CSPT Exam Requirements: The Complete PTCB Checklist
This page covers PTCB's Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician (CSPT) credential for pharmacy techs who compound sterile medications. It is not a sterile processing (surgical instrument) certification.
To earn the CSPT, PTCB requires four things:
- An active PTCB CPhT. Other pharmacy technician certifications don't substitute. PTCB doesn't transfer credentials from other organizations.
- One of two experience pathways.
- Pathway 1: a PTCB-Recognized CSPT education/training program plus one year of full-time continuous sterile compounding work.
- Pathway 2: three years of full-time continuous sterile compounding work within the last 8 years. No program needed.
- A Competency Attestation Form from a qualified supervisor. It records the date and result of your most recent gloved fingertip and thumb sample and your most recent media fill test.
- A passing score on the CSPT Exam (1,400 scaled). The exam and the attestation must both be done inside the one-year window PTCB opens when it approves you.
It costs $199 to apply ($50 application + $149 exam), and the credential renews every year.
Sources: PTCB CSPT credential page (Eligibility Requirements, Apply & Schedule) and CSPT Competency Attestation Form v3.4. Last verified September 24, 2026.
Do you qualify? Find your situation
Start at the top row and stop at the first one that describes you.
| Your situation | Where you stand | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| No active PTCB CPhT, or only a different certification (such as NHA's ExCPT) | Not yet eligible | Earn or reinstate your PTCB CPhT first |
| Active PTCB CPhT, under 1 year of sterile compounding work | Not yet eligible | Both pathways need at least one year |
| Active PTCB CPhT, 1 to under 3 years, finished a PTCB-Recognized CSPT program (or within 60 days of finishing) | Pathway 1 | Line up your attestation, then apply |
| Active PTCB CPhT, 1 to under 3 years, no recognized program | Not yet eligible | Enroll in a PTCB-Recognized CSPT program, or keep working toward three years |
| Active PTCB CPhT, 3 or more years within the last 8 | Pathway 2 | Line up your attestation, then apply |
Two things can change a "yes" into a "check first":
- Your hours were part-time or mixed with other duties. PTCB says these roles can qualify, but it doesn't publish how part-time hours convert. See Does your experience count?
- You have no one who can sign the attestation. You can apply, but you can't be certified without it. See The Competency Attestation.
PTCB makes the final eligibility decision.
Pathway 1 or Pathway 2?
| Row label | Pathway 1 | Pathway 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Training program | PTCB-Recognized CSPT education/training program | Not required |
| Work experience | 1 year, full-time continuous | 3 years, full-time continuous |
| Lookback | Within the last 8 years | Within the last 8 years |
| Usually fits | Techs who trained through a recognized program | Experienced techs who learned on the job |
Sources: PTCB CSPT credential page; PTCB work-experience article (CSPT section, updated August 26, 2026), which applies the 8-year limit to CSPT work experience.
Pathway 1: the "and" matters
The program alone isn't enough. You need the program and a year of sterile compounding work.
Can you apply before you finish the program? PTCB's credential page says "completion of, or enrollment in" a recognized program. PTCB's Candidate Guidebook is more specific: you can apply once you're within 60 days of completing the program, and PTCB won't grant the CSPT until you send proof that you finished. (PTCB Candidate Guidebook, CSPT section; PTCB Help Center)
So if your program ends months from now, wait. Applying early starts a one-year clock you may not be able to finish.
Find a PTCB-Recognized CSPT program in PTCB's directory.
Pathway 2: three years in eight
This is the route for techs who learned on the job. Three years of sterile compounding within the last 8 years qualifies you with no program. Eight years back from September 2026 is roughly September 2018. Treat that as a rough marker; PTCB judges the actual dates on your application.
Does your experience count?
PTCB's current CSPT materials describe qualifying sterile-compounding experience this way:
| Condition | PTCB's rule |
|---|---|
| Where | A U.S. facility subject to USP <797> and <800> |
| When | Within the last 8 years |
| "Full-time continuous" | At least 30 hours per week |
| Part-time work | Can qualify |
| Roles that mix sterile compounding with other duties | Can qualify |
| How PTCB evaluates it | PTCB makes the eligibility decision from the information in your application; the separate Competency Attestation Form documents training, skill assessment, and competency assessment |
Sources: PTCB work-experience article, CSPT section (updated August 26, 2026); PTCB Candidate Guidebook, CSPT section, eligibility footnotes (30-hours-per-week definition).
