In this guide
Resumes and cover letters
How to list certifications, licences and training on a resume
How to list certifications, licences and courses on a resume, including in-progress and expired ones, and why regulated licences must match the register.
Certification, licence or training: the difference
| Type | Example | What to include |
|---|---|---|
| Professional certification | PRINCE2 Practitioner, AWS Solutions Architect | Exact name, awarding body, year, and expiry if it lapses |
| Licence or registration | Driving licence category, gas safety registration, professional registration | Exact name or category, issuing body, and registration number only if the advert asks for it |
| Short training course | First aid at work, food hygiene, a manual handling course | Course name, provider and year, only where relevant to the role |
| Online course | A data analysis course completed online | Course name, provider and what you built or practised |
How to format each entry
Certifications and licences PRINCE2 Foundation · PeopleCert · 2025 IOSH Managing Safely · IOSH · 2024 (valid until 2027) Full UK driving licence (category B) Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Expert · Microsoft · 2023
Keep the format consistent: name, issuer, date. Spell the certification the way the awarding body does, because recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for it by name.
In progress, expired and lapsed
Illustrative example
Showing status honestly
- CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management, in progress (completion expected June 2027)
- Emergency First Aid at Work, St John Ambulance, 2022 (expired 2025; renewal booked)
- Forklift counterbalance training, 2019 (not renewed)
Each line tells the reader exactly where things stand, so nothing needs correcting later.
Include an expired certification only if the knowledge is still relevant and you would be willing to renew it. An item that lapsed years ago and has no bearing on the role can come off.
Regulated licences and registrations
Some jobs can only legally be done by people on a specific register or holding a specific licence. For those, the licence is a hard requirement, and employers check it. State it exactly as the register shows it, and make sure it is easy to find on the first page.
Which training to leave out
- Mandatory workplace modules everyone completes, such as basic fire safety, unless the advert asks.
- Courses unrelated to the role that add nothing but length.
- Very old certifications for software or methods no longer in use.
- Anything you started but cannot describe what you learned from.
Common questions
Should I include certification numbers?
Only when the advert asks for them or the registration is a legal requirement. Otherwise the name, issuer and date are enough, and the number can be provided later.
Where should certifications go on a resume?
In their own short section, usually after experience. Move a required licence or registration into your profile or near the top so it cannot be missed.
Put it into practice
See how Luceria helps with thisDrafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Examples are illustrative, not real people’s results. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.