ASRT CE requirements 2025: Ultimate Guide

Why Understanding ASRT CE Requirements Matters for Your Career

ASRT CE requirements are the continuing education (CE) standards from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) that ensure R.T.s maintain their certification.

Quick Answer: Core ASRT CE Requirements

24 CE credits required every two years (biennium) for most R.T.s
50 CE credits required for Registered Radiologist Assistants (R.R.A.s)
16 discipline-specific credits required for Sonography credentials
All credits must be Category A or A+ approved
Credits must be completed within your biennium (linked to your birth month)
Report credits during annual renewal every other year

Since 1995, mandatory CE has ensured patient safety by keeping technologists current with rapid advances in healthcare technology, techniques, and equipment.

Your biennium is a two-year period starting on the first day of your birth month. For new technologists, it begins on the first day of their birth month after passing their initial ARRT exam.

You are responsible for keeping CE records for at least five years, as the ARRT does not track them for you. You’ll need this documentation if you’re selected for a random audit. To simplify this, many technologists use ASRT’s tracking services, which can automatically transfer credits to the ARRT during online renewal.

Failing to meet CE requirements results in CE probation status. This gives you a six-month window to complete the missing credits and pay a $50 fee to avoid having your certification discontinued.

Understanding Your Core Biennial CE Requirements

Staying certified as a radiologic technologist requires a commitment to ongoing learning. ASRT CE requirements ensure you remain current with new technology, techniques, and safety protocols, which is vital for patient safety.

Central to these requirements is your biennium: a personal two-year CE cycle tied to your birth month and initial ARRT certification year. For example, a technologist born in March and certified in 2022 would have a biennium from March 1, 2022, to February 28, 2024. Knowing your biennium dates is crucial for compliance.

How Many CE Credits Do You Need?

Most R.T.s holding ARRT certification need 24 approved CE credits during each biennium. If you just earned your first certification, your biennium starts on the first day of your birth month after you passed your exam, giving you two full years to complete your credits. Some credentials have different requirements, which are covered below. For complete details, always check the official ARRT Education Requirements for Obtaining and Maintaining Certification and Registration document.

Understanding Credit Categories: A vs. A+

Not all CE credits are the same. Understanding the two main categories helps you choose the right courses.

Category A credits are used by most technologists. These are courses approved by a Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism (RCEEM), such as the ASRT. Look for Category A approval to ensure a course counts toward your ARRT requirements.

Category A+ credits are more specialized. These courses meet specific content criteria for Registered Radiologist Assistants and must be approved by an RCEEM+ organization. R.T.s can also take A+ courses, and they will count toward general CE requirements.

Special CE Requirements for R.R.A.s and Other Credentials

While 24 credits is the standard, some credentials have more specific requirements.

Registered Radiologist Assistants (R.R.A.s): Need 50 approved CE credits per biennium. At least 25 must be Category A+, and 35 must be discipline-specific. R.R.A.s can also use up to 25 Category 1 credits from organizations like AMA/ACCME, AAPA, or AAFP. See the CE Requirements for R.R.A.s for full details.
Sonography Credentials: Require 16 discipline-specific credits related to sonography during your biennium.
Mammography: Professionals must meet additional federal requirements under the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA). Review these regulations at Federal CE Regulations for Mammographers.

Always verify the specific ASRT CE requirements for your credentials to avoid compliance issues.

Finding and Earning Approved CE Credits

Earning your CE credits can be a flexible and engaging process with options for every learning style and schedule. Whether you prefer online courses or live conferences, there’s a path for you.

How to Meet Your ASRT CE Requirements with Approved Activities

The ARRT recognizes a broad range of CE activities, provided they are relevant to radiologic sciences and meet approval criteria. Popular options include:

Category A or A+ approved courses: These are the foundation of most CE plans and include online courses, webcasts, directed readings, conferences, and workshops. They must be approved by an ARRT-recognized RCEEM like the ASRT.
Academic courses: Relevant courses (e.g., biological, physical, health sciences) from accredited postsecondary schools count if you earn a grade of C or better.
Advanced CPR certifications: Certifications like ACLS or PALS from recognized providers (e.g., American Heart Association) can earn you up to 6 credits once per biennium. Basic CPR does not count.
Authoring and Presenting: Publishing articles in peer-reviewed medical journals or developing and presenting pre-approved lectures can earn credits.
Facility applications training: Onsite training on new equipment can count for up to 8 Category A credits per biennium if approved by a RCEEM.

Use the ARRT’s biennial CE search tool to find approved activities and take the guesswork out of compliance.

