State Rules

Sterile Processing Certification Requirements by State

Which States Require Sterile Processing Certification?

Sterile processing certification requirements by state come down to six states: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee require central service technicians to be certified, and each gives new hires a set window to pass. Most accept the CRCST from HSPA or the CSPDT from CBSPD, with deadlines from 18 months (Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania) to three years (New Jersey). Minnesota's law covers technicians hired after December 31, 2027. Check your own state with the state certification checker.

Researched and edited by Taylor Rupe · Updated November 11, 2026

Clamps, forceps, a scalpel and a steel kidney basin laid out on a blue sterile wrap — Photo: Jonathan Borba / Pexels

Six states make certification a condition of doing sterile processing work. If you plan to work in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania or Tennessee, you can start the job uncertified, but a clock starts on your first day. Everywhere else, the law is silent and the hiring hospital sets the rule.

This guide covers what each law requires, which credentials count, how long you get, who is exempt and how to pick a program that gets you certified inside the deadline.

Sterile Processing Certification Requirements by State, Side by Side

Every state on this list ties the job to a national credential rather than a state license. You don’t apply to a state board. You pass the CRCST exam from the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA, formerly IAHCSMM) or the CSPDT exam from the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD), keep it current, and your employer keeps the proof on file for state inspectors.

State	Law	Credentials accepted	New-hire deadline	In force since	Yearly continuing education
Connecticut	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-185r	CRCST or CSPDT	2 years from hire	January 1, 2016	10 hours
Delaware	16 Del. C. §§ 3010A-3014A	CRCST or CSPDT	18 months from hire	January 1, 2023	10 hours
New Jersey	N.J.A.C. 8:43G-8.2	Certification through a national sterile processing program the Department of Health recognizes	3 years from employment	Readopted November 17, 2024
New York	Public Health Law § 2824	CRCST, CSPDT or a substantially equivalent credential	18 months from hire	January 1, 2015	10 hours
Pennsylvania	Act 80 of 2020	CRCST or CSPDT	18 months from hire	December 2020	10 hours
Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-239	CRCST or CSPDT	2 years from hire	January 1, 2017	10 hours

A blank cell means the rule sets no yearly hours.

The other 44 states and the District of Columbia have no certification law for sterile processing technicians in force, so certification there is an employer requirement, not a legal one.

Minnesota is next. Its law is on the books but reaches only technicians hired after December 31, 2027 (more on that below). To check a single state quickly, use the state certification checker.

What the Laws Have in Common

The five statutes (Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee) follow the same template, and it shapes your plan in four ways.

You must pass the exam and hold the credential. Each law requires a passed, nationally accredited exam for central service technicians plus a credential you keep current. Letting your CRCST or CSPDT lapse puts you out of compliance.
New hires get a grace period. You can be hired before you test, from 18 months to two years depending on the state.
Ten hours of continuing education every year. That sits below HSPA’s own renewal rule of 12 continuing education credits a year for the CRCST, so keeping your CRCST current usually keeps you ahead of the state minimum.
Grandfathering covers people already in the job. Technicians working before each law took effect were exempted. If you’re entering the field now, that exemption doesn’t reach you.

The laws also exempt licensed health care practitioners working within their scope, such as nurses, and students or interns doing the work under direct supervision as part of training. That student exemption is what lets a program’s clinical hours happen in a hospital before you are certified.

New York and Pennsylvania: 18 Months, CRCST or CSPDT

New York was first of the current statutes, in force since January 1, 2015. Public Health Law § 2824 covers general hospitals, including hospitals operating as diagnostic and treatment centers that provide ambulatory surgery. You need the CRCST, the CSPDT or a substantially equivalent credential, and you have 18 months from your hire date. The state Department of Health told hospitals the law doesn’t reach work where high-level disinfection, not sterilization, is the standard, such as endoscope reprocessing.

New York adds a shortage clause. A hospital that can’t find enough qualified technicians after a documented, diligent search may hire people who don’t qualify yet, but they must meet the credential requirement within two years. Continuing education is 10 hours a year, with extensions for an extended medical leave or active military duty.

New York has 15 programs in this directory. LaGuardia Community College’s Central Service Technician Certificate prepares you for the CRCST and includes an exam voucher on successful completion. Corning Community College’s program prepares you for the CBSPD technician exam instead. Both credentials satisfy the law.

Pennsylvania passed Act 80 on October 29, 2020, effective 60 days later. It covers hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities and freestanding surgical outpatient facilities, and accepts the CRCST or CSPDT, with 18 months for new hires. Its exemption list is the broadest: dental assistants, licensed dental staff, and anyone holding a health credential from a nationally accredited credentialing organization can do central service tasks without a separate certification. The 4 Pennsylvania programs in the directory include Delaware County Community College’s Sterile Processing Technician course, which prepares you for the CRCST exam, and Montgomery County Community College’s non-credit course, whose graduates may take the CRCST.

