IBBFA Policies
Privacy, professional ethics, refunds, and accessibility — the standards every IBBFA credential holder upholds.
Aligned with AUSactive Code of Ethical Conduct · v3.0 · Nov 2021A single, consistent standard of professional practice
The International Ballet Barre Fitness Association (IBBFA) is the foundation credentialing authority for barre fitness instruction worldwide. The policies below describe how we protect your privacy, what you agree to when you enroll, how refunds work, the ethical standards every IBBFA credential holder upholds, our accessibility commitments, and the compliance forms available to you.
IBBFA is a Continuing Education Provider recognized by AUSactive (Australia's peak body for the exercise and active health sector), and our Code of Ethical Conduct is harmonized with the AUSactive Code of Ethical Conduct for Registered AUSactive Professionals (Version 3.0, November 2021). Every IBBFA-certified instructor is expected to meet these professional standards regardless of the country in which they teach.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 2026
The International Ballet Barre Fitness Association (IBBFA) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how long we retain it, and your rights.
Information We Collect
- Account information: name, email address, phone number, and mailing address when you register for certification or create an account.
- Certification records: credential level, examination results, Registry ID, specialty designations, and credential status.
- Payment information: payment details are processed by secure third-party payment processors. IBBFA does not store credit card numbers.
- Directory information: name, city/state/country, credential level, and specialties displayed in the public instructor directory (with your consent).
- Health-screening information (if shared): any pre-exercise screening or accommodation information you voluntarily share with us in support of an examination accommodation request.
- Usage data: website analytics including pages visited, time on site, and referral sources (collected via cookies and analytics tools).
How We Use Your Information
- Processing certification enrollment, examinations, and credential issuance.
- Maintaining the public credential verification registry at ibbfa.org/verify.
- Displaying your profile in the instructor directory (Active credential holders, with consent).
- Sending certification-related communications (examination scheduling, credential status, maintenance reminders).
- Improving our website, curriculum, and certification programs.
- Meeting our obligations under applicable privacy law, including the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles for IBBFA professionals operating in Australia.
Public Registry Information
IBBFA operates a public credential verification registry. When your credential is Active, the following information is publicly accessible: your name, credential level, specialty designations, Registry ID, credential status, and city/state/country. This transparency is a core component of IBBFA's credentialing model and is the mechanism by which employers, studios, students, and regulators confirm an instructor's standing. Credential holders with Lapsed status are hidden from default directory searches but remain accessible via direct Registry ID lookup.
Records Retention
IBBFA retains certification records (enrollment, examination results, credential history, and disciplinary records, if any) for the lifetime of the credential plus seven years, in line with credentialing best practice and AUSactive recordkeeping expectations. Marketing and analytics data is retained only as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.
Sharing of Information
IBBFA does not sell personal information. We share information only with: (a) authorized third-party service providers acting on our behalf under contractual confidentiality (LMS hosting, payment processing, examination proctoring, email delivery); (b) regulators or peak bodies (such as AUSactive) where disclosure is required to verify a credential, respond to a regulatory inquiry, or honor a published recognition agreement; and (c) law enforcement or courts where required by law.
Your Rights
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by contacting us at info@ibbfa.org. Where you live in a jurisdiction with specific privacy rights (for example, the Australian Privacy Act 1988, the EU General Data Protection Regulation, the California Consumer Privacy Act, or comparable legislation in your jurisdiction), you may also have additional rights including the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. Note that deletion of certification records may affect your credential status and your listing in the public registry.
Contact
For privacy-related inquiries, contact IBBFA at info@ibbfa.org or use our contact form.
Terms of Service
Last updated: May 2026
By accessing ibbfa.org or enrolling in any IBBFA certification program, you agree to the following terms.
Certification Programs
IBBFA certification programs are professional credentialing programs for barre fitness instruction. Enrollment constitutes a commitment to complete the program requirements as described on the credentials page. Program pricing is listed in USD and is subject to change with notice.
Course Access Periods
CBI Certification and individual Specialty Certifications include 12 months of course access from the date of enrollment. The Principal Track includes 24 months of course access. Access periods are not extendable. See the Refund Policy for cancellation terms.
Credential Maintenance
All credential holders are required to pay an annual $99 registry maintenance fee to maintain Active status. Initial directory status is included with each credential (2 years for CBI, 3 years for Principal). After the initial period, the $99/year fee renews Active status annually. Non-payment results in Lapsed status as described on the credentials page. IBBFA is not responsible for consequences arising from Lapsed credential status.
