CRCST exam prep
Pass the CRCST exam on your first attempt.
About one in three people fail the sterile processing certification exam. Practice with realistic questions written to the official HSPA content outline, each with a clear explanation. Take timed mock exams that match the real test and see exactly which topics to review.
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Matches the real exam
Mock exams have 150 questions, a 180-minute timer and the same topic weighting as the official exam.
Learn from every miss
Every question explains why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Know when you're ready
Track your score by topic so you study what you actually need, not what you already know.
What the exam covers
- Cleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection21%
Point-of-use care, manual and mechanical cleaning, water quality, Spaulding levels and chemical disinfection safety.
- Preparation & Packaging21%
Instrument inspection and identification, set assembly, wraps, pouches, rigid containers and chemical indicators.
- Sterilization Process21%
Steam cycles and air removal, loading, biological and chemical indicators, IUSS and low-temperature methods.
- Departmental Considerations15%
Workflow, airflow and environmental controls, microbiology, infection prevention and the agencies that set the rules.
- Sterile Storage, Transport & Inventory9%
Event-related sterility, storage conditions, stock rotation, transport and inventory systems.
- Professional Development & Human Relations8%
Communication, teamwork, ethics, patient privacy and keeping your certification current.
- Patient Care Equipment & Distribution5%
Cleaning, tracking and distributing patient care equipment, case carts and supply replenishment.
CRCST exam FAQ
- How hard is the CRCST exam?
- It's tougher than many people expect. HSPA reports a 65.6% pass rate for 2025, down from 71.9% in 2023, so roughly one in three candidates fails. A retake costs another exam fee and a waiting period.
- How many questions are on the CRCST exam?
- 150 multiple-choice questions, of which 125 are scored and 25 are unscored pretest items. You have 3 hours, and the test is taken on computer at a Prometric testing center.
- What score do you need to pass the CRCST?
- HSPA reports results as pass or fail and doesn't publish a fixed percentage. We recommend consistently scoring 70% or higher on full mock exams before you book your test.
- What topics does the CRCST exam cover?
- Seven domains: cleaning, decontamination and disinfection; preparation and packaging; sterilization; departmental considerations; sterile storage, transport and inventory; professional development; and patient care equipment. The first three make up about 63% of the exam.
- Is CRCST certification required?
- Several states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, require sterile processing technicians to become certified within a set period after hire, and many hospitals require it everywhere else.
- Are these the real exam questions?
- No. Every question here is original practice material written to the published content outline. Real exam questions are confidential, and anyone claiming to sell them is breaking the rules.