How CE Credits Are Calculated for Different Activities

Understanding how activities translate into credits helps you plan effectively:

Academic courses: One semester credit hour equals 16 Category A CE credits, and one quarter credit hour equals 12 Category A CE credits. A single three-credit semester course can fulfill your entire biennium’s requirement.
Advanced CPR certifications: ACLS or PALS provides up to 6 CE credits, claimable once per biennium.
Other activities: Most activities are based on contact hours. One 50-60 minute contact hour equals 1 CE credit. Shorter activities can earn partial credit (e.g., 30-49 minutes = 0.5 credits). Activities under 15 minutes do not receive credit.

Credits are awarded based on the activity’s completion date, not the submission date.

Activities That Do NOT Count Toward CE Requirements

Knowing what doesn’t count is just as important as knowing what does. The ARRT does not accept the following for CE credit:

Basic Life Support (BLS): Considered a fundamental job responsibility, not continuing education.
Routine department meetings: Staff meetings and administrative briefings do not qualify.
Clinical instructorships: While valuable, serving as a clinical instructor does not earn CE credits.
Newly-earned credentials: Passing an additional ARRT exam no longer counts for bienniums beginning on or after January 2018.
Employer-specific training: Training on internal policies, procedures, or facility-specific software is not accepted.
Irrelevant subject matter: Courses on topics unrelated to radiologic sciences (e.g., personal finance, fine arts) will not count.

For the most current information, always refer to the ARRT’s Education Requirements for Obtaining and Maintaining Certification and Registration document.

Navigating CQR and the Structured Self-Assessment

If you earned your ARRT credential on or after January 1, 2011, you must also complete the Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR). CQR is a process to ensure your skills and knowledge evolve with the field. It is a professional tune-up that happens roughly every 10 years for each discipline you hold.

What Are the Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR)?

The CQR process applies to all R.R.A.s and any R.T. who earned their initial ARRT credential on or after January 1, 2011. It is a structured, three-step process:

Professional Profile: You’ll review and document your work experience and the types of procedures you perform, giving ARRT a clear picture of your current practice.
Structured Self-Assessment (SSA): This is a self-assessment, not a pass/fail exam, designed to identify potential knowledge gaps that may have developed over time.
Prescribed Continuing Education: If the SSA reveals areas needing a refresh, ARRT will assign specific CE activities. These prescribed credits count toward your regular biennial CE requirements, allowing you to be more strategic with your learning.

The ASRT offers guidance and tools to help technologists steer this process. Explore their resources on the Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR) Resources for ASRT Members page.

Preparing for the Structured Self-Assessment (SSA)

The SSA is the core of the CQR process. It’s a tool to help you identify areas to brush up on your knowledge. While not a high-stakes exam, preparation can build confidence. The ASRT offers several resources to help you feel ready:

Practice tests: Available for ASRT members, these simulate the computer-based testing experience for radiography, radiation therapy, CT, and MRI.
Study modules: These cover foundational knowledge in areas like anatomy, physics, and radiation biology, perfect for a targeted review.
Clinical refreshers: These resources cover procedural knowledge for hundreds of medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.
Test-taking improvement courses: These online courses help you develop better strategies for managing time and reducing test anxiety.

Using these resources can help you identify and address knowledge gaps before your SSA, and even if you receive a CE prescription, you’ll be prepared to tackle it.

The Complete Guide to ASRT CE Requirements for Reporting and Tracking

Proper reporting and tracking are crucial for maintaining your certification. It’s not just about earning credits; it’s about ensuring they are recorded correctly and transferred to the ARRT and other agencies in a timely manner.

Your Reporting Timeline and Process

While you renew your ARRT certification annually, you only report CE compliance every other year at the end of your biennium. Your biennium begins on the first day of your birth month and ends two years later on the last day of the month before your birth month.

You must complete all CE activities within your biennium and report them by the last day of your birth month. This deadline is firm. Once your renewal is submitted, no changes can be made to the reported CE activities, so double-check everything before submitting. In rare cases, you may be able to request to change the year of your CE biennium, but this is not a standard option. Plan your CE activities throughout your biennium to avoid a last-minute scramble.

How to Track Credits and Ensure They Transfer Correctly

You can track your ASRT CE requirements yourself or use a service. If self-tracking, you must maintain proof of all CE activities for at least five years for potential ARRT audits.

Many technologists use a record keeper like the ASRT. As a member, ASRT tracks your Category A/A+ credits and can automatically transfer them to the ARRT and other agencies. For this to work, your first name, last name, date of birth, and ARRT ID must match exactly between the ASRT and ARRT systems.