Intellectual Property
IBBFA curriculum, examination content, and materials are the intellectual property of the International Ballet Barre Fitness Association. Credential holders may not reproduce, distribute, or share curriculum materials without written permission.
Credential Revocation
IBBFA reserves the right to revoke credentials for violations of the Code of Ethical Conduct, scope-of-practice breaches, or conduct that brings the profession into disrepute. Revocation decisions are reflected in the public verification registry. Investigations and appeals are conducted in accordance with the procedures described in Section 4 (Code of Ethical Conduct).
Limitation of Liability
IBBFA certification confirms that an instructor has completed a training program and passed an examination. IBBFA does not guarantee employment outcomes, and IBBFA credentials do not constitute a license to practice medicine, physical therapy, or any healthcare profession. IBBFA-certified instructors are fitness professionals trained to provide safe, effective barre instruction within their defined scope of practice.
Questions
Contact us with questions about these terms.
Refund Policy
Last updated: May 2026
IBBFA offers a 14-day satisfaction window on all certification programs purchased through barrecertification.com. Refund eligibility depends on the program type and whether course content has been accessed beyond the introductory materials.
Refund Eligibility
| Program | Price | Refund Window | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| CBI Certification | $599 | 14 days from purchase | Refund available if exam has not been attempted |
| Specialty Certifications | $375 each | 14 days from purchase | Refund available if final assessment has not been submitted |
| Principal Track | $1,297–$1,497 | 14 days from purchase | Refund available if no exam or Board Review has been attempted |
| Principal Upgrade | $897 | 14 days from purchase | Refund available if no specialty assessment or Board Review has been attempted |
| Standalone Exam | $299 | 14 days from purchase | Refund available if exam has not been scheduled or attempted |
| CBI Study Guide | $79 | 14 days from purchase | Refund available if content has not been accessed |
Non-Refundable Items
- Annual Registry Maintenance Fee ($99/year) — non-refundable once processed.
- Exam Retake Fees ($99) — non-refundable once exam is scheduled.
- Any program after 14 days from purchase — regardless of completion status.
- Any program where an exam or final assessment has been attempted — regardless of result.
Payment Plans
For programs purchased on a payment plan, the refund window applies to the first installment only. If a refund is requested within 14 days and the refund condition is met, remaining installments are cancelled and any payment already made is refunded. After 14 days or after an exam attempt, all remaining installments are due per the original payment schedule.
How to Request a Refund
Email info@ibbfa.org with your name, email address used at enrollment, the program purchased, and the date of purchase. Refunds are processed within 5–10 business days to the original payment method.
Code of Ethical Conduct
Last updated: May 2026 · Aligned with AUSactive Code of Ethical Conduct, Version 3.0 (November 2021)
All IBBFA credential holders agree to uphold the standards in this Code as a condition of holding an IBBFA credential. The Code is harmonized with the AUSactive Code of Ethical Conduct for Registered AUSactive Professionals so that IBBFA-certified instructors operating in Australia, or relying on IBBFA's AUSactive Continuing Education recognition, meet a single, consistent standard of ethical and professional behavior.
This Code is a mandatory list of professional expectations of IBBFA credential holders. It is not exhaustive and must be read together with the laws and professional obligations that apply to you in your jurisdiction. Failure to comply with the Code may result in IBBFA applying sanctions, including suspension or revocation of your IBBFA credential.
4.1About this Code
Purpose
The purpose of this Code is to promote good professional practice. It supports IBBFA credential holders in their commitment to excellent client care and to fulfilling their professional roles, provides a framework to guide professional judgment and behavior, and sets out standards that represent best practice for barre fitness instruction worldwide.
Scope
This Code applies to all IBBFA credential holders — Certified Barre Instructors (CBI), Specialty-certified instructors, Principal Instructors, Master Instructors, and Fellows — for the duration of their credential. It applies whether the credential holder is teaching in a studio, gym, online, in a private setting, or in a voluntary capacity.
Compliance with the Law
This Code is not a substitute for the provisions of legislation and case law. IBBFA credential holders must comply with all laws that apply to them, inform themselves of relevant legal requirements, and stay up to date with these requirements. Areas of legal compliance include, but are not limited to:
- Anti-discrimination law
- Child safety and protection law (and mandatory reporting obligations in your jurisdiction)
- Consumer law
- Criminal law
- Intellectual property law
- Privacy law (including the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) where applicable)
- Workplace health and safety law (including jurisdictional WHS / OH&S legislation)
- Civil liability law
- Local government policy for the use of public space, where you teach in public settings
Administration
The IBBFA Board oversees and administers this Code and considers any complaint that an IBBFA credential holder has failed to comply with the Code or has otherwise: (a) engaged in unsatisfactory professional conduct; (b) engaged in professional misconduct; (c) shown that they are not a suitable person to hold an IBBFA credential; or (d) brought IBBFA into disrepute. The Board may delegate this authority to a committee with power to investigate complaints and apply sanctions, up to and including credential revocation.