Connecticut and Tennessee: Two Years to Certify

Connecticut’s law, Public Act 15-11, took effect January 1, 2016, and sits at § 20-185r of the General Statutes. It covers hospitals (other than chronic disease hospitals) and outpatient surgical facilities. New hires have two years from their hire or contract date to earn a CRCST or CSPDT. Connecticut also allows a facility to train staff who work outside the central service department to reprocess equipment, if the infection control committee deems them competent and they complete 10 hours of related continuing education a year. Connecticut State Community College’s Central Sterile Processing Technician course prepares you for the CBSPD exam.

Tennessee wrote nearly the same law in 2016 (Public Chapter 1004), effective January 1, 2017, and amended it in 2017 to add the 10-hour continuing education rule and record-keeping duties. It covers hospitals and ambulatory surgical treatment centers. You have two years after your hire date. Tennessee has 8 programs in the directory. Nashville State Community College’s technical certificate prepares you for either the CRCST or the CBSPD exam, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s program prepares you for the CRCST.

States That Require Sterile Processing Certification

State	Required by law	Credentials accepted	New hires have
Connecticut sterile processing programs	Yes	CRCST (HSPA, formerly IAHCSMM), CSPDT (CBSPD)	within two years of the date of hire or contracting
Delaware sterile processing programs	Yes	CRCST (HSPA), CSPDT (CBSPD)	18 months from the date of hire
New Jersey sterile processing programs	Yes	Certification through a national sterile processing program recognized by the New Jersey Department of Health	within three years of employment
New York sterile processing programs	Yes	CRCST (HSPA), CSPDT (CBSPD), a substantially equivalent credential	eighteen months from the date of hire
Pennsylvania sterile processing programs	Yes	CRCST (HSPA), CSPDT (CBSPD)	18 months from the date of hire
Tennessee sterile processing programs	Yes	CRCST (HSPA, formerly IAHCSMM), CSPDT (CBSPD)	not later than two years after the date of hire or contracting

From each state's statute, checked 2026-11-11.

Sterile Processing Programs by State

State	Programs	Name the CRCST	Name the CSPDT	Include clinical hours
Alabama sterile processing programs	2	0	0	2
Arizona sterile processing programs	3	3	0	3
California sterile processing programs	20	15	3	19
Colorado sterile processing programs	5	4	0	4
Connecticut sterile processing programs	1	0	1	1
Delaware sterile processing programs	1	1	0	1
Florida sterile processing programs	15	9	2	9
Georgia sterile processing programs	12	6	2	10
Idaho sterile processing programs	1	1	0	0
Illinois sterile processing programs	12	7	6	10
Indiana sterile processing programs	1	0	0	0
Iowa sterile processing programs	3	1	0	3
Kansas sterile processing programs	1	1	0	0
Louisiana sterile processing programs	5	3	2	4
Maryland sterile processing programs	6	6	0	4
Massachusetts sterile processing programs	4	3	1	4
Michigan sterile processing programs	10	3	2	8
Minnesota sterile processing programs	3	2	1	3
Missouri sterile processing programs	2	2	0	2
Nebraska sterile processing programs	1	1	0	1
Nevada sterile processing programs	2	2	0	2
New Jersey sterile processing programs	6	6	0	6
New Mexico sterile processing programs	1	0	1	0
New York sterile processing programs	15	7	4	12
North Carolina sterile processing programs	14	4	9	8
North Dakota sterile processing programs	1	0	0	0
Ohio sterile processing programs	8	7	2	4
Oregon sterile processing programs	2	2	1	2
Pennsylvania sterile processing programs	4	2	0	4
Rhode Island sterile processing programs	1	1	0	0
South Carolina sterile processing programs	6	2	1	3
Tennessee sterile processing programs	8	4	3	5
Texas sterile processing programs	17	7	4	15
Utah sterile processing programs	1	1	0	1
Virginia sterile processing programs	2	2	0	2
Washington sterile processing programs	7	4	0	6
West Virginia sterile processing programs	3	0	0	1
Wisconsin sterile processing programs	6	1	1	5

Programs verified on each school's own pages, November 2026, at 204 schools.

Delaware: The Newest Law in Force

Delaware’s HB 279 was approved October 21, 2022 and took effect January 1, 2023. It covers hospitals and freestanding surgical centers, accepts the CRCST or CSPDT, and gives new hires 18 months. Anyone working as a technician on January 1, 2023 is exempt. Continuing education is 10 hours a year in subjects tied to the job.

The one Delaware program in the directory, Delaware Technical Community College’s Central Service Technician course, builds in 400 clinical hours before the CRCST exam, which means you can finish with full CRCST status rather than provisional.

