ICF submissions
ICF Transcript Requirements: Verbatim, Timestamps and Format
By Gary Malcolm, Master Certified Coach (ICF) · Updated 1 September 2026
Key takeaways
- Every ICF performance evaluation recording needs its own transcript: verbatim, word for word, including every filler ("um", "ah", "mm-hmm"), false start and repetition.
- Speakers must be labelled at every change (coach / client), on separate lines, with a timestamp at every change of speaker.
- Submit in a word-processing format such as .doc or .docx; PDFs are not accepted.
- Sessions in other languages need an English translation alongside the original, and its accuracy is the candidate’s responsibility.
- Auto-transcripts from Zoom or Teams are a starting point, not a compliant transcript. They typically remove fillers, mislabel speakers, and timestamp blocks rather than speaker changes.
ICF’s transcript requirement is stricter than many candidates expect. "Verbatim" means the words as spoken, every one of them, including fillers, false starts and repetitions. Speakers are labelled at every change on separate lines, with a timestamp at every change of speaker, in a word-processing format. A tidied-up transcript does not meet the requirement.
Why auto-transcripts need correcting
Zoom, Teams and phone transcription are built to make speech easy to read. They drop fillers, fix grammar, guess at crosstalk, get the speaker wrong when people overlap, and put timestamps on paragraphs rather than speaker changes. They save time as a starting point, but submitted as they are they risk rejection. Correcting one properly means playing the full audio against the text, which for a 45-minute session takes one to two hours.
We can produce a compliant verbatim transcript as a $19 add-on to any review.
The translation rule
ICF accepts sessions in any language. Include a complete English translation with the original-language transcript. Its accuracy is the candidate’s responsibility, so allow time for it in your submission plan.
Frequently asked questions
What are the ICF transcript requirements?
A verbatim, word-for-word transcript of each submitted recording, with every utterance and filler included, speakers labelled at every change on separate lines, a timestamp at every change of speaker, submitted in a word-processing format such as .docx. PDFs are not accepted.
Does "verbatim" really include every um and ah?
Yes. Verbatim means the words as spoken: fillers, false starts, repetitions, incomplete sentences. A cleaned-up transcript is not verbatim and risks rejection.
Can I use the Zoom or Teams auto-transcript?
As a starting point, yes. As the submission, rarely without correction. Auto-transcripts routinely drop or clean fillers, mishear words, mislabel speakers in crosstalk, and timestamp paragraphs rather than every speaker change. Expect one to two hours of correction against the audio for a 45-minute session.
Where do the timestamps go?
At every change of speaker: each time the turn passes from coach to client or back, the new turn carries a timestamp. Timestamps only at intervals, or only at paragraph starts, do not meet the requirement.
What about sessions in Vietnamese, Spanish, or another language?
Submit the verbatim transcript in the original language plus a complete English translation. ICF holds you responsible for the translation’s accuracy; a reviewer can check that a translation is present, but not certify its fidelity.
Can Review My Coaching produce the transcript for me?
Yes. We can produce an ICF-compliant verbatim .docx transcript, timestamped at every speaker change, as a $19 add-on to any review.