USP <797> sets standards for compounded sterile preparations, while USP <800> addresses handling hazardous drugs. For CSPT eligibility, PTCB says the qualifying sterile-compounding experience must have been completed in a U.S. facility subject to both chapters.
If your hours were part-time
PTCB defines full-time as at least 30 hours a week. It also says part-time jobs and mixed-duty roles qualify. What it doesn't publish is how part-time hours add up toward a pathway. Don't guess.
If your history is mostly part-time, send PTCB a Help Center request describing your hours before you apply. The $50 application fee isn't refundable, so the question is worth asking first.
Retakes
Experience you reported once can be reused on a new application, as long as it still falls within the 8-year limit. (PTCB work-experience article)
The Competency Attestation: what your supervisor signs
This is the requirement that catches prepared candidates off guard. Passing the exam doesn't certify you by itself. PTCB also needs a Competency Attestation Form signed by a qualified supervisor who directly watched your training and assessments. You need one to earn the CSPT and a new one every year to keep it. You upload it in your PTCB account.
What the form asks for
The current form is version 3.4 (June 2025).
| Section | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Your information | Full name and PTCB Account ID |
| Gloved fingertip and thumb sample | Date of your most recent evaluation, and PASS or FAIL |
| Media fill test | Date of your most recent evaluation, and PASS or FAIL |
| Supervisor qualification | Statement of good standing with employer and regulators, and at least 5 years supervising CSP production; if under 5 years, a pharmacy-director letter is required |
| Supervisor information | Name, employer address and phone, email, license or registration number and state, and whether they're a pharmacist or pharmacy technician |
| Supervisor attestation | Signature and date confirming they directly observed you |
Source: PTCB CSPT Competency Attestation Form v3.4, pages 1–3.
A gloved fingertip and thumb sample is part of personnel competency testing after garbing and during aseptic-manipulation evaluation. A media fill test simulates aseptic compounding using growth media so the process can be evaluated without preparing a patient drug. Your facility schedules both under its applicable policies and USP requirements. The PTCB form asks for your most recent dates and results and doesn't print a separate age limit on them.
Technical reference: USP <797> FAQs, personnel-qualification questions 50–52.
Who can sign
- A pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. The form has a box for each.
- In good standing with their employer and with regulators such as the state board of pharmacy.
- With at least 5 years of experience working directly with or supervising CSP production.
Supervisor has fewer than 5 years? You're not stuck. Attach a letter from the pharmacy director describing their qualifications to supervise CSP production. If the letter is missing, PTCB returns the form. (PTCB: What is a Competency Attestation?)
A note you can hand your supervisor
Copy this, fill in the name, and send it before you apply:
Hi [Name] — I'm applying for PTCB's CSPT certification. PTCB needs a Competency Attestation Form (v3.4, June 2025) completed by a supervisor who directly observed my sterile compounding training and assessments. It asks for:
- The date and PASS/FAIL result of my most recent gloved fingertip and thumb sample
- The date and PASS/FAIL result of my most recent media fill test
- Your statement that you're in good standing and have 5+ years supervising CSP production (if fewer, a letter from our pharmacy director describing your qualifications must be attached)
- Your employer address and phone, email, license or registration number and state, and whether you're a pharmacist or pharmacy technician
- Your signature and date
Form: https://ptcb.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CSPT-Competency-Attestation-Form.pdf
Thank you!
Timing traps
- The form is due inside your one-year candidacy window, not "after you pass."
- Every new candidacy window needs a new form. An approved form from an earlier window doesn't carry over.
- After you're certified, you submit a new form every year.
- PTCB may refer false statements on the form to state regulators, so the signer must have actually observed you.
From application to certification, in order
- Apply in your PTCB account and pay $199. Request testing accommodations now if you need them. PTCB takes those requests during the application, at no extra cost.