New Jersey: A Hospital Licensing Rule, Not a Statute

New Jersey’s requirement comes from the Department of Health’s hospital licensing standards, N.J.A.C. 8:43G-8.2, readopted effective November 17, 2024. Everyone involved in sterile processing at a hospital must be certified through a national sterile processing program the Department recognizes, within three years of employment. The central service director or supervisor must be certified and have two years of supervisory experience.

The rule doesn’t name credentials, so ask the hospital which certifications it accepts before you pick a course. Every one of New Jersey’s 6 programs in the directory names the CRCST, and 4 build in clinical hours that reach 400. MCI Institute’s Sterile Processing Technology program is built around CRCST training requirements, and Rowan College at Burlington County’s course fee includes one certification exam attempt.

Minnesota and the States Still Debating

Minnesota enacted Minn. Stat. § 148.781 in its 2025 special session. Hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers may employ a technician only if the person holds a CRCST, CSPDT, CER or CFER, or was working as a technician on or before December 31, 2027. New hires get 24 months, and everyone needs 10 hours of continuing education a year. The table leaves Minnesota out because nobody hired today has to certify under it yet. If you train in Minnesota now and get hired after that date, you will need one of those four credentials within 24 months of hire.

Bills that failed recently:

Massachusetts: a bill passed the House in July 2024 and died in the Senate when the session ended on December 31, 2024.
Florida: two 2026 bills (SB 1034 and HB 711) died in committee in March 2026.
South Carolina: H. 5066 sits in a House committee.

None of these creates a requirement.

How to Meet Your State’s Deadline

The deadline is generous if you plan. The 400 hours are the hard part.

Pick the credential your employer prefers. Both the CRCST and CSPDT satisfy every statute that names credentials. 120 programs in the directory prepare you for the CRCST and 46 for the CSPDT. Compare them in the certification guide.
Decide how you’ll get the hands-on hours. The CRCST needs 400 hours in a sterile processing department, paid or volunteer. You can test first and hold provisional status, but you then have only six months after passing to log the hours. The CRCST hours planner maps both routes.
Match program length to the clock. The median program in the directory runs 26 weeks, well inside an 18-month window. See how long training takes.
Book the exam. The CRCST initial exam is $140. Some courses include a voucher, so check before you pay.
Keep your proof. Your employer must keep documentation that you qualify. Hold on to your certificate and continuing education records too.

If you’re hired uncertified, your on-the-job hours count toward the 400 when an eligible supervisor documents them. That is often the fastest route for someone already working in a hospital. The CRCST certification guide explains who can sign off.

Picking a Program in a State With a Law

In a state with a law, a program that ends with you certified is worth more than one that only prepares you for the exam. Look for three things:

Clinical hours that reach 400. You finish with full CRCST status, not provisional.
An exam voucher. It removes one cost and one delay.
Evening or weekend sections if you’re working while you train.

Online coursework helps with scheduling. Lehman College’s online Sterile Processing Technician course is 80 hours and prepares you for the CRCST, but your 400 hands-on hours still happen in person.

Start with the full sterile processing technician programs list or the program finder, filtered to your state. Then read how to become a sterile processing technician for the full sequence from first class to first job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Work in Sterile Processing Before You Are Certified?

Yes, in every state with a law. Each one gives new hires a window to certify: 18 months in Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania, two years in Connecticut and Tennessee, and three years in New Jersey. You have to pass within that window to keep doing the work.

Does a Provisional CRCST Count Toward a State Requirement?

The statutes require that you pass the exam and hold the credential, and provisional CRCST status comes from passing the exam. HSPA gives provisional holders six months after passing to document 400 hands-on hours. Your employer decides how it documents your status for state inspectors, so confirm with your hospital's central service manager.

Do Surgical Technologists and Nurses Need Central Service Certification?

No. Every state law exempts licensed health care practitioners working within their scope of practice. Pennsylvania also exempts anyone holding a health credential from a nationally accredited credentialing organization, and Tennessee exempts diagnostic medical sonographers while they work as sonographers.

Is CSPDT Accepted Everywhere CRCST Is?

In Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee the statute names both credentials. New Jersey's rule accepts certification through a national sterile processing program the state Department of Health recognizes, without naming specific credentials.

Do the Laws Cover Outpatient Surgery Centers?

Most do. Connecticut covers outpatient surgical facilities, Delaware covers freestanding surgical centers, Pennsylvania covers ambulatory surgical and freestanding surgical outpatient facilities, and Tennessee covers ambulatory surgical treatment centers. New York's law covers general hospitals, including hospitals that run ambulatory surgery as diagnostic and treatment centers. New Jersey's rule sits in the hospital licensing standards.

Does Massachusetts Require Sterile Processing Certification?

No. A central service technician bill (H.4914) passed the Massachusetts House in July 2024, but the Senate took no further action and the session ended on December 31, 2024. The Legislature's records show no central service technician law enacted since.