How to Become a DONA Certified Doula

DONA International offers two main certification paths—Birth Doula and Postpartum Doula—and both follow the same basic sequence: complete a DONA-approved training workshop, finish the required reading and coursework, attend or support a set number of births or postpartum clients, submit documentation and fees, and then maintain your credential through recertification. The exact number of births, clients, and hours is set by DONA and can change, so verify current requirements on the specific certification page before you commit. This guide covers the general path, the documents you will need, and the common places people get stuck.

Choose Your Certification Path

DONA certifies doulas in two roles. They are separate credentials, not a single "doula" license.

If you are unsure which fits you, DONA's "What Is a Birth Doula?" and "What Is a Postpartum Doula?" pages describe the day-to-day work. Some people certify in one first, then add the other later.

Step-by-Step Certification Path

1. Complete a DONA-Approved Training Workshop

You must attend a training workshop led by a DONA-approved trainer. The workshop is the entry point—it is not the same as certification. It gives you the foundational curriculum, and you leave with the requirements packet and access to the next steps.

• Input: Your registration for a scheduled workshop.
• Action: Attend the full workshop (typically multi-day).
• Expected result: A workshop completion record that counts toward your certification application.

2. Finish Required Reading and Coursework

DONA requires a reading list and written work as part of certification. This usually includes books on birth or postpartum care plus written assignments such as essays or summaries.

• Input: The current required reading list from your certification page.
• Action: Read the books and complete the written assignments.
• Expected result: Completed documentation you will submit with your application.

3. Gain the Required Client Experience

This is the step that takes the longest. You must support real clients and have them verify your work.

• Birth path: Attend the required number of births. Each birth is documented, and the client (and often a nurse, midwife, or doctor) provides an evaluation.
• Postpartum path: Complete the required number of postpartum hours with clients, again with client evaluations.

Keep every evaluation form. Missing or incomplete evaluations are one of the most common reasons applications stall.

4. Submit Your Certification Application

Once training, reading, coursework, and client experience are done, you assemble and submit your packet to DONA.

• Input: Workshop record, reading/coursework documentation, birth or postpartum documentation, evaluations, and the certification fee.
• Action: Submit through the process described in DONA's Step by Step Certification Guide.
• Expected result: DONA reviews your packet and, if complete, grants certification.

5. Maintain Certification Through Recertification

Certification is not permanent. DONA requires recertification on a recurring cycle, which typically involves continuing education credit hours and documentation of ongoing practice. DONA Elevate is the continuing education and credit-hour system referenced on the site.

• Input: Continuing education credits and recertification documentation.
• Action: Complete the required credits and submit before your cycle ends.
• Expected result: Your certification stays active.

6. Optional: Advanced Doula Designation

After initial certification, DONA offers an Advanced Doula Designation for experienced doulas who meet additional criteria. Treat this as a later step, not part of initial certification.

Costs and What to Verify

DONA publishes a "Certification & Renewal Costs" page, which means fees exist for both initial certification and renewal. The site does not list specific dollar amounts in the material available here, so check that page directly for current figures. Budget for:

• Training workshop fee (paid to the trainer or workshop)
• Certification application fee
• Recertification/renewal fee
• Required books
• Continuing education costs for recertification

Do not assume any of these are free or included—confirm each on the relevant DONA page.

Resources DONA Provides

• FAQs for Aspiring DONA Doulas — answers common questions before you start.
• Step by Step Certification Guide — the official sequence for your chosen path.
• Birth Doula Certification / Postpartum Doula Certification pages — the authoritative requirements for each credential.
• Recertification and Advanced Doula Designation pages — what comes after certification.
• Member Portal — track your profile and certification status.
• DONA Elevate — continuing education and credit hours.
• Resource Library, Discussion Forums & Peer Support — ongoing help.
• Find a DONA Certified Doula — see how certified doulas present themselves, useful for building your own practice later.

Common Places People Get Stuck

• Confusing the workshop with certification. The workshop is step one; certification requires client experience and a submitted packet afterward.
• Losing evaluation forms. Collect and store every client and professional evaluation as you go.
• Letting the recertification cycle lapse. Track your credit hours in DONA Elevate rather than scrambling at the deadline.
• Assuming requirements are static. Birth counts, hours, and fees are set by DONA and can be updated—always work from the current certification page, not an old blog post or forum comment.

Quick Decision Guide

• Want to support people during labor and birth? Start with Birth Doula Certification.
• Want to support families in the weeks after birth? Start with Postpartum Doula Certification.
• Not sure yet? Read the "What Is a Doula?" pages, then attend a training workshop—it is the required first step either way.
• Already certified and experienced? Look into recertification first, then the Advanced Doula Designation.

The single most reliable next action is to open DONA's Step by Step Certification Guide for your chosen path and confirm the current requirements before paying for anything.