4.2Good Professional Practice
Good professional practice means providing high-quality, safe services for clients. IBBFA credential holders are required to:
- Understand and work within the limits of their competence, the IBBFA Barre Instructor Scope of Practice, and any additional scope-of-practice requirements that apply in their jurisdiction (for example, the AUSactive Scope of Practice for Registered Exercise Professionals where teaching in Australia).
- Maintain and extend the knowledge and skills required to provide safe services through ongoing continuing education consistent with current evidence, including completion of IBBFA's biennial recertification requirements and any continuing-education-credit (CEC) obligations that apply in their jurisdiction.
- Assess each client's needs and undertake appropriate pre-exercise screening before the client begins a class or program. Where a credential holder operates in Australia, this includes use of the Adult Pre-Exercise Screening System (APSS) or the Pre-Exercise Screening System for Young People, or another screening system recognized by AUSactive or another peak body.
- Carefully evaluate and consider the results of a client's pre-exercise screening and the client's stated objectives when developing, delivering, or recommending a barre class, program, or service.
- Refer a client to another qualified professional — such as a medical practitioner, allied health professional, or accredited exercise physiologist — when the client requests, or needs, services that are outside the IBBFA scope of practice or outside the credential holder's current competence.
- Maintain complete records of services provided to clients, including pre-exercise screening, modifications applied, client progress, and referrals. Records must be stored securely and retained for the period required by the credential holder's jurisdictional law and insurer.
- Hold appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance that covers the full scope of all activities undertaken, whether in a professional or voluntary capacity. Insurance must be maintained continuously while teaching is being delivered.
4.3Working with Clients
Relationships between IBBFA credential holders and clients are collaborative and based on respect, openness, trust, and good communication. IBBFA credential holders are required to:
- Be courteous, respectful, compassionate, and honest with clients.
- Respect each client's privacy and right to confidentiality.
- Obtain client consent before releasing or exchanging health information with third parties (such as a treating doctor, allied health professional, or studio management) where this is necessary to plan or deliver safe instruction.
- Use client information carefully and only for the purposes for which it was collected when developing exercise programs.
- Conduct themselves within appropriate professional boundaries — including, but not limited to, avoiding sexual, romantic, or financial relationships with current clients, and maintaining clear boundaries between instruction and personal friendship.
- Prioritize each client's health, well-being, and safety, taking into account their individual circumstances, presenting conditions, and exercise objectives.
- Maintain a safe, inclusive, and respectful class environment free from harassment, intimidation, or discriminatory behavior by the instructor, by participants, or by facility staff.
- Apply contraindication recognition and modification protocols as trained, and stop or modify any movement that places a client at unreasonable risk.
- Report safety concerns — including facility hazards, equipment failures, or client incidents — to the responsible facility management or supervisor.
4.4Working with Children and Young People
Providing services for children and young people brings additional responsibilities. IBBFA credential holders teaching minors are required to:
- Comply with child protection (or equivalent) legislation and mandatory reporting obligations in their jurisdiction. In Australia this includes the relevant state or territory child safety scheme and any Working with Children Check requirement.
- Hold any background check, working-with-children clearance, or vulnerable-person check required to teach minors in their jurisdiction, and renew it before it lapses.
- Consider a young person's capacity for decision-making and consent, and obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian where appropriate.
- Use a pre-exercise screening process appropriate to young people (in Australia, the Pre-Exercise Screening System for Young People), and adapt programs for age-appropriate development and physical-activity needs.
- When communicating with a child or young person: encourage questions and answer them to the best of their ability, provide information in a way that the young person can understand, recognize the role of parents and guardians, and never communicate with a minor in a way that excludes a parent or guardian from oversight.
- Apply appropriate physical-contact and supervision practices, including avoiding being alone with a single minor where this can be reasonably prevented.
4.5Culturally Safe and Inclusive Practice
Professional practice in the health and fitness industry involves acknowledgment of the cultural diversity of clients. IBBFA credential holders are required to:
- Have respect for, and show sensitivity towards, the cultural needs of the community in which they teach. In Australia this specifically includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds; in other jurisdictions, the equivalent recognition of Indigenous and minority cultural needs applies.
