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How to renew your CST

Last verified: · Trust editorial

CST certification renews every two years with 30 AST-approved CE credits — four of them live — and a $40 fee through NBSTSA's LearningBuilder portal. The old four-year, 60-credit cycle is gone. Late renewals get 90 days with a $100 late fee; after that, it's the exam.

Renewal checklist
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How to renew your CST

National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) · gettrustapp.com/renew/national/cst-surgical-technologist
CST certification renews every two years with 30 AST-approved CE credits — four of them live — and a $40 fee through NBSTSA's LearningBuilder portal. The old four-year, 60-credit cycle is gone. Late renewals get 90 days with a $100 late fee; after that, it's the exam.
At a glance
Cycle
2 years / 30 CE credits (the 4-yr/60-credit cycle ended for renewals after Jan 1, 2020)
Live CE
4 of the 30 must be live (conferences, in-services, live webinars)
Fee
$40 renewal · exam route $440 AST member / $540 non-member
CE via
AST
Steps
  1. Check your expiration in LearningBuilder
    Log into NBSTSA's LearningBuilder portal and confirm your expiration date and current credit balance.
  2. Complete 30 AST-approved credits (4 live)
    AST members' AST-earned credits auto-record. Live counts: conferences, workshops, state assemblies, in-services, live or on-demand webinars meeting the AST/NBSTSA definition.
  3. Submit outside credits early via AST
    AST suggests reporting 6 months out; at minimum, don't wait past 60 days before expiration.
  4. Submit the renewal application and pay $40
    Non-members pay AST's CE processing fee on top of the $40 — membership usually pays for itself here.
  5. Save your new certificate to Trust
    Some states now require CST by statute, so an expired credential can affect job eligibility, not just paperwork.
Trust · Reviewed July 2026 · Verify current requirements at the board's official portal before renewing.
At a glance
Cycle
2 years / 30 CE credits (the 4-yr/60-credit cycle ended for renewals after Jan 1, 2020)
Live CE
4 of the 30 must be live (conferences, in-services, live webinars)
Fee
$40 renewal · exam route $440 AST member / $540 non-member
CE via
AST

Requirements

30 AST-approved credits within the cycle. No rollover between cycles.

What counts: AST online/enduring courses, AST-approved live events, facility in-services, college courses (5 credits per semester hour, C or better), authoring/lecturing, surgical missions (10 credits, once per cycle) — and BLS, ACLS, and PALS are accepted.

AST membership matters. Member CE auto-records and processes free; non-members pay a substantial CE processing fee (per AST's policy doc — verify current amount) plus the higher exam price if retesting. For most CSTs the membership pays for itself here.

Reporting: submit CE at least 60 days before expiration; AST suggests 6 months.

State note: a growing list of states requires CST certification by statute for surgical tech employment — an expired CST can be a job-eligibility problem, not just a paperwork one.

How to renew, step by step

  1. 01
    Check your expiration in LearningBuilder
    Log into NBSTSA's LearningBuilder portal and confirm your expiration date and current credit balance.
  2. 02
    Complete 30 AST-approved credits (4 live)
    AST members' AST-earned credits auto-record. Live counts: conferences, workshops, state assemblies, in-services, live or on-demand webinars meeting the AST/NBSTSA definition.
  3. 03
    Submit outside credits early via AST
    AST suggests reporting 6 months out; at minimum, don't wait past 60 days before expiration.
  4. 04
    Submit the renewal application and pay $40
    Non-members pay AST's CE processing fee on top of the $40 — membership usually pays for itself here.
  5. 05
    Save your new certificate to Trust
    Some states now require CST by statute, so an expired credential can affect job eligibility, not just paperwork.

If you're late

1–90 days past expiration: renew by CE only if all credits were earned before expiration — nothing earned after counts. $100 late fee on top of the $40 renewal ($140 total).

Short on credits, or past 90 days: retake the CST exam — $440 AST member / $540 non-member.

The math is stark: on time is $40, late is $140, lapsed is $440+. Ninety days is the entire forgiveness budget.

Frequently asked questions

Is the CST cycle 4 years or 2?
2 years / 30 credits. Everyone is on this cycle now — the 4-year/60-credit guidance floating around online is legacy.
What counts as 'live' CE?
AST-approved conferences, workshops, state assemblies, employer in-services, and live or on-demand webinars meeting AST/NBSTSA's live definition. Four credits minimum per cycle.
Can I renew late?
Yes, up to 90 days past expiration, with a $100 late fee — and only using credits earned before your original expiration date.
Does my BLS or ACLS count?
Yes. AST accepts BLS, ACLS, and PALS toward the 30 credits.

Last verified against National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) sources:

Sources — retrieved July 2026

Trust tracks this renewal for you.

Trust reminds you at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your CST expires, tracks live-vs-online credits against the 4-live rule, and warns before you hit the 90-day cliff.

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