The 7 official HSPA exam domains, ranked by weight, with a suggested study order and 8-week timeline — based on the official HSPA Certification Handbook.
150
Total questions
HSPA reports results as pass/fail
3 hours
Time limit
Computer-based, at a Prometric center
400 hours
Hands-on experience
Required for full or provisional certification
$140
Exam fee
Paid directly to HSPA
Ranked from highest to lowest exam weight — focus your time where it counts most first.
Cleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection
21%PPE, decontamination workflow, Spaulding classification and disinfection methods.
Preparation & Packaging
21%Instrument inspection, packaging methods, labeling and chemical indicators.
Sterilization Process
21%Steam & low-temp sterilization, biological indicators, cycle parameters and monitoring.
Departmental Considerations
15%Environmental controls, personnel standards, regulations and quality assurance.
Sterile Storage, Transport & Inventory
9%FIFO, event-related sterility, inventory systems and transport guidelines.
Professional Development & Human Relations
8%HIPAA, DEI, professional communication and continuing education.
Patient Care Equipment & Distribution
5%PM tags, equipment inspection, Biomedical Engineering and distribution.
A pace that works for most candidates studying 1-2 hours a day. Adjust based on your own experience level.
Cleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection + Sterilization Process
The two highest-weighted domains (21% each) — start here.
Preparation & Packaging
Another 21%-weighted domain — inspection, packaging methods, chemical indicators.
Departmental Considerations
15% of the exam — environmental controls, personnel standards, regulations.
Professional Development & Human Relations + Sterile Storage/Transport/Inventory
8% and 9% respectively — HIPAA, communication, FIFO, and inventory systems.
Patient Care Equipment & Distribution
The lowest-weighted domain (5%) — PM tags, equipment inspection.
Full-length timed mock exams
Simulate real exam conditions — 150 questions, 3-hour limit.
Review weak areas + light review only
Use the Weak Areas Drill to target exactly what you keep missing. Avoid cramming new material.
HSPA does not publish a fixed passing percentage. Pass/fail is determined using a psychometric standard-setting method (the Angoff procedure), where content experts estimate the difficulty of each question to establish a criterion-referenced passing score for that specific exam form.
Your result report shows domain-level performance as “At or Above,” “Below,” or “Well Below” expectations — not a percentage score. Focus on consistently strong performance across every domain rather than chasing a specific number.
The current CRCST exam has 150 multiple-choice questions in a three-hour testing window. Treat every practice question as important, then use domain-level results to decide what needs review before exam day.
2,600+ practice questions across all 4 certifications. Free starter access with optional All-Access.