Free practice + study guide

HSPA Sterile Processing (CRCST)

Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Examination — 150 questions (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest) · 180 minutes · Passing score: Not published by HSPA. PrepPass also publishes a complete study guide for this exam as a downloadable book (368 pages, 470 practice questions inside, $14.99).

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Practice questions400 free practice questionsTimed mock examTimed mock, free
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A printable colour cheat sheet for the exam: the format, the content areas and the figures it turns on, each checked against a named source and dated.

Sterile Processing Technician cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →

6 pages · US Letter · printable PDF · yours to keep

01

Test what you know · free, all of it

Five ways to practise.

The same 400 questions, dealt five ways. Pick the one that fits the time you have.

Quick 10Start here
Ten questions, no feedback while you answer. Then one report: all 10 explained, each pointing at the chapter that teaches it.
10 questionsabout 5 minevery answer explained
By section
Pick Cleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection, Preparation & Packaging, Sterilization Process, Departmental Considerations. An explanation appears the moment you answer.
400 questionsuntimed
Timed mock
Sit it like the real thing, then get a score report by section.
150 questions180 minutes
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The whole bank with answers shown — for review, not testing.
all 400, by section
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02

Learn what the questions test

Practice finds the gaps. Reading closes them. The seven chapters below are free to read online. The study guide book is a separate download, sold on its own page.

Practice · free
400
questions, each explained — finds what you don't know yet
Learn · the guide
368
pages in the study guide book, section by section

The seven sections, as chapters

free to read online
  1. 1Departmental Considerations15% of the examRead free →
  2. 2Cleaning, Decontamination and DisinfectionCleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection · 21% — the largest sectionRead free →
  3. 3Preparation and PackagingPreparation & Packaging · 21% — the largest sectionRead free →
  4. 4Sterilization Process21% — the largest sectionRead free →
  5. 5Sterile Storage, Transport and Inventory ManagementSterile Storage, Transport & Inventory · 9%Read free →
  6. 6Patient Care Equipment and DistributionPatient Care Equipment & Distribution · 5%Read free →
  7. 7Professional Development and Human Relation SkillsProfessional Development & Human Relations · 8%Read free →
Cover: Sterile Processing Technician (CRCST) — Complete Study Guide (2026)
Study guide · PDF + EPUB
Sterile Processing Technician (CRCST) — Complete Study Guide (2026)
368 pages · 470 practice questions inside · updated 2026-10-23
$14.99 one-time · yours to keep
Get the book — $14.99Read a chapter free
  • All seven HSPA CRCST content areas as one PDF + EPUB you keep — including the two the old edition had no chapter for
  • A memorise-cold numbers box, a named-traps list and a worked scenario closing every one of the seven chapters
  • A full practice exam at the back, weighted to the seven areas, with the reasoning behind every answer
03

Before you sit

Know the exam you're walking into.

Free study guideEvery section, onlineTopics by weightWhat to study firstHow hard is it?Honest answer, with numbersScores & retakesWhat the board publishesOne-page cheat sheetNight-before facts
04

See the questions first

Two from the bank, answered.

Real items, with the answer marked and the reason written out — the same format as all 400.

Cleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection

A surgical case has just ended and the scrub person is preparing instruments for transport to the decontamination area. What is the correct point-of-use treatment?

  1. APerform a full manual wash at the sterile field before transport
  2. BAllow the instruments to air dry so blood flakes off during transport
  3. CSpray the instruments with saline and wrap them in a dry towel
  4. DRemove gross soil and keep the instruments moist until they reach decontaminationCorrect

Why: Point-of-use treatment means wiping away gross soil and applying a moisture-retention product or damp towel so bioburden does not dry onto surfaces. Dried blood and protein are far harder to remove and can block sterilant contact. Saline is corrosive to instrument alloys, and full cleaning is never performed in the operating room because it creates contaminated aerosols in a sterile environment.AAMI ST79

Preparation & Packaging

A tray wrapped in a cellulose-based (paper) wrapper is about to be loaded into a hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizer. What is the problem?

