A common question from people eyeing a sterile processing career: do you actually need to be certified to work in the field? The answer depends on where you are — and the trend is moving in one direction. Here’s the state of play, state by state, and what it means for your next move.
The short answer
Even where it isn’t required by law, certification is effectively the standard for getting hired. Most hospitals require the CRCST or expect you to earn it soon after starting. And in a growing number of states, certification is now mandated by law — seven states have acted so far, with more considering it.
Aseptic Technical Solutions is an independent training provider and is not affiliated with HSPA. State laws change and each has its own details — always confirm current requirements with your state and employer.
States that require certification
Seven states have passed laws requiring sterile processing technicians to hold a recognized credential:
| State | Status |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | Certification required |
| New York | Certification required |
| New Jersey | Certification required |
| Pennsylvania | Certification required |
| Tennessee | Certification required |
| Delaware | Certification required |
| Minnesota | Certification required — grandfather window closes Dec 31, 2027; accepts CRCST, CER, CSPDT, or CFER |
Every one of these laws accepts either the CRCST or the CSPDT — so neither credential locks you out of a mandate state. (Minnesota’s is the broadest: it also accepts the CER and CFER endoscope credentials.) Choose between them on employer demand in your market, not on the statute. If you’re weighing the two, read CRCST vs. CBSPD: What’s the Difference?
A few important notes on how to read that table:
- Each law has its own fine print. Effective dates, phase-in windows for new hires, and exceptions vary state to state. The table tells you whether your state has acted; your state’s page and the law itself tell you how it applies to you. Start with the state links above.
- Employers can be stricter than the law. In non-mandate states, plenty of hospitals require certification anyway as a condition of hire — or within a set window after your start date.
- Laws keep coming. Minnesota passed its mandate years before its grandfather window closes. If your state is “considering” a bill, the smart move is to treat it as inevitable and certify early.
The Mid-Atlantic corridor
If you’re in the Philadelphia / South Jersey / Delaware area, this matters right now: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware border each other, and all three require certification. That’s exactly the region where ATS runs in-person training in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill — hospitals here hire certified techs steadily because the law leaves them no alternative.
Minnesota: the one with a countdown clock
Minnesota’s law grandfathers anyone employed as a central service technician on or before December 31, 2027. After that, getting hired means holding one of four accepted credentials — CRCST, CER, CSPDT, or CFER — or earning one within 24 months of your hire date. Qualifying technicians also complete ten hours of continuing education a year under the statute.
That deadline is a gift if you use it: certify now and you walk in already holding the credential, instead of starting a job on a 24-month clock. If you’re in greater Minnesota, where local training options are thin, online self-study covers the coursework from anywhere.
No mandate in your state? Certification still decides who gets hired
In the other 43 states, no law forces certification — but the market does. Sterile processing sits at the center of surgical safety, and hiring managers have little reason to gamble on an uncertified candidate when certified ones are applying. In practice, the CRCST functions as the field’s de facto license:
- It’s the filter on most job postings (“CRCST required” or “preferred”).
- It’s the fastest signal that you know the actual work of an SPD — decontamination, assembly, sterilization, sterile storage.
- It’s portable. If you move from a non-mandate state to a mandate state, you’re already compliant.
States with few or no local schools
In many states there’s no mandate yet — but also no nearby sterile processing school, which leaves people stuck. Think Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Alaska, and Oklahoma.
The good news: certification doesn’t require a local classroom. Online self-study lets you prepare for the same CRCST from anywhere, and ATS helps with the hospital internship side wherever you are. Living in a “training desert” can even work in your favor — fewer local programs means fewer certified applicants competing for the same openings.
Why this trend is accelerating
Patient-safety advocates have pushed for certification laws because sterile processing is the last line of defense before instruments reach a patient. A missed bioburden spot or a mis-assembled instrument set isn’t a paperwork problem — it’s a patient on a table. Legislators respond to that logic, which is why the list of mandate states has only grown.
For you, the takeaway is simple: getting certified now protects your career. You’ll already hold the credential when a rule takes effect in your state, and you’ll never be the tech whose job depends on a grandfather clause.
What certification actually involves
If your state (or target employer) requires it, here’s the path in brief:
- Complete training on the HSPA 9th Edition — self-study for $700, live virtual for $1,850, or in-person for $2,500.
- Pass the CRCST exam — 150 multiple-choice questions, three hours, with a $140 exam fee paid to HSPA. See What Is the CRCST Exam?
- Complete the hands-on hours — 400 hours in a sterile processing department, before applying or within six months of passing. Internship placement help here.
- Keep it current — 12 CE points and a $50 renewal each year. Our CEU resources make that easy.
Full cost breakdown here: How Much Does Sterile Processing Certification Cost?
What to do next
- Check your state using the table above, or browse all state guides at /sterile-processing-certification.
- Pick a training path — self-study, virtual, or in-person.
- Plan your experience hours early with internship assistance — they’re usually the slowest step.
Not sure where you stand? Grab the free Career Roadmap and we’ll help you figure out the right move for your state, or check the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Which states require sterile processing certification by law? Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Delaware require it now; Minnesota requires it too, with a grandfather window that closes December 31, 2027. Each law has its own details — check your state’s guide page and the law itself.
Can I work in sterile processing without certification? Usually yes — at first. Every mandate state gives new hires a window to certify after being hired (18 months in New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; two years in Connecticut; three in New Jersey; 24 months in Minnesota). So you can be hired uncertified and earn the credential on the clock — but you must earn it, and being certified already makes you the easier hire.
Which certification do state laws accept? All of them accept either the CRCST or the CSPDT; Minnesota also accepts the CER and CFER. The law won't decide this for you — pick based on what employers in your area ask for, which is usually the CRCST. See CRCST vs. CBSPD.
My state has no sterile processing school. What are my options? Certification doesn’t require a local classroom. Online self-study covers the full HSPA 9th Edition curriculum from anywhere, the exam is taken at a testing center, and ATS helps arrange the hands-on internship hours wherever you live.
If I certify now and move to a mandate state, does my CRCST transfer? The CRCST is a national credential, not a state license — it goes with you. Confirm any state-specific registration steps on your new state’s guide page, but holding the credential already puts you in compliance position.
