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Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS) Certification Exam
The CIS exam is HSPA's secondary sterile processing certification exam for instrument specialists: a 150-question multiple-choice exam (125 scored, 25 unscored) over three hours covering six weighted instrumentation domains, available only to candidates who already hold current full CRCST certification and have documented 200 hours of hands-on sterile processing experience.
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Questions150 multiple-choice questions: 125 scored (operational) plus 25 unscored (pretest) delivered randomly throughout the exam
Testing time3 hours; an optional 15-minute computer tutorial precedes the exam and the test clock does not start until it ends
ScoringOne point per correct scored answer; pass/fail determined by the total scored questions answered correctly against a criterion-referenced passing point set via the Angoff procedure supplemented by the Beuk Relative-Absolute Compromise method (no fixed published percentage)
Exam feeUSD 140 per exam attempt (initial exam and retake; the application includes a USD 25 non-refundable submission fee); certification renewal is USD 50 per year
Prep options
Study resources for CIS
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- HSPA
- Category
- Sterile Processing & Surgical Technology
- Current version
- Current exam built on the CIS Exam Content Outline revised October 2024 (from the 2024 job task analysis); HSPA updates examination forms annually; Certification Handbook revised January 2026
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- Pass/fail with domain-level diagnostic indicators only ('At or Above', 'Below', 'Well Below'); no percentage or numeric score is reported
- Testing provider
- Prometric
- Format
- Computer-based multiple-choice exam delivered in person at Prometric test centers; no paper-and-pencil version is available
- Availability
- Offered year-round at Prometric test centers (typically at least 6 days a week); after HSPA approves the application, candidates have a 120-day period to schedule and sit for the exam (the HSPA scheduling web page states a 90-day eligibility window - see notes)
- Results
- On-screen pass/fail notification at the test center, emailed within 48 hours; certification package mailed within two weeks of passing; failing candidates receive a result report in the online portal
- Credential validity
- Certification is valid for one year; it must be maintained through annual renewal (continuing education), and current CRCST certification must be kept active to retain CIS
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
Six weighted knowledge domains: Decontamination Processes 12%; Instrumentation Identification 32%; Instrumentation Inspection, Testing, Integrity and Assembly 20%; Preparation and Packaging 10%; Disinfection and Sterilization Processes 6%; Quality and Information Systems 20%
Where rules vary
The CIS is a private, non-governmental certification from a U.S.-based association (HSPA, Chicago IL) and carries no state-by-state variation; HSPA contracts Prometric to deliver its certification exams worldwide, so international test centers are available.
Eligibility
Current full CRCST certification (obtained before applying and kept current) plus 200 hours of hands-on sterile processing experience on a paid or volunteer basis, completed before applying, accrued within the previous 5 years, separate from CRCST hours, and supervisor-verified with this breakdown: Decontamination Processes 56; Instrumentation Assembly, Preparation and Packaging 55; Sterilization and Disinfection Processes 28; Storage and Distribution 20; Quality and Information Systems 33; Surgical Procedure Observation 8; no preparatory course is required
Retake policy
Minimum 6-week wait after a failed attempt before retesting; retake application plus USD 140 exam fee; no limit on the number of attempts