  1. ACellulose reacts with hydrogen peroxide to form a toxic residue on instruments
  2. BCellulose absorbs hydrogen peroxide and will cause the cycle to abort or fail, so only nonwoven polypropylene wrap and compatible trays may be usedCorrect
  3. CCellulose wrap is acceptable if a second wrapper is applied over it
  4. DCellulose wrap melts at the operating temperature of the sterilizer

Why: Hydrogen peroxide is readily absorbed by cellulose materials such as paper, linen, and cotton, which strips sterilant from the chamber and causes cycle cancellation, so only polypropylene wrap, compatible pouches, and approved containers are used. The issue is absorption, not toxic residue formation or melting, since the process runs at low temperature. Adding a second cellulose layer makes the absorption problem worse.AAMI ST79

Read all 400 questions with answers →

06

The exam itself

HSPA Sterile Processing (CRCST), by the numbers.

Questions150 questions (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest)HSPA calls the unscored items pretest questions and states that they cannot be distinguished from the scored ones during the exam.
Time180 minutesThe Prometric tutorial does not consume exam time: HSPA states the test clock does not begin until after it.
SectionsDepartmental Considerations · Cleaning, Decontamination & Disinfection · Preparation & Packaging · Sterilization Process · Sterile Storage, Transport & Inventory · Patient Care Equipment & Distribution · Professional Development & Human Relations
Passing scoreNot published by HSPAPass or fail is decided on the number of scored questions answered correctly. HSPA states that the passing point was set by the Angoff procedure supplemented by the Beuk relative-absolute compromise method and approved by its Certification Council, that it does not publish the number, and that it does not provide percentage scores — section results are reported only as “At or Above”, “Below” or “Well Below”.
Our bank400 questions · updated August 2026Written from Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA)
LanguagesEnglish
SourceHealthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA)Verified 2026-09-03

Full facts and sources →

07

Helpful resources

The board's own page, and what else helps.

Register — HSPA (official) →

Recommended prep — books & tools

  • Central Service Technical Manual (HSPA)

    The official HSPA manual the CRCST exam is written from.

    See it on Amazon →

This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, PrepPass earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you.

08

Allied Health Certification Exams

On the same path.

AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC)299 free questions · mock 50 q / 240 min · guide $14.99ABO Optician100 free questions · mock 100 q / 120 min · guide $19.99AHIMA RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician)23 free questions · mock 23 q / 210 min

All 14 exams in Allied Health Certification Exams →

09

Questions

Asked before starting.

Is the practice really free, or does it stop after a few questions?

All 400 questions, the timed mock and the report are free with no sign-up. A free account only adds saving your progress. The study guide book is sold separately, $14.99 one-time; nothing in the practice requires it.

Is your mock the same as the real HSPA Sterile Processing (CRCST)?

Same length: 150 questions in 180 minutes, like the real exam. Use it for stamina and pacing; it is practice, not a score predictor.

What score do I need?

Not published by HSPA. Pass or fail is decided on the number of scored questions answered correctly. HSPA states that the passing point was set by the Angoff procedure supplemented by the Beuk relative-absolute compromise method and approved by its Certification Council, that it does not publish the number, and that it does not provide percentage scores — section results are reported only as “At or Above”, “Below” or “Well Below”.

Who administers the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Examination?

Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA), formerly IAHCSMM — exam delivered by Prometric. The examination is delivered worldwide at Prometric test centers.

How many questions are on the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Examination?

150 questions (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest). HSPA calls the unscored items pretest questions and states that they cannot be distinguished from the scored ones during the exam.

How long is the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Examination?

180 minutes. The Prometric tutorial does not consume exam time: HSPA states the test clock does not begin until after it.

How much does the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Examination cost?

$140 — CRCST examination (HSPA, per attempt); $50 — Annual certification renewal (plus 12 continuing-education credits a year) (HSPA, per year). A retake costs the same as a first sitting. HSPA also states that every application includes a $25 non-refundable submission fee, but the handbook does not say whether that is carved out of the examination fee or added to it, so no combined total is stated here.

What languages is the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) Examination offered in?

English. English only, and stated twice in the handbook. HSPA notes that the programme is open to international candidates but does not offer translated forms or ESL accommodations.

Is the HSPA Sterile Processing (CRCST) study guide a PDF?

Yes. Sterile Processing Technician (CRCST) — Complete Study Guide (2026) downloads as PDF + EPUB (368 pages, 470 practice questions inside), $14.99 one-time, and the files are yours to keep. The 400 practice questions on this page stay free without it. See the study guide →

Practice questions are AI-assisted study material written from Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) and reviewed by PrepPass — for practice only, not official exam questions. Bank updated August 2026. PrepPass is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA). Always confirm current exam details with Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA).
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