Accreditation is the official recognition that a senior center is meeting its mission in a nationally accepted professional fashion. It is based on compliance with nine standards of senior center operations developed by National Institute of Senior Centers (NISC), a unit of NCOA.

Currently, 153 senior centers (pdf file) have received the official status of national accreditation from NISC. Many more are becoming accredited. Baltimore County, MD, is the first major metropolitan area to secure national accreditation status for all of its senior centers.

National accreditation status must be renewed after five years.