The Novogradac Property Compliance Certification (NPCC) is a certification for members of the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) industry. The NPCC is an indication of an individual's up-to-date knowledge of compliance matters and program trends critical to owners and property managers.

Benefits for Active NPCC Designees

• Certificate, suitable for framing
• Recognition in the online NPCC register (must opt-in)
• Discounted subscription to the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits, a comprehensive 80-page full-color monthly publication including news, analysis and commentary on the tax credit industry
• Discounted registration to Novogradac webinars

Obtaining the NPCC

Obtaining the NPCC is achieved by attending the Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshop (either in person or online) and passing the accompanying NPCC Exam online.

Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshops

In-person workshops are conducted over two days and are generally 10 to 12 hours in length. Online workshops are 12 hours in length and are conducted over three days. Both formats are packed with discussion, led by knowledgeable instructors, to provide you with the most up-to-date compliance knowledge and industry trends critical to owners and property managers.

View Upcoming Workshops

In-Person Workshop Proposed Daily Schedule:

DAY 1

DAY 2

ONE BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE WORKSHOP ENDS

TEN BUSINESS DAYS AFTER THE EXAM OPENS

Praise for the in-person workshop

Online Workshop Daily Schedule:

ALL DAYS

Start time: 12 p.m. ET (9 a.m. PT)
End time: 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT)

NPCC Exam opens: 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) on Day 3

Praise for the online workshop

Each day will have a 10-minute break at the one-quarter and three-quarter marks and a 20-minute break at the halfway mark.

Certificate of Attendance

Attendees of the workshop, regardless of whether they pass the NPCC Exam, will receive via email a certificate of attendance within 5 business days after the close of the testing window.

The NPCC Exam

NPCC Exam: The Novogradac Property Compliance Certification (NPCC) Exam (offered exclusively online) is included with registration for both online and in-person Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshops. The NPCC Exam is an open-book exam with a 10-business-day time limit to complete. The exam opens at 5 PM ET on Day 3 of the online workshop and at 5 PM ET on the day AFTER the in-person workshop. A passing score is 48 out of 60 (80 percent). Results are available immediately after completing the exam through the exam software. The Novogradac Property Compliance Certification, NPCC ID, expiration date, renewal information, and other instructions will be emailed to those who pass the NPCC Exam within 5 business days after the close of the testing window.

Retaking the NPCC Exam: Workshop attendees who do not achieve a passing score on the NPCC Exam proctored after their respective workshop may retake the exam in one of two ways:

1. Attend a subsequent session of the workshop and take the exam again. Contact [email protected] to obtain a 40% discount on the workshop and accompanying NPCC Exam if you last took the NPCC Exam within the previous 12 months.
    
2. Retake the NPCC Exam (without the workshop) by sending an email to [email protected] so our Help Desk can assist you in registering. The NPCC Exam Retake is available only to those who previously attended the Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshop. The standard rate for the NPCC Exam Retake is $125 ($100 for nonprofits). The Retake will still be open-book and open-internet and recordings of Day 1 and Day 2 of the most recent workshop will again be made available. Each NPCC Exam Retake occurs within a specific 10-business-day window within the weeks following the orginal NPCC Exam window of the most recent online workshop. The exact dates of the NPCC Exam Retake window (as well as the last day to register) will be sent via email to attendees of the most recent workshop who did not pass the exam. CAUTION: There is no guarantee that a person will pass the NPCC Exam on the retake. In fact, because they are that much further removed from live instruction, those who retake the test commonly score worse on the retake than they did on the original. 

The HCCP Exam: The National Association of Home Builders' Housing Credit Certified Professional (HCCP) Exam may be ordered for an additional $175 for attendees of the in-person workshop. Since the NPCC Exam has been offered exclusively online beginning 2017, attendees of the in-person workshop may take both the HCCP Exam (on-site, with the $175 additional fee) and the NPCC Exam later (online, included with workshop registration).

If you are considering taking the HCCP Exam in conjunction with our Novogradac workshop, we strongly encourage you to review the HCCP Information Page. HCCP Exam topics not addressed in the Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshop include tax-exempt bond deals, changes in project ownership, due diligence submission, compliance documentation for syndicators, Fair Housing laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act, housing quality standards and uniform physical standards. You may also wish to review sample HCCP Exam questions provided by NAHB. The HCCP Exam is a closed-book exam with a 2.5-hour time limit. A passing score is 48 out of 75 (64 percent). Candidates should allow up to six weeks for their exam results from NAHB.

Materials:

Upon arrival to the in-person workshop, attendees receive a 170-plus-page booklet of the slide deck we use to present the concepts of the workshop. We also provide calculators and pencils for the HCCP Exam. Attendees of the online workshop receive the booklet of the slide deck in PDF format and do not receive calculators or pencils.

Topics Covered:

• LIHTC Property Compliance Overview
  • Roles of IRS, state agency, HUD, investors, developers, property managers
  • IRS Form 8609 Line 8b and the definition of a “project”
  • Tax credit period, compliance period and the extended use period
  • Calculating credits – eligible basis, applicable fraction (treatment of exempt units), credit percentages
  • Minimum set-aside (40-at-60 vs. 20-at-50 vs. average income test)
  • Calculating recapture and disallowance of credits
• Initial Lease-Up and First-Year Credits
  • Initial qualification of units, first-year applicable fraction vs. 12/31 applicable fraction
  • 15-year/two-thirds credits
  • Deferring Year 1 of the credit period
• Tenant Certification Process
  • Rental applications, verification forms,
  • Tenant income certification (TIC) form, TIC effective date
  • Initial certification vs. annual recertifications
• Related Rules
  • Available unit rule
  • Vacant unit rule
  • Transferring tenants
  • Full-time students
• Household Income
  • Household size
  • Determining income limits
  • Income inclusions and exclusions; whose income is included
  • Examples – employment income with anticipated raise, seasonal/sporadic work, child support, regular cash contributions, self-employment
• Assets and Income from Assets
  • Asset inclusions and exclusions
  • The $5,000 cliff test
  • Examples–checking and savings accounts, retirement accounts, revocable trusts, assets disposed of for less than fair market value
• Rent
  • Maximum rent limit–LIHTC rent limit calculation
  • Deeper rent targeting
  • Gross rent for unit–tenant paid rent, utility allowance, other nonoptional charges
  • Rent assistance - Section 8 and tenant-based vouchers
• State Inspections and Avoiding Recapture
  • State agency compliance inspections and the 8823 process
  • Correcting noncompliance

NPCC Renewal

NPCC designation is valid for three years from the date of the successful exam for the initial designation. You may renew your NPCC designation by attending the Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshop again no sooner than 12 months before the NPCC expiration date. There are no additional fees for renewing the NPCC designation other than the registration fee for the most current workshop.

Retaking the NPCC Exam is not required for renewal unless the designation has been expired for more than 2 years (i.e. more than 5 years after the effective date of the initial certification or most recent renewal).

The following chart will assist in determining what is required for NPCC renewal depending on when you last obtained or renewed the certification:

If you are seeking to renew the NPCC designation, feel free to contact Wayne Michael at [email protected] to verify your renewal requirements (and whether retaking the exam will be required) prior to registering for the Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance workshop. Upon completing the course, you should complete and return the NPCC Renewal Form.

Scheduling a Private Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshop

The Novogradac LIHTC Property Compliance Workshop and accompanying NPCC Exam are offered throughout the year in cities across the United States and online. Upcoming public workshops are available here as they are scheduled. Workshops, accompanied by the NPCC exam, can also be scheduled privately. Those interested should contact Wayne Michael at [email protected].