ASRT also facilitates automatic credit transfers for its members to other bodies, provided your profile is updated:

ARDMS: Credits are transferred daily if your ARDMS number is in your ASRT profile.
NMTCB: Credits transfer after your biennium ends if your certification number and dates are in your profile.
Florida DOH: Credits transfer monthly for members with a Florida license or address. Note: 0.25 and 0.75 credit activities are not accepted.
MDCB: Credits transfer automatically if you’ve provided MDCB with a valid ASRT ID number.

Regularly View your current CE record online via the ASRT website, especially two months before your biennium ends, to ensure accuracy.

What to Do if Your ARRT Registration Lapses

If you fail to complete your annual renewal by the last day of your birth month, your ARRT registration is considered lapsed. If it has lapsed for more than three months, automatic credit transfers from ASRT will not have occurred, and you’ll need to report CE manually upon reinstatement.

If you were non-compliant with CE, you’d likely be placed on CE probation, giving you six months to complete missing credits and pay a $50 fee. Failure to meet probation requirements results in the discontinuation of your certification. It’s always best to contact the ARRT and ASRT early if you’re facing difficulties.

Anatomy of a Valid CE Certificate

Your CE certificate is your proof of completion. To be valid for an ARRT audit, it must include all of the following preprinted information from the sponsor:

Sponsor’s name
Your full name (as it appears on ARRT records)
Your ASRT or ARRT ID number
Title for each activity
Credit amount for each activity
A unique reference number for each activity
Date the activity was completed
Signature of an authorized representative of the sponsor
Name of the approving organization (e.g., ASRT)
Credit category (A or A+)
Course expiration date

Altered certificates are never acceptable. If your certificate is missing information, contact the sponsor for a corrected version.

Frequently Asked Questions about ASRT CE Requirements

Here are straight answers to some of the most common questions about ASRT CE requirements.

What are the primary ASRT CE requirements for R.T.s?

Registered Technologists (R.T.s) must earn 24 approved Category A or A+ CE credits during their two-year biennium. Your biennium is a personal CE cycle tied to your birth month and initial certification year. You report these credits every other year during your annual renewal.

How many CE credits can I earn from a college course?

Academic courses at an accredited school count if the content is relevant to radiologic sciences (e.g., biology, math, health sciences) and you earn a grade of ‘C’ or better. One semester credit hour equals 16 Category A CE credits, and one quarter credit hour equals 12 Category A CE credits. This can be an efficient way to meet your requirements while pursuing a degree.

What happens if I am audited by the ARRT?

Don’t panic. The ARRT randomly selects technologists for CE audits as a quality assurance measure. If selected, you’ll receive a letter requesting documentation for the CE credits you reported. This is why keeping accurate records for at least five years is critical. If you use ASRT’s record-keeping service, you can submit your ASRT CE credit report. Otherwise, you’ll need to provide your individual certificates. An audit is simply a verification process; being organized makes it stress-free.

Conclusion: Simplify Your CE and Stay Compliant

Staying certified is a commitment to professional growth and patient care. While ASRT CE requirements can seem complex, they are manageable once broken down. Your CE journey is a continuous cycle of learning that keeps you sharp and ready for any challenge.

Here are the key takeaways:

Know your biennium: Understand your personal two-year timeline, which is tied to your birth month, and plan ahead.
Earn approved credits: For most R.T.s, this means 24 Category A or A+ credits. Verify the requirements for your specific credentials.
Track carefully: Keep meticulous records of all CE certificates for at least five years, or use a service like ASRT’s to track and transfer them for you.
Report on time: Submit your CE compliance by the last day of your birth month during your renewal year. Double-check everything before submitting.

If you’re subject to the Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR), use ASRT’s resources to prepare for the Structured Self-Assessment. It’s a tool to help you, and any prescribed CE counts toward your biennial requirement.

Professional growth doesn’t have to be complicated. At Scrubs CE, we make continuing education accessible, affordable, and convenient. Our ARRT-approved online courses are self-paced, allowing you to learn on your schedule. You get instant certificates upon completion, so there’s no waiting for documentation.

We designed our courses to fit into your busy life, so you can earn credits at your own pace, whenever it works for you. Take control of your CE journey and stay organized, informed, and committed to excellence in patient care.

Explore our Radiology CE courses and find the perfect courses to fulfill your ASRT CE requirements. Let’s make this biennium your easiest one yet.

Stay Certified: Everything You Need to Know About ASRT CE