ARRT Certification 2026–2026 — How to Get Certified as a Radiologic Technologist

What Does ARRT Certify? — Disciplines and Credentials

ARRT offers certification and registration in more than 20 imaging disciplines. The most common ARRT credentials are:

Primary disciplines (entry-level certification):

• Radiography (R): The foundational ARRT credential. Radiographers (also called X-ray techs or diagnostic radiologic technologists) perform plain film X-rays and are required in virtually every hospital and radiology practice. Most other ARRT postprimary credentials require Radiography as a prerequisite.
• Radiation Therapy (T): Radiation therapists deliver radiation treatments to cancer patients under physician prescription. Separate from Radiography — requires its own accredited program.
• Nuclear Medicine Technology (N): Nuclear medicine technologists prepare and administer radiopharmaceuticals and operate imaging equipment to produce functional body images.
• Sonography (S): Diagnostic medical sonography (ultrasound). Sonography is a primary pathway — does not require Radiography as a prerequisite.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MR): MRI technologists require either Radiography or Sonography as a prerequisite (or a standalone MRI pathway from a limited number of accredited MRI programs).

Post-primary specialty credentials (require a primary credential): Computed Tomography (CT), Mammography, Cardiac-Interventional, Vascular-Interventional, Breast Sonography, Bone Densitometry, Radiologist Assistant (RA), Medical Dosimetry, and more. These credentials require an existing ARRT primary certification plus additional education and clinical competencies.

ARRT Certification Requirements — Primary Pathway

To earn ARRT certification in a primary discipline (Radiography, Radiation Therapy, Nuclear Medicine Technology, or Sonography), candidates must satisfy three requirements.

Requirement 1: Education

Candidates must graduate from a program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) or another ARRT-recognized accrediting agency. Programs are typically 2-year associate degree programs (for radiography) or 4-year bachelor's degree programs. Sonography and nuclear medicine programs have their own accreditation pathways. You cannot sit for the ARRT exam without graduating from an accredited program — attending an unaccredited program disqualifies you from ARRT certification.

Requirement 2: Ethics Review

All ARRT applicants must disclose criminal history, sanctions, and certain civil history. ARRT conducts a background check and ethics review. Certain criminal convictions (particularly those involving patient harm, fraud, or dishonesty) may result in disqualification or conditional approval. Candidates with concerns about their eligibility should submit a Pre-Application Review to ARRT before investing in their education program — this process allows ARRT to review a criminal record and advise on likely eligibility before the applicant completes their training.

Requirement 3: Examination

After graduating from an accredited program and passing ethics review, candidates schedule and take the ARRT certification exam at a Pearson VUE test center. The exam window is typically within a limited period after graduation (contact ARRT for current application deadlines and exam windows). First-time test takers have a limited number of attempts within an initial eligibility period — review current ARRT policies at arrt.org for exam attempt limits and window dates.

Prepare with our ARRT practice test to assess your readiness before your examination date, and review our full ARRT practice tests collection for content-area review.

ARRT Continuing Education Requirements

ARRT-registered professionals must maintain their credentials through biennial (every 2 years) renewal by completing continuing education.

CE requirements per 2-year cycle:

• 24 continuing education (CE) credits total
• At least 12 credits must be in structured educational activities (organized courses, seminars, webinars)
• At least 1 credit must be in ethics content
• Self-directed learning can account for up to 12 credits (reading journals, online learning modules)

Where to earn CE credits: ARRT accepts CE from a variety of providers: ASRT (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) offers online and in-person CE courses recognized by ARRT. State society conferences, hospital education departments, RadiologyInfo.org, and vendor-neutral online platforms also offer ARRT-accepted CE. Always verify that the CE provider and activity are accepted by ARRT before completing — list of recognized providers at arrt.org.

Specialty credential CE: Post-primary specialty credentials (CT, Mammography, MRI, etc.) have separate CE requirements — typically 24 CE credits per 2-year cycle with content requirements relevant to the specialty.

Verifying ARRT Certification Status

ARRT provides a public verification tool that allows anyone to verify a practitioner's ARRT credential status. This is commonly used by employers during hiring, state licensing boards for licensure verification, and patients who wish to confirm their technologist's credentials.

How to verify: Visit arrt.org and use the 'Verify Credentials' search tool. Search by name, location, or ARRT ID number. The search returns the practitioner's primary discipline(s), registration status (current or expired), and the state where they are registered. ARRT verification is free and publicly accessible.

ARRT vs state licensure: In most states, radiologic technologists must hold both ARRT certification AND a state license (or state certification). ARRT provides the national credential; state licensure is separate and governed by the state's health department or radiation control program. Always verify both ARRT status and state license status when credentialing new hires.