USGBC extended the LEED v4 and LEED v4.1 commercial registration deadline from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2027, providing project teams additional time due to supply chain constraints, financing challenges, and regulatory uncertainty. The certification sunset date was also extended to June 30, 2033. This affects BD+C, ID+C, and O+M rating systems.
The USGBC Help Center article provides the transition timeline from LEED v4-based credential exams to LEED v5 beta exams, including stated beta launch dates and cutoffs for registering/testing under LEED v4 exams. This affects organizations that require LEED credentials for staff qualification or contractual compliance, and informs training and exam scheduling plans to avoid missing v4 testing windows and to prepare for v5 exam content.
CAGBC announced updates to LEED v4/v4.1 program timelines for Canada, confirming extended registration closure timing (e.g., LEED v4/4.1 BD+C/ID+C/O+M closing to new registrations on June 30, 2026) and allowing LEED v4.1 recertifications until June 30, 2027. Canada-based project teams and contract/compliance owners relying on specific LEED versions should align registration decisions and internal gating milestones to the updated Canadian program deadlines.
USGBC’s 2026 planning article provides operational deadlines for when LEED applications must be received and payment cleared to meet target review return dates tied to key milestones (such as certification before Greenbuild 2026 and before the end of 2026). This impacts compliance-by-contract and owner commitments where certification is required by a specific event/date; teams should schedule documentation completion and review submissions to align with USGBC’s published processing timelines.
USGBC’s LEED certification deadlines page consolidates phase-out timelines for LEED v4 and v4.1, including the registration close date (June 30, 2026 for most BD+C/ID+C/O+M systems) and certification sunset (June 30, 2032). The page also notes specific exceptions (e.g., certain LEED v4.1 O+M recertification/interiors registration through June 30, 2027; additional exceptions for campus/master site and volume pathways). Organizations with contractual or policy commitments tied to LEED v4/v4.1 should update internal schedules for project registration and long-range certification planning to avoid missing eligibility windows.
USGBC opened the second public comment period for LEED v5 for Cities rating system from May 14, 2026 through June 16, 2026. The draft incorporates revisions from the first public comment period (November 2025 - January 2026). A USGBC account is required to submit comments.
USGBC’s LEED certification deadlines table specifies transition dates for LEED v4 and v4.1. For most LEED v4/v4.1 commercial rating systems (BD+C, ID+C, O+M), new registrations close on 2026-06-30 and certification submissions sunset on 2032-06-30. The table also documents exceptions (e.g., some O+M recertification/interiors pathways and certain campus/volume scenarios) that allow registration beyond 2026-06-30 while retaining the 2032-06-30 sunset. This impacts project pipeline planning (which rating system a project can register under) and internal controls to ensure teams register before the applicable close date and plan submissions ahead of the sunset.
USGBC Help Center guidance states that beginning 2026-07-01, LEED v5 will be the only version available for new registrations for commercial BD+C, ID+C, and O+M (with limited exceptions referenced in the official deadlines table). This affects project registration decisions and contract/scoping language for projects intending to pursue LEED certification around mid-2026.
Effective March 27, 2026, USGBC consolidated supplemental review (appeal) fees into a single flat fee for all credits, eliminating the previous tiered structure that had separate fees for 'simple' versus 'complex' credits. This simplifies the fee structure for project teams seeking to appeal credit review decisions.
USGBC has established June 30, 2033 as the final date to submit initial certification applications for LEED v4 and v4.1 projects. This sunset date provides a 6-year window for projects registered before the June 30, 2027 registration deadline to complete their certification submissions. After the sunset date, v4/v4.1 certification will no longer be available, and all projects must use LEED v5.
USGBC published an addenda table for LEED v4.1 Cities: Existing dated February 20, 2026. The addenda table documents changes/clarifications to program requirements and documentation expectations for LEED for Cities submissions (e.g., updates to documentation tables and evidence requirements). Cities and consultants using LEED v4.1 Cities: Existing should update internal submission checklists and evidence collection to match the revised addenda language.
USGBC published the LEED v5 BD+C Addenda Table dated February 20, 2026. Addenda function as the authoritative change log for LEED rating system requirements and acceptable documentation, and can affect credit/prerequisite language, calculations, templates, and submittal expectations for teams pursuing LEED v5 BD+C certification. Compliance teams should review/diff the addenda against current project documentation workflows to ensure submittals align with the updated requirements and referenced templates.
USGBC released the LEED v5 Reference Guide for Operations and Maintenance, February 2026 Edition, and indicates it reflects LEED addenda released in February 2026. Teams preparing LEED v5 O+M certification/recertification documentation should ensure they are using this updated reference guide edition to align interpretations, documentation guidance, and examples with the most recent addenda cycle.
USACE Engineering and Construction Bulletin (ECB) No. 2026-3 (issued Jan 30, 2026) directs an immediate transition away from using LEED (previously LEED v4 Silver per UFC 1-200-02) for applicable Army military projects, moving instead to Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 2020 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings checklists (Army self-certification approach). The bulletin includes limited grandfathering: projects already registered for LEED that awarded a construction contract including third-party certification costs prior to Dec 19, 2025 may continue using LEED while internal validation processes are developed. Compliance teams supporting Army projects should update project requirements/specifications, documentation workflows, and contracting language accordingly and monitor incorporation into UFC 1-200-02.
USACE issued Engineering and Construction Bulletin (ECB) 2026-3 directing that applicable Army military projects discontinue use of the LEED rating system (previously requiring LEED Silver under referenced criteria) and instead use Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 2020 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings checklists. The bulletin states the change is effective immediately, with limited grandfathering for projects already registered for LEED and with construction contracts awarded including third-party certification costs prior to a specified date. This impacts LEED-related compliance planning for Army projects, including contract language, sustainability documentation workflows, and third-party certification budgeting.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued Engineering and Construction Bulletin (ECB) No. 2026-3 on January 30, 2026, directing projects to immediately transition away from the LEED rating system and toward the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) 2020 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings checklists. Projects that had already registered for LEED certification and were awarded a construction contract with third-party certification costs prior to December 19, 2025 may continue to use LEED while an internal compliance verification process is developed. This change reflects Executive Order effects on existing sustainability policies and High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements (HPSB). Federal construction projects under USACE jurisdiction must now follow CEQ 2020 Guiding Principles rather than LEED certification pathways.
USGBC has extended the registration deadline for LEED v4 and v4.1 commercial projects (BD+C, ID+C, O+M) to June 30, 2027. Projects registered before this date can continue using v4/v4.1 rating systems, while new registrations after must use LEED v5. The extension provides additional time for project teams to prepare for v5 requirements.
USGBC issued updated addenda for LEED v4.1 Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) rating system on November 3, 2025. Updates include revisions to Energy and Atmosphere prerequisite Minimum Energy Performance guidance, including references to base building HVAC and service water-heating systems contribution guidance.
USGBC has published the LEED v5 Building Design and Construction (BD+C) Rating System document (November 2025 Edition). The document details all prerequisites and credits organized by category including Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy and Atmosphere, Materials and Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality with associated point values.
USGBC has published comprehensive LEED v5 Recertification Guidance for buildings renewing their existing LEED certification. Key changes include: reduced performance reporting requirements with a minimum of 12 months of performance data for energy and water use, prerequisite-level performance requirements limited to energy efficiency only, and all previously certified projects automatically achieving 5 points under the LEED Recertification Project Priorities credit. The guidance aligns recertification with LEED v5's focus on decarbonization, resilience, human well-being, and transparency through performance-based metrics.