs, not ADHD-specific certifications. Its stated "over 175 hours" doesn't match the roughly 131 hours its itemized courses add up to. And it shows a "Total Value" of $39,575 next to the $9,700 price, which its own line items don't reconcile.
JST Coaching & Training
Founded by Jodi Sleeper-Triplett and focused on young people: adolescents, college students and adults with ADHD, ASD and executive function challenges. Its Coaching Neurodivergent Learners course is an ICF Continuing Coach Education course worth 20 CCEUs, and it asks for 30 hours of coach-specific training first. It's specialist training for coaches who already coach. Watch for: the site's page title says "ICF Accredited." That's true of the CCE course, but it isn't a Level 1 or Level 2 program.
Parent coaching: ImpactParents
If you want to coach parents of kids with ADHD, ImpactParents trains professionals to deliver its Sanity School program under an annual license. Its own page says the certification "is not a coaching accreditation program"; it's eligible for up to 32 ICF continuing education units when you attend the live parts.
How to choose an ADHD coach training program
- Decide which credential you want. For an ICF credential, you need ICF-accredited training (or the slower Portfolio path). For a PAAC credential, a PAAC-accredited school gives you the cheapest PAAC route, at $250.
- Count the live hours. PAAC's own school standards ask for 60 to 124 contact hours, at least 60 of them live, five observed sessions and 10 hours of mentor coaching over three months or more.
- Price the mentor coaching. Two of the programs above charge extra for one-to-one mentor hours.
- Match the age group. Coaching a college student and coaching a 45-year-old executive are different jobs; JST's specialty is the first.
- Check the claims against the bodies. Search the ICF's Education Search Service for the ICF level, and PAAC's site for its accredited schools.
What an ADHD coach does, and doesn't do
An ADHD coach helps clients build systems that work with their brain: planning, starting tasks, routines, follow-through, and the shame that often comes with all of it. An ADHD coach doesn't diagnose ADHD, prescribe or adjust medication, or treat the anxiety and depression that often come with it. That's the work of physicians, psychiatrists and therapists, and good coaches refer to them without hesitation.
Lived experience matters in this niche. Coachful's 2026 Coaching Business Report, drawing on the ICF Global Coaching Study 2025 and practitioner reports, rates ADHD and neurodivergent coaching as medium-to-high income with low saturation, and notes that lived experience counts as qualification. A credential still helps when schools, employers or clinicians refer to you.
Red flags in ADHD coach certification marketing
- "The only program accredited to certify ADHD coaches." The ICF accredits training; PAAC credentials coaches and accredits schools. No single school owns either.
- "ICF accredited" on a short course. Ask: Level 1, Level 2, or continuing education units?
- Inflated "total value" figures next to the real price.
- Hour totals that don't add up when you sum the course list yourself.
- Mentor coaching sold separately without saying so near the price.
- Promises to "fix" ADHD. Coaching helps people work with ADHD; it doesn't treat it.
Our seven checks before you enroll apply here too.
Which route fits you
| If you... | Look at |
|---|---|
| Want both an ICF credential and a PAAC credential | ADDCA |
| Already hold an ICF credential and want the PAAC CACP | MentorCoach's path for credentialed coaches, or PAAC's Cohort or Portfolio program |
| Coach teens and college students | JST, after general coach training |
| Coach parents of kids with ADHD | ImpactParents, alongside general coach training |
| Want a one-year live program in small classes | iACTCenter, after checking its hours and mentor costs |
If you're earlier in the decision, our guide to how to become an ADHD coach covers the whole path.
Where Coachful fits after you certify
Coachful doesn't train or certify ADHD coaches. It's where an ADHD coaching practice runs, and a Coachful membership includes the Focus & ADHD power-up: one next action, timers, routines and check-ins, per client, so clients who struggle to start get one thing to do right now and you can see who is following through. Alongside it:
- Habits, goals and morning and evening check-ins in a client app on iPhone and Android, with reminders.
- Short, frequent sessions booked and paid in one flow, with email, SMS and WhatsApp reminders.
- ICF hour tracking that counts completed sessions toward the ACC, PCC and MCC; see ICF hour tracking.
The Coachful page for ADHD coaches shows the setup, our guide to ADHD accountability check-ins shows one in practice, and our roundup of software for ADHD coaches compares the alternatives.
Why Coachful stands out: a free white-glove service. Coachful's team builds your coaching website, first offer page and first program in your own account, free on every plan, usually within about 24 hours. Choose We'll build it for you · FREE under Create and say what you need. Your PAAC or ICF credential appears only once you hold it; nothing gets invented. See what the free build includes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best ADHD coach certification?
If you want both recognized credentials, look for a school with ICF accreditation and PAAC school accreditation, such as ADDCA. If you already hold an ICF credential, a PAAC credential such as the CACP adds the ADHD-specific layer.
How much does ADHD coach certification cost?
Among the programs we checked, full ADHD coach training ran from $6,181 (MentorCoach Level One) to $14,583 (ADDCA Advanced), as listed in October 2026. PAAC's credential programs add $250 to $650.
Do I need to have ADHD to be an ADHD coach?
No, though many ADHD coaches do, and Coachful's 2026 Coaching Business Report notes lived experience counts as qualification in this niche. Training in coaching skills and ADHD knowledge matters either way.
What is PAAC certification?
PAAC, the Professional Association for ADHD Coaches, awards the CACP, PCAC and MCAC credentials. A CACP needs 60 ADHD coaching hours and a PCAC 250, 90% of them paid, plus recorded real-client sessions reviewed by PAAC assessors.
Is ADHD coaching the same as therapy?
No. ADHD coaching focuses on systems, routines and follow-through. Diagnosis, medication and treatment of mental health conditions belong to physicians, psychiatrists and therapists.
How long does it take to become a certified ADHD coach?
Training at the programs we checked ranged from weeks for continuing education courses to about a year for full programs. A PAAC credential then needs 60 or more paid ADHD coaching hours and a six-month credential program.
Will Coachful build my ADHD coaching website?
Yes. Coachful's team builds your coaching website, first offer page and first program for free on every plan, usually within about 24 hours. Coachful itself is a paid membership with a free trial; the build costs nothing extra.
