CSTT Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

There Is No Single National CSTT Exam Calendar

If you searched for "CSTT exam dates 2026" hoping to find one tidy list of national testing windows, here is the first thing to know: that list does not exist for Concrete Strength Testing Technician. Unlike computer-based credentials that publish quarterly windows through a central testing vendor, this ACI certification is delivered through local sessions. Each session has its own date, venue, price and enrollment cutoff.

That is not a drawback so much as a different planning problem. Instead of asking "when is the testing window," you are asking "which nearby session fits my preparation and my job schedule?" The answer depends on your region, your employer's lab calendar and how quickly you can finish the workbook.

Who Actually Schedules a CSTT Session

American Concrete Institute (ACI) owns the certification program, but examinations are administered through ACI-approved Sponsoring Groups and resource centers. In practice these are usually ACI chapters, state or regional concrete associations, and similar organizations that hold the approved status needed to proctor ACI exams.

Because each sponsoring group sets its own logistics, you will see differences in:

• Session dates: some groups hold sessions only a few times a year; others add them as demand appears.
• Bundling: some offer an exam-only option, while others package a review session, the workbook and both examinations together.
• Pricing: fees are set locally and often differ for chapter members versus non-members.
• Enrollment deadlines: cutoffs are set by the sponsoring group, so check the specific listing rather than assuming a standard lead time.

The practical takeaway is to search for sponsoring groups near you, then compare their listings side by side. Your CSTT certification cost breakdown will look different depending on which session you choose, which is why the fee examples below matter.

The One-Year Clock: Written and Performance Together

The single most important timing rule in the program is this: candidates must pass the written examination and the performance examination within one year. There is no specific education or work-experience prerequisite to sit for either one (see CSTT requirements for the full eligibility picture), so the clock is the main structural constraint.

The rule has teeth. If you pass one component and then let the one-year window lapse before passing the other, both components must be retaken. Subsequent re-examination after a failure covers the entire failed written or performance component, not just the portions you missed.

Real 2026 Session and Fee Examples

The following are verified local examples, not national tariffs. They illustrate how much sponsoring groups can differ, and they are the best concrete anchor for estimating what a 2026 session looks like. Sources were checked on October 5, 2026.

Two details deserve emphasis. First, the Las Vegas Chapter lists an October 24, 2026 session, which is a good example of how a single date, rather than a rolling window, defines your target. Second, the Ohio Concrete prices apply to Ohio Concrete membership, not ACI membership, so "member" means different things at different sponsoring groups. Always confirm which membership the discount refers to before assuming you qualify.

These numbers are examples only. Your own sponsoring group may price differently, so treat them as a sanity check rather than a quote. For the full financial picture, including workbook costs, see the CSTT certification cost guide.

What Happens on Exam Day

Knowing the format helps you judge how much preparation time to build in before your chosen date. A session pairs two separate examinations.

The Written Examination

The written exam is one hour, closed book and multiple choice. The program page describes approximately 40 questions with at least eight per standard, while Certification Program Policy CPP 620.2-19 describes approximately 35-40 questions with 8-10 per standard. Because the two documents differ slightly, treat the question count as an approximation rather than a fixed number.

Passing requires at least 60% on each standard and at least 70% overall. That per-standard floor is the part candidates underestimate: a strong overall score does not rescue a weak showing on one standard. The details are laid out in the CSTT passing score guide.

The Performance Examination

The performance exam is separate, also closed book, and assesses all four procedures using pass/fail checklists. Simple non-programmable calculators are permitted. Because it is checklist-graded, the evaluator is looking for each required step, performed correctly and in sequence, rather than a holistic impression.

The program's technical basis is C617/C617M-15, C1231/C1231M-15, C39/C39M-18 and C78/C78M-18. For a deeper walk through what each area demands, see the CSTT exam domains guide.

Planning Backward From Your Session Date

Once you have picked a session, work backward. The current study workbook is CP-19, 25th Edition (2022). ACI also accepts the 23rd and 24th editions because their technical basis is identical, which is useful if a colleague can lend you an older copy. The 25th-edition workbook excludes the ASTM standards and is listed at USD 71 for ACI members or USD 136 for non-members. Note that ACI identifies first-printing errata, but the linked document requires sign-in, so check whether your copy is a first printing and look for corrections through your sponsoring group.

Here is one way to sequence preparation, tied to how the content actually builds. This is a template, not a mandate; compress or stretch it to fit your session date.

If you want a more detailed methodology, the CSTT study guide covers preparation in depth, and the CSTT practice tests let you measure each standard separately before you commit to a date.

Retake Timing and the Same-Day Second Trial

Retake mechanics affect how much slack you should build into your plan, because they interact with the one-year clock.

• Failed practical procedure: you are permitted a second trial on the same day, so a single slip does not necessarily end your session.
• Later re-examination: if you retest after the session, the retest covers the entire failed written or performance component, not just the procedure or standard you missed.
• Window lapse: if the one-year completion window expires, both components must be retaken.

Retest fees depend on the sponsoring group. The Las Vegas Chapter example above lists USD 235 for members and USD 290 for non-members to retest a failed component, which is a useful reminder that a failed attempt carries a real cost beyond the lost time.

The Five-Year Certification Cycle

Dates matter after you pass, too. CSTT certification lasts five years, and recertification requires passing both examinations again. That means the date you pass today effectively sets a recertification deadline half a decade out, which is worth recording in a calendar or in your employer's compliance tracker.

Recertification sessions are scheduled through the same sponsoring-group system, so the same scarcity of dates applies. Do not wait until the last month of your five years to look for a session, particularly if your local chapter holds only a handful of sessions annually. The Las Vegas Chapter's pricing, for instance, lists certification and recertification together, which suggests recertifying candidates sit the same examinations as first-timers.

For context on why people maintain the credential, see whether CSTT certification is worth it, and for the employer side, CSTT jobs and the CSTT salary guide cover who hires certified technicians and what to expect.

Registration Checklist Before You Pay

Because sessions are local and each sponsoring group runs its own process, use this checklist before submitting payment:

1. Confirm the program name. Make sure the listing says Concrete Strength Testing Technician, not Field Testing Technician Grade I or Laboratory Testing Technician Level 1.
2. Confirm both exams are scheduled. Check that the written and performance examinations are both offered and on which date or dates.
3. Check what the fee includes. Some listings bundle the workbook and review; others are exam-only, so you would buy the CP-19 workbook separately.
4. Verify which membership discount applies. Chapter or association membership may not equal ACI membership.
5. Ask about the enrollment cutoff. Deadlines are set locally, so get the exact date from the sponsoring group.
6. Confirm retest pricing and policy. Know the cost of a failed-component retest before you need it.
7. Clarify the accepted workbook edition. The 25th edition is current, and the 23rd and 24th are also accepted.

One more distinction is worth making: ACI also sells a separate on-demand preparation course, but it does not award certification. Completing it is study help, not a substitute for sitting the written and performance examinations at an approved session. For training options more broadly, see CSTT training, and if you are still weighing whether the credential fits you, What Is CSTT? gives the overview.

Frequently Asked Questions