This paper outlines how the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) meets the definition of "credential" as defined by the US Department of Labor Employment (US DOL) and Training Administration's Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 15-10. The NCRC fits the US DOL definition of a credential both (a) in the context of workforce development in general and (b) according to the specific definition outlined in the US DOL TEGL 15-10. The NCRC is an industry-recognized, stackable, and portable credential that certifies the foundational competencies essential for career readiness and those necessary for advancement in career pathways. The NCRC certifies measurable occupational skills necessary to obtain employment, perform a job successfully, and advance within an occupation. States may use Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Title I and other programs such as Wagner-Peyser, WIA 15% Governor's Discretionary, Trade Adjustment Assistance, and WIA Title II funding to implement the NCRC as part of a system of stackable credentials for any career path within an overall competency model. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), and the Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) formally endorse the NCRC and include it in their systems of stackable industry credentials. The NCRC is a portable credential, in that it is accepted and recognized in many geographic areas (42 states have a statewide or regional program under way) and industries (NAM, NCCER, and CEWD). (Contains 35 notes.)