CER Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Oct 17, 2026 against Healthcare Sterile Processing Association. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

The CER certification practice test ensures you are ready for the rigorous HSPA examination. Mastering the CER test content is crucial for advancing your career in sterile processing. Try our CMRP practice exam. Practice with the free CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (11 questions with answer explanations).

If you are searching for a CER endoscope practice test questions, start with the free questions on this page: every answer comes with an explanation, and the study notes below cover the CER exam topics in order. Each certified endoscope reprocessor practice test set mirrors one HSPA content domain, so you can treat the whole page as a free CER practice exam or drill the CER test questions from a single weak domain.

Technicians who search for a STERIS endo practice test are usually preparing for this same credential: the CER test is written and scored by HSPA, not by an equipment manufacturer, so practise across all the HSPA content domains rather than on one brand's training material.

Free CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor Study Tools

Interactive CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• Free CER Principles and Maintenance Questions and Answers — 11 questions with instant scoring and answer explanations
• CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

• Topics: Ergonomics, spill response
• Questions: ~15 questions

CER Study Material: What HSPA Builds the Exam From

The best CER study material is the reference list HSPA publishes on the Certified Endoscope Reprocessor certification page, because those are the documents the exam writers used. For the current CER test HSPA names five sources: HSPA's own Endoscope Reprocessing Manual (2nd edition), the ANSI/AAMI ST91:2022 standard for flexible and semi-rigid endoscope processing, the CDC's Essential Elements of a Reprocessing Program for Flexible Endoscopes (2017), two SGNA infection-prevention standards (2018 and 2019), and SGNA's 2017 guideline on high-level disinfectants and sterilants. The HSPA and AAMI titles are sold in the HSPA online store under the "CER" and "AAMI" categories; the SGNA articles are free downloads from SGNA.

Two points catch candidates out. First, HSPA offers no online or distance-learning course for the CER, unlike the CRCST, so certified endoscope reprocessing knowledge has to come from the manual, the standards and your own department. Second, buying study material is optional: HSPA lets you sit the exam on work experience alone, and the Certification Council states it does not require or endorse any specific training product.

A practical plan: read the Endoscope Reprocessing Manual domain by domain, following the seven-domain CER Exam Content Outline (updated June 2021), then use the free questions on this page as an employee CER exam practice test after each domain. Many departments use exactly that sequence, manual chapter then a timed CER practice exam, to document competency before the real appointment.

Certified Endoscope Reprocessor

A certified endoscope reprocessor is a sterile processing or endoscopy technician who has passed HSPA's CER exam and holds the CER credential. The job is to return a flexible endoscope from the procedure room to patient-ready condition: point-of-use pre-cleaning, leak testing, manual cleaning, high-level disinfection or sterilization (often in an automated endoscope reprocessor), drying, transport and storage. Flexible scopes have long, narrow channels that are hard to clean, so a skipped step can leave contamination behind, which is why facilities value certified staff for this work.

The CER is a stand-alone HSPA credential, and current CRCST certification is not required to take the CER exam. To sit for it you need at least three months of hands-on endoscope reprocessing experience within the past three years, documented by the supervisor who oversaw your work. The exam has 150 multiple-choice questions: 125 are scored and 25 are unscored pretest questions, and the application fee is $140 USD. In the official content outline, Reprocessing makes up 32% of the exam and Endoscope Handling, Transport and Storage makes up 16%, so weight your CER test questions practice the same way. Once certified, you renew every year with 6 continuing education credits on endoscopes plus the annual $50 renewal fee.

Expect to invest approximately $250-$350 for your CER certification, including the exam fee and study materials.

Ready to Pass Your CER Test?

Join thousands of certified professionals. Take our CER certification practice test free now, no sign-up needed, and get certified.

Ensure you complete your 6 Continuing Education (CE) credits specifically related to endoscope reprocessing before your renewal date.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Sample CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor Practice Questions

Try these questions from our free CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.

1. Before loading an endoscope into an automated endoscope reprocessor (AER) set to run a sterilization cycle, the technician MUST:

   • A. Perform pre-cleaning, leak testing, and manual cleaning per IFU
   • B. Only perform a leak test to detect channel damage
   • C. Confirm the patient's infection status and adjust the cycle accordingly
   • D. Remove all detachable parts and sterilize them separately in the autoclave

   Answer: A. Perform pre-cleaning, leak testing, and manual cleaning per IFU

   Pre-cleaning, leak testing, and manual cleaning must always precede any automated reprocessing cycle to remove gross soil and verify device integrity.

2. An automated endoscope reprocessor (AER) cycle fails mid-process due to a power interruption. The endoscope should be:

   • A. Considered adequately disinfected up to the cycle point reached and stored normally
   • B. Removed, manually inspected, and reprocessed from the beginning with a complete cycle
   • C. Placed back in the AER and run only the remaining cycle steps
   • D. Quarantined until engineering inspects the AER, then stored

   Answer: B. Removed, manually inspected, and reprocessed from the beginning with a complete cycle

   An incomplete AER cycle cannot guarantee HLD; the scope must undergo a full reprocessing cycle from the start before patient use.

3. A reprocessor notices that an endoscope is failing to hold air pressure during a dry leak test. After checking all external connections and valves, the leak persists. Which internal component is MOST likely compromised?

   • A. Objective lens
   • B. Light guide fibers
   • C. Biopsy/suction channel
   • D. Video chip

   Answer: C. Biopsy/suction channel

   The biopsy/suction channel is a hollow lumen that runs the length of the endoscope from the control body to the distal tip. A breach or hole anywhere along this channel is a common cause of internal leaks that would be detected during a pressure test.

4. When an endoscope is returned from a third-party repair service, what documentation is essential for the reprocessing department to obtain and file with the endoscope's records?

   • A. A list of other facilities that use the same repair service.
   • B. The personal contact information of the technician who performed the repair.
   • C. A detailed report listing the specific components that were repaired or replaced and confirmation that all quality checks were passed.
   • D. A simple invoice with only the total cost of the repair.

   Answer: C. A detailed report listing the specific components that were repaired or replaced and confirmation that all quality checks were passed.

   A detailed service report is crucial for tracking the endoscope's history and ensuring quality control. This documentation provides vital information on what failed, what was fixed, and what parts were replaced, which is essential for quality assurance, tracking repair trends, asset management, and verifying the device was returned to proper specifications.

Take the full CER - Certified Endoscope Reprocessor practice test

You can continue preparing with the aaert cer exam quizlet, which includes answer explanations for every question.

You can continue preparing with the hspa endoscope reprocessing manual pre test, which includes answer explanations for every question.

Official Resources

• HSPA: Certified Endoscope Reprocessor (CER) certification page sets out eligibility, the hands-on experience requirement, the reference materials and the seven exam domains.
• HSPA 2026 Certification Handbook (PDF) is the official rulebook for the exam: scheduling at Prometric, test-day identification, scoring and retake policy.
• HSPA: Renew Your Certification explains the annual CE credit requirement, the renewal fee and the grace period for keeping your CER active.