Planning Tool · Statutes Checked November 11, 2026

Does My State Require Sterile Processing Certification?

Do You Have to Be Certified to Work in Sterile Processing?

6 states require sterile processing technicians to be certified by law: Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Elsewhere, certification is an employer's choice (statutes checked November 11, 2026). The accepted credentials are usually HSPA's CRCST and CBSPD's CSPDT, and new hires typically get a set period to certify. Pick your state to see its rule and its programs.

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

States That Require Certification

State	Credentials accepted	New hires	Law
Connecticut	CRCST (HSPA, formerly IAHCSMM), CSPDT (CBSPD)	within two years of the date of hire or contracting	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 20-185r (P.A. 15-11, as amended by P.A. 22-58)
Delaware	CRCST (HSPA), CSPDT (CBSPD)	18 months from the date of hire	16 Del. C. §§ 3010A-3014A (83 Del. Laws c. 493, HB 279); 83 Del. Laws c. 493 (effective January 1, 2023)
New Jersey	Certification through a national sterile processing program recognized by the New Jersey Department of Health	within three years of employment	N.J.A.C. 8:43G-8.2 (readopted effective November 17, 2024); N.J.A.C. 8:43G-8.2 text, 50 N.J.R. (January 16, 2018)
New York	CRCST (HSPA), CSPDT (CBSPD), a substantially equivalent credential	eighteen months from the date of hire	N.Y. Public Health Law § 2824 (central service technicians; L. 2013, c. 177); NYS Department of Health letter to hospital administrators, January 20, 2015 (revised August 2016)
Pennsylvania	CRCST (HSPA), CSPDT (CBSPD)	18 months from the date of hire	Act of Oct. 29, 2020, P.L. 710, No. 80 (Central Service Technician and Surgical Technologist Regulation Act), §§ 301-302; effective in 60 days
Tennessee	CRCST (HSPA, formerly IAHCSMM), CSPDT (CBSPD)	not later than two years after the date of hire or contracting	Tenn. Code Ann. § 68-11-239 (Pub. Ch. 1004, 2016, SB 2581); Pub. Ch. 178 (2017, HB 766), amending § 68-11-239

Statutes read on official state pages, checked November 11, 2026. Blank cells: the statute sets no deadline.

The Credentials State Laws Name

State certification laws point to national credentials rather than a state license. HSPA's CRCST asks for 400 hours of hands-on work in a sterile processing department, before the exam or within 6 months after it as a provisional CRCST; the exam is $140. CBSPD's CSPDT can be earned through SPD work, related allied health work, or a sterile processing training course passed with a grade of 70 or higher; its exam is $135. The certification guide compares them, and the CRCST 400-hour planner times the hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which States Require Sterile Processing Certification?

Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, as of the statutes checked November 11, 2026. The requirements by state guide quotes each law.

Which Certifications Do State Laws Accept?

State laws name national credentials rather than a state license. The two technician credentials are HSPA's Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), which needs 400 hands-on hours in a sterile processing department, and CBSPD's Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (CSPDT).

Do You Need Certification if Your State Doesn't Require It?

Not by law. Each hospital sets its own hiring rules, so the postings you would apply to tell you whether it wants the CRCST or CSPDT. The CRCST 400-hour planner shows how long certification takes from where you are.

How Much Do the Certification Exams Cost?

HSPA lists the CRCST exam at $140 and CBSPD lists the CSPDT exam at $135 (both read November 11, 2026).