Renewals & Recertification

Certificate holders are welcome to renew their CST or CSFA credential by testing.  Most renew with AST approved continuing education credits submitted to the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST).

Earning and submitting CE and renewal of certification is a two-step process, and both steps must be completed to avoid the expiration of your CST or CSFA credential:

Step One: Earn and Submit Continuing Education (CE) Credits to AST

Visit AST to learn how to earn CE Credits

• All CE must be earned through AST-approved sources.
• Go to the AST Continuing Education Resource Center to earn CE; or
• Go to the Continuing Education Policies for the CST and CSFA for other ways you can earn CE.
• CE not approved by AST will not be added to your CE credit record for your current certification cycle.
• CE earned after the expiration date of your certification also will not be added to your CE credit record for your current certification cycle.

Submit your CE Credits to AST

• Go to the AST CE Reporting Form to submit CE.
• Additional fees apply to submit approved CE earned in any period of non-membership during your certification cycle. 

Step Two: Submit Certification Renewal Application to the NBSTSA

• All CE must be earned within the dates of your certification cycle – not before or after.
• You must renew your certification before it expires, by submitting the certification and renewal application fee to NBSTSA, which enables us to begin the process of approving your renewal.
• The NBSTSA will verify your CE credit total after receiving the renewal application and fee.
• The NBSTSA strongly encourages you to submit the required CE credits to AST 60 days in advance of your renewal date to avoid any delay in processing your new card and certificate.
• Additional CE credits earned over the required number are not "rolled over" to the next certification cycle.

NBSTSA Online Platform

To renew your certification, visit our online platform LearningBuilder. You can click the login button at the upper right of this screen, choose "practitioner" to go to your account, where you'll be able to view your CE credit status and complete your renewal application form.

Your user name and password are the same user name and password you use at www.ast.org, and we have helpful lookup tools on the login page to help you find your user name or password if you don't remember.  Get started now.

The NBSTSA requires certification renewal every two years. The date certification expires is printed clearly on your card and certificate.

Individuals can use the following methods to renew certification, either:

• Earn and submit required continuing education credits within the renewal cycle to AST and submit a renewal application to the NBSTSA.
• Retake and pass the national certifying examination through the NBSTSA. You must complete and submit a renewal application to initiate this process. 

Individuals renewing certification may submit a renewal application up to 6 months before their expiration date. Upon satisfying renewal requirements, the NBSTSA renews certification for the individual and issues a new certification card and certificate.

NBSTSA encourages you to complete the required continuing education credits, submit them to the Association of Surgical Technologists, and then file your renewal application with NBSTSA early.  This helps insure continuous, uninterrupted certification. 

However, it is important to note that the certification cycle does not change based on the date paperwork is submitted.  For example, an individual with a July renewal date who submits the paperwork in February for the July renewal date will receive a renewed certification card and certificate with a July date.  In that case, continuing education credits earned between January and May would count on the old certification cycle, not the new cycle.  There is no rollover of continuing education credits from one cycle to another. 

• CST’s completing a two-year cycle must earn 30 credits to renew their credential, four of which must be live continuing education credits. Upon renewal of the credential all individuals will be placed on a two-year, 30-credit cycle.
• CSFA’s completing a two-year cycle must earn 38 credits to renew their credential, eight of which must be live continuing education credits. Upon renewal of the credential all individuals will be placed on a two-year, 38-credit cycle.
• More information on live credits is available below. 

Individuals who hold both credentials (CST/CSFAs) must earn 38 credits within their renewal cycle to renew both credentials. Only a CSFA Renewal Application must be submitted to renew both.

Information about acceptable continuing education credits is available a the Association of Surgical Technologists web site.  

The responsibility is yours to submit your renewal application in a timely manner, especially if you are required by your employer and/or state law to be certified. Renewal is not instant and is not effective the moment you turn in the application to renew. Please allow 6 weeks for the NBSTSA to process your application and mail your new certificate and card.  

If you pay the total fee by check, your documents will be held for mailing for 10 business days until your check has officially cleared through our bank.

NBSTSA is not able to respond to requests to e-mail or fax notification to employers that an application was received for processing. We cannot give information to a 3rd party regarding unprocessed applications. If you need to prove to an employer that you submitted your application and have the required credits on file, you may call the NBSTSA on speakerphone so your employer can hear us confirm receipt of your application. As soon as your renewal has been processed in the database, it can be verified under the Verify Credentials section of this website or your employer can call us at 800-707-0057.

In 2019, the National Board for Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) announced that the certification cycle for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)® and the Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA)® was changed from four to two years, effective January 1, 2020.