- Acknowledge the social, economic, cultural, and behavioral factors that influence health behavior and health outcomes, both at individual and community levels.
- Adapt language, music, dress code, and class environment where reasonable to make instruction accessible to participants of differing cultural, religious, or linguistic backgrounds.
- Maintain referral systems with culturally appropriate health professionals to improve client engagement and outcomes.
- Refrain from any conduct that constitutes harassment, vilification, or discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic.
4.6Publication and Public Statements
An IBBFA credential holder making any public statement should be aware that the statement may reflect upon IBBFA and the wider barre fitness profession. For the purposes of this Code, a public statement means a statement reported in the media (including social media, podcasts, livestream, and online video). IBBFA credential holders must:
- Avoid making public comments or statements that bring, or are likely to bring, IBBFA, AUSactive, or the barre fitness industry into disrepute.
- Only make public comments or statements within their scope of practice and where they have adequate knowledge, and provide information supported by current evidence-based research.
- Not present opinion as established science, and not make health, medical, or therapeutic claims about barre instruction that are not supported by evidence.
- Obtain prior written authority from IBBFA before stating or implying that a personal statement is made on behalf of IBBFA, the IBBFA Board, or any IBBFA officer or employee.
- Represent their credential honestly online — naming the correct credential level (CBI, Principal, Master, Fellow), specialty designations actually held, and the current credential status (Active or Lapsed). Do not imply credentials, accreditations, or affiliations that are not held.
4.7Mentoring, Supervising and Assessing
Mentoring and supervising current and emerging instructors is important to ensure the highest standards of professional practice are achieved. IBBFA credential holders who mentor, supervise, or assess others are required to:
- Treat any professional, candidate, or student they are mentoring or supervising with respect and patience.
- Offer honest, objective, and constructive feedback on the performance of colleagues, mentees, or candidates.
- Obtain client consent for student or candidate participation in a class or session, and respect a client's right to choose not to consent.
- Clearly explain to the student and the client the scope of the student's participation.
- Draw on appropriate evidence from research and current good practice to inform their decisions, advice, and assessment.
- Conduct examinations, board reviews, and proctored assessments with integrity — declining to assess a candidate where there is a personal or financial conflict of interest, and applying the published assessment standards consistently.
4.8Professional Integrity and the IBBFA Credential
- Maintain current IBBFA credential status through annual registry maintenance and any biennial recertification or continuing-education requirement.
- Represent credentials honestly — only claim the credential level that has been earned and is currently Active. Do not describe yourself as IBBFA-certified, IBBFA-recognized, IBBFA-accredited, or use any IBBFA credential mark while your status is Lapsed, Suspended, or Revoked.
- Do not share, distribute, or sell IBBFA curriculum or examination materials, and do not assist any other person to misrepresent IBBFA credentials.
- Respect the intellectual property rights of IBBFA, AUSactive, other peak bodies, and other instructors and choreographers.
- Operate within the scope of practice defined by IBBFA training — fitness instruction, not healthcare. IBBFA certification does not constitute a license to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, or rehabilitate any medical condition.
- Refer clients to qualified healthcare professionals when situations exceed the scope of barre fitness instruction.
4.9Complaints and Investigations
IBBFA credential holders have responsibilities and rights relating to any legitimate investigation of their practice or the practice of a colleague. In meeting these responsibilities, IBBFA credential holders are advised to seek legal advice and advice from their professional indemnity insurer. IBBFA credential holders are required to:
- Cooperate with any legitimate inquiry into the professional services provided for a client or clients — whether the inquiry is conducted by IBBFA, AUSactive, another peak body, an employer, or a regulator.
- Disclose information relevant to an investigation into their own or a colleague's conduct, performance, or health to any regulator or delegate entitled to the information.
- Assist a coroner where an inquest or inquiry is held into a client's death, in accordance with applicable legal obligations.
- Refrain from retaliating against a client, colleague, or staff member who has made a complaint in good faith.
4.10Reporting Obligations
IBBFA credential holders must:
- Report to IBBFA any criminal conviction associated with young or vulnerable persons, or any criminal conviction in connection with their health and fitness services.
- Report to IBBFA if they are the subject of any criminal, summary, or civil complaint in connection with their professional services. To maintain the integrity and standing of its profession, IBBFA may suspend a credential holder's status while they are being investigated for professional misconduct or criminal activity.
