Everything you pay, every date that matters, and what keeps your certification alive after you pass. One page, zero surprises.
The short version: HSPA lists the CRCST exam fee at $140 for your first attempt, and a retake also runs $140. After your application is approved, you pick your own date at a Prometric test center. Pass, and your certification is good for 5 years, renewed through HSPA with continuing education. Study once, stay certified on a cycle.
Tap each stage to see what happens and what it costs. This is the whole road, from application to your first recertification.
You submit your CRCST application to HSPA with the $140 exam fee. This covers application processing and one exam attempt. HSPA reviews your eligibility: you need to meet the education and experience requirements, including hands-on hours in sterile processing.
The fee is refundable if you request cancellation within 30 days of payment, minus a $25 non-refundable application fee. HSPA does not require membership to certify, so there is no membership fee hiding in the cost.
Once approved, you get instructions to schedule your seat at a Prometric test center. You choose the date and location that fits your life and your study plan. Pick a date far enough out that your studying is done, not "almost done."
Double check Prometric's current rescheduling policy before you book, so a surprise shift at work does not cost you a second fee.
Bring valid photo ID, arrive early, and plan for the full session. The exam is 150 multiple choice questions in 3 hours, which works out to a little over a minute per question. Answer everything, keep an eye on the clock, and trust your first instinct on questions you studied for.
If you do not pass, you can retake the exam. Each retake attempt carries the same $140 fee.
Passing earns you the CRCST credential, and it is valid for 5 years. Start collecting your continuing education credits from day one instead of scrambling in year five. Many employers also want you certified within a certain window of hire, so ask your manager what your facility expects.
Recertification goes through HSPA and requires continuing education credits earned across your 5-year cycle, plus the recertification fee HSPA lists in its current handbook. Mark your expiration date the week you pass, then work backward: a few credits per quarter keeps it painless.
Build your own estimate. Check the boxes that apply to you and watch the total update.
Certification is often the difference between an entry level paycheck and a certified technician paycheck, and many facilities require it for promotion. One $140 exam plus a study plan that works pays for itself fast. If you want the salary breakdown, see our sterile processing technician salary guide.
Get the practice questions, the games, and the podcast that make CRCST studying actually fun. Pass once, and never pay a retake fee.
Start StudyingHSPA lists the initial CRCST exam fee at $140, which covers application processing and one exam attempt at a Prometric test center.
A retake costs the same $140 fee. This is the best reason to prepare thoroughly the first time.
HSPA states that cancellation or refund requests made within 30 days of payment are refunded in full, minus a $25 non-refundable application fee.
No. HSPA states that membership is not required for certification, so no membership fee is part of the exam cost.
At a Prometric test center of your choice, scheduled after HSPA approves your application.
Five years. Recertification runs through HSPA and requires continuing education credits across the cycle, so start logging them early.
CRCST Exam Prep