- PTCB approves you. The approval opens a one-year candidacy window and sends an Authorization to Schedule email with a begin date and an end date.
- Schedule and take the exam within 90 days of that authorization. If you need more time, buy a $20 extension before the 90 days end.
- Upload your Competency Attestation Form in your PTCB account, inside the one-year window.
- Pass the exam. You'll see an unofficial result on screen. The official result posts to your PTCB account within three weeks.
- You're certified once every requirement is met inside the window. Your status can then be confirmed through PTCB's verification page.
Sources: PTCB CSPT credential page (Apply & Schedule, Testing Accommodations, Scoring); PTCB: one-year window vs. 90-day authorization.
The two clocks are not the same
The one-year window is how long you have to finish everything: the exam, the attestation, and up to two attempts. The 90-day authorization is the shorter clock inside it for scheduling and sitting the exam. The 90-day clock is the one that costs money if you ignore it.
If you can't test in time, you have three options, and they aren't close in cost.
| What you do before the 90 days end | What happens |
|---|---|
| Buy an extension | $20 adds 90 days. You can do this up to two times. |
| Withdraw your application | You get $99 back. You can't have a scheduled exam, so cancel any Pearson appointment first. |
| Nothing | You forfeit all fees. |
Sources: PTCB: Can I withdraw my CSPT application? (updated April 2, 2026); PTCB: CSPT costs.
If you don't pass
- You get two attempts per one-year window. There's no waiting period between them, but you have to wait for your official score report before reapplying.
- Each attempt costs $149.
- After two unsuccessful attempts, you wait until the window ends. Then you reapply under PTCB's current rules, pay a new $50 application fee, and submit a new attestation.
- A passed exam or approved attestation from an old window doesn't count toward a new one.
PTCB's own example: a candidate approved June 3, 2024, who fails twice can reapply starting June 4, 2025.
Sources: PTCB Retake Policy; PTCB At-a-Glance: CSPT Exam; PTCB CSPT requirements article.
What it costs
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $50 | Nonrefundable. Charged once per one-year window. |
| Exam fee | $149 | Charged for every attempt. |
| Total to apply | $199 | |
| Authorization extension | $20 | Adds 90 days. Up to two. |
| Refund if you withdraw in time | $99 | PTCB keeps the $50 application fee and a $50 administrative fee. The refund goes to your original payment method within 3 weeks. |
Sources: PTCB CSPT credential page (fee table); PTCB: CSPT costs; PTCB: withdrawal and extensions.
Exam-day requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Format | 75 multiple-choice questions, each with four options. 60 are scored; 15 are unscored and unmarked. |
| Time | 110 minutes of testing. Plan about 2 hours with the tutorial and survey. |
| Where | A Pearson test center, or online with a live remote proctor |
| Arrival | 30 minutes early at a test center, or check in 30 minutes early online |
| ID | An approved ID that matches the name on your PTCB account |
| Passing score | 1,400 scaled, on a range of 1,000 to 1,600 |
| Content | Medications and Components 17%, Facilities and Equipment 22%, Sterile Compounding Procedures 53%, Handling, Packaging, Storage, and Disposal 8% |
Sources: PTCB CSPT credential page (About the Exam, Exam Day Requirements, Scoring); PTCB Candidate Guidebook, CSPT section (four options per question); CSPT Content Outline.
PTCB republished the exam on November 1, 2023 to reflect the revised USP <797>. If you're studying from older material, check that it matches.
Eligible and ready to study? Our CSPT exam prep hub covers the four domains, the 2023 changes, pacing, and a free readiness check with original practice questions.