- Notify IBBFA if their professional indemnity or public liability insurance is cancelled, lapsed, or not renewed for any reason — and refrain from teaching paid classes until insurance is reinstated.
- Notify IBBFA of any sanction, suspension, or termination by another credentialing body, peak body (including AUSactive), employer, or studio in relation to their professional conduct.
- Notify IBBFA of any change of legal name within 30 days, so that the public registry remains accurate.
4.11Sanctions and Credential Revocation
Where a complaint is substantiated, IBBFA may apply one or more of the following sanctions, depending on the seriousness and pattern of the conduct:
- Formal written warning.
- Mandatory remedial education or supervised practice.
- Restriction of credential (for example, removal of a specialty designation).
- Suspension of credential for a defined period, with the public registry status updated to reflect the suspension.
- Revocation of credential, with the public registry status updated to Revoked.
Reports of ethical violations can be submitted to info@ibbfa.org or via the Ethics Complaint Form (see Section 6). IBBFA investigates all credible reports. Investigation outcomes that result in suspension or revocation are reflected in the public verification registry.
Right of Appeal
A credential holder who is the subject of an adverse decision may appeal to the IBBFA Board within 30 calendar days of the written decision. Appeals are heard by a panel that did not participate in the original investigation. The decision of the appeal panel is final.
4.12Definitions
- Client: an individual to whom an IBBFA credential holder provides barre fitness instruction or related services.
- Credential holder: any individual currently holding an IBBFA credential — Certified Barre Instructor (CBI), Specialty-certified, Principal, Master, or Fellow — at any status (Active, Lapsed, Suspended).
- Pre-exercise screening: a questionnaire or system that identifies clients who may have medical conditions or symptoms associated with elevated risk of an adverse event during physical activity. Recognized systems include the APSS (Adult Pre-Exercise Screening System) and the Pre-Exercise Screening System for Young People.
- Public statement: any statement reported in the media or on social media (including blog posts, podcasts, livestream, and online video).
- Professional misconduct: conduct so seriously below the standard reasonably expected of an IBBFA credential holder of an equivalent level of training or experience that it warrants suspension or revocation.
- Unsatisfactory professional conduct: knowledge, skill, or judgment possessed by the credential holder that is below the standard reasonably expected of an IBBFA credential holder of an equivalent level of training or experience.
- Scope of practice: the IBBFA Barre Instructor Scope of Practice (published at ibbfa.org/standards/barre-instructor-scope-of-practice/), read together with any jurisdictional scope of practice that applies to the credential holder.
4.13Review
This Code of Ethical Conduct is reviewed periodically and not less than every three years, with the next scheduled review by May 2029. Material changes are published at ibbfa.org/policies and notified to credential holders by email.
Accessibility Policy
Last updated: May 2026
IBBFA is committed to ensuring accessibility for all users of our website and certification programs.
Website Accessibility
We aim to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards across ibbfa.org. Our website is designed with semantic HTML, appropriate color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen-reader compatibility. We continually work to identify and address accessibility issues.
Certification Program Accessibility
IBBFA provides reasonable accommodations for certification candidates with documented disabilities. Accommodations may include extended examination time, alternative examination formats, and accessible curriculum materials. Contact us to discuss your specific needs.
Reporting Issues
If you encounter any accessibility barriers on our website or in our certification programs, please contact us at info@ibbfa.org or 1-888-365-2008. We appreciate your feedback and are committed to resolving accessibility issues promptly.
Compliance Forms
Last updated: May 2026
The following forms are available for IBBFA credential holders, employers, and partners.
- Accommodation Request Form — request disability accommodations for certification examinations.
- Ethics Complaint Form — report a potential Code of Ethical Conduct violation by an IBBFA credential holder.
- Credential Verification Letter Request — request an official verification letter for employer, insurance, or regulatory purposes.
- Insurance Lapse Notification — notify IBBFA that your professional indemnity or public liability insurance has lapsed, been cancelled, or not been renewed (per Section 4.10).
- Self-Report Form — self-report a criminal, civil, or professional-conduct matter, or a sanction by another peak body, per the reporting obligations in the Code of Ethical Conduct.
- Data Access / Deletion Request — request access to or deletion of your personal data per our Privacy Policy.
- Refund Request — request a refund within the 14-day satisfaction window per our Refund Policy.
To submit a form or request a copy, contact us at info@ibbfa.org. Forms are typically processed within 5–10 business days.
Questions about any of these policies? We're here to help.
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