For those in the new two-year cycle, CSTs are required to earn a total of 30 CE credits, including four CE credits earned in Live CE settings and CSFAs are required to earn 38 CE credits, including eight earned in Live CE settings. 

Live CE is — "All CE sessions presented at AST-approved conferences, workshops, AST State Assembly meetings, employer in-services, grand rounds, physician professional meetings including live or on-demand CE webinars or videos and live CE by manufacturers.”

Examples of live CE that will be accepted and processed for recertification include:

• Live CE processed for recertification earned at those conferences, workshops, state assembly meetings, employer in-services, grand rounds, and physician professions must be approved by AST or otherwise comply with the AST Continuing Education Policies for the CST and CSFA.
• AST will approve Live CE for manufacturers but not on-demand CE webinars or videos.
• For documentation requirements when submitting Live CE credits, visit AST.org.

Fees for Renewal by Examination

• $440 CST, AST member

• $450 CSFA, AST member

• $540 CST, AST non-member

• $550 CSFA, AST non-member

• Two-year certification cycle began January 1, 2020 for new and renewing certificants.
• New CSTs and CSFAs begin their first, two-year cycle when certified.
• Existing CSTs & CSFAs begin their first, two-year cycle at their renewal date
• Thirty (30) continuing education credits, including four defined as advanced, will be required for a CST to renew at the end of the two-year cycle. You earn credits for the cycle that you are currently in.  
• Thirty-eight (38) continuing education credits, including eight defined as advanced, will be required for renewing CSFAs to renew at the end of the two-year cycle. You earn credits for the cycle that you are currently in.
• Renewal applications cannot be submitted until the above required CE credits are processed and approved by AST.
• The renewal fee for each certification will be $40 for CST and $45 for CSFA

Individuals renewing their credential beyond the expiration date (late renewal) may do so by one of the following methods:

• Retake and pass the national certifying examination and pay all appropriate fees.
• Submit required credits that were earned prior to expiration of certification and pay the late fee (see our policy for late renewal). All credits must have been earned during your certification cycle, prior to your certification expiration date.
• Note: In addition to the renewal application fee of $40 for CST and $45 for CSFA, a $100 late fee will be due at application time if you are between 1 and 90 days late in filing your application. 

IMPORTANT: Note that if continuing education credit requirements were not met (meaning that the correct amount of hours were not earned within the renewal cycle), the policy does not apply and the certification examination would have to be taken for renewal. 

The NBSTSA started utilizing certification cycle dates on September 1, 1977, meaning anyone who was certified prior to that date is considered "certified for life" and is considered "noncurrent". Those certified before September 1, 1977 have the option to become "current" if they wish. To become "current", pre-1977 CST certified candidates must either pass the current CST examination or earn 30 continuing education credits. The continuing education credits must be earned within two years prior to when the application is received. All first-time currency earners must submit the Initial Application for Currency Pre-1977 Certification. A new certification is issued when currency is earned. 

Maintaining currency is voluntary. To maintain currency, a renewal application must be completed before the current cycle expires. The cycle period is every two years. If earning credits, the credits must meet the criteria of the "AST Continuing Education Policies for the CST & CSFA" and be submitted to AST for processing. Best practice is to become an AST member prior to earning credits to avoid a processing fee. When currency lapses, the individual returns to "certified for life but not current" status. If there is a lapse in currency, the pre-1977 certified candidate must earn currency by taking and passing the examination. Pre-1977 CSTs who wish to sit for the CSFA Exam using the CST with Currency Experience Verification pathway must earn currency first.

NBSTSA's certification programs and recertification processes promote and enhance continued competence. Commitment to professional development, continuing education and ongoing credentialing is a hallmark of professional practice. The decision to renew a CST or CSFA credential is an important component in delivering the best care possible for the surgical patient. The credentialed surgical technologist or surgical first assistant is a valuable contributing member of the surgical team. The NBSTSA commends all Certified Surgical Technologists (CSTs) and Certified Surgical First Assistants (CSFAs) for their ongoing commitment to the renewal of their professional credentials.

Renewal rationale:

• Rapid changes in the operative arena necessitate ongoing and frequent assessment of continuing competence of the surgical technologist and surgical first assistant.
• Similar to standards established in comparable medical/nursing/allied health professions, and in order to encourage certificants to acquire new surgical knowledge on a continual basis, the NBSTSA has determined that a two year re-certification cycle is appropriate in the assessment of continuing competence of the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) and Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA).
• All candidates successfully acquiring certification as a surgical technologist or surgical first assistant through the NBSTSA will be required to demonstrate continuing competence and credential renewal via a two year re-certification cycle.
• Continuing competence and credential renewal for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) or Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) may be accomplished via submission of continuing education credits or  by re-examination.