Keeping the CSPT after you pass
The CSPT renews every year, and every renewal needs a new Competency Attestation Form. Your PTCB CPhT has to stay active too; it renews every two years.
| What you're renewing | CE hours | Also due |
|---|---|---|
| CSPT only (the year your CPhT isn't due) | None collected | Attestation form + $20 fee |
| CPhT and CSPT together | 20 total: at least 10 technician-specific, up to 10 pharmacist-specific, 1 pharmacy law, 1 patient safety, and 10 compounding | Attestation form + renewal fee |
| CPhT-Adv and CSPT together | 25 total: at least 10 technician-specific, up to 15 pharmacist-specific, 1 pharmacy law, 1 patient safety, and 10 compounding | Attestation form + renewal fee |
The compounding hours count inside the totals, not on top of them. To spot compounding CE, look for "07" in the activity's ACPE number (the UAN). Check the fee shown in your own renewal application, since it depends on which credentials you renew together.
Sources: PTCB: Sterile Compounding CE and Certification Renewal (updated November 4, 2025); PTCB Renewal Requirements (fee table).
Outdated CSPT rules you may still see online
Older pages and discussions may repeat rules that no longer match PTCB's current requirements. Here's what PTCB says now.
| You may read | PTCB's current rule |
|---|---|
| "One year of experience within the last 3 years" | Pathway 2 is three years within the last 8 |
| "The application fee is $149" | $50 application + $149 exam = $199 |
| "Submit the attestation after you pass" or "within 12 months of passing" | Submit it inside your one-year candidacy window |
| "5 CE hours in sterile compounding every year" | 10 compounding hours within the combined CPhT/CSPT renewal; none collected in CSPT-only years |
| "Official results take 8–10 weeks" | Within three weeks |
What the CSPT doesn't do
- It isn't a license. PTCB says the legal scope of practice for CSPTs is set by each state board of pharmacy, and CSPTs work under a licensed pharmacist. Your employer may add its own rules. See our pharmacy technician requirements by state.
- It doesn't replace your CPhT. It sits on top of it, and both have to stay active.
- It isn't a sterile processing credential. If your paperwork says CBSPD, CSPDT, or CRCST, you're looking at a surgical-instrument certification, not this one.
Source: PTCB CSPT credential page (Intro).
Quick answers
Does the NHA ExCPT count toward the CSPT? No. PTCB requires an active PTCB CPhT. If ExCPT is your only certification, start with our PTCB exam requirements page to check the CPhT eligibility route before you plan for the PTCE.
Do I need the attestation before I apply? No. PTCB's credential page lists it as something you complete during the one-year window, alongside the exam. Line up your signer before you apply anyway, so the window doesn't run short.
Is there a time limit on my fingertip and media fill dates? The PTCB form asks for your most recent dates and results and doesn't print a separate maximum age. Applicable USP requirements and your facility's policies determine how often competency testing must occur.
Can I take the CSPT online? Yes, with a live remote proctor, or in person at a Pearson test center.
How long does the CSPT last? One year. You renew annually with a new attestation, and your CPhT has to stay active.
Sources
- PTCB — Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician (CSPT)
- PTCB Candidate Guidebook — CSPT section
- PTCB — What are the requirements for becoming a CSPT and how do I apply?
- PTCB — What is considered work experience? (updated August 26, 2026)
- PTCB — CSPT Competency Attestation Form v3.4 (June 2025)
- PTCB — What is a Competency Attestation?
- PTCB — One-year Candidacy Eligibility Window vs. 90-day Authorization to Schedule
- PTCB — Can I withdraw my CSPT Certification application? (updated April 2, 2026)
- PTCB — What are the costs associated with the CSPT Certification?
- PTCB — Retake Policy
- PTCB — At-a-Glance: CSPT Exam
- PTCB — Guidelines for Sterile Compounding CE and Certification Renewal (updated November 4, 2025)
- PTCB — Renewal Requirements
- PTCB — CSPT Content Outline
- PTCB — PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program Directory (CSPT)
Last verified September 24, 2026 for CSPT eligibility pathways, work-experience rules, the Competency Attestation Form, fees, the candidacy and authorization windows, retake rules, exam format and scoring, and renewal requirements.
Written by the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. We checked each requirement on this page against the PTCB sources listed above. Where PTCB's own pages word a rule differently, we used the most specific and most recent source and noted it in that section. PTCB decides eligibility; your state board of pharmacy decides scope of practice.
Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or Pearson VUE. Exam and credential names are used to identify their subjects, and trademarks belong to their respective owners.