ATP APPLICATION & ELIGIBILITY
What are the requirements to apply for the ATP Exam?
Eligibility for the ATP Certification depends on your degree, AT Training, and work experience. Detailed information on ATP eligibility can be found here: ATP Exam Eligibility Requirements.
How do I get the ATP Application?
If you meet the requirements for the ATP exam, you can follow this link to order your exam application. The ATP exam application is free for RESNA members and $125 for non-members. Once you submit your payment, the exam application will automatically be sent to your email address.
ATP EXAM
Exam Scheduling, Deadlines, & Logistics
Once my application is approved, how do I take the ATP Exam?
Once your application is approved, an invoice for the exam fee will be added to your RESNA account. You will receive an automated email that contains your Prometric eligibility ID and a link to schedule your exam.
Important things to note:
- The scheduling link will not work until the exam fee has been paid in full.
- When scheduling your exam, please double check that your name is displayed exactly as it appears on your government issued ID. This is especially important if your name includes hyphens, special characters, symbols, or accents, as these can sometimes be misrepresented in the system. If you notice any discrepancies, contact us at info@resna.org as soon as possible for assistance in correcting your name before your scheduled exam date.
Is there a deadline to take the ATP Exam after my application is approved?
Once your application is approved, you have up to two years to pay for and take the ATP Exam.
Important: After you pay for the exam and click the scheduling link, your 90-day testing window will begin. You must schedule and complete your exam within that 90-day period.
Is there a Prometric testing site in my country?
You can find a list of Prometric Test Centers here. If you have specific questions about testing locations or availability in our area, please contact Prometric directly for further assistance.
Can I extend my 90-day testing window?
You may request a one-time 90-day extension by paying a $150 exam eligibility window extension fee. To request an extension, contact the RESNA staff team by phone or in writing. Once your request is received, an invoice will be added to your RESNA account.
Important: Before requesting an extension, please review Prometric’s exam rescheduling policy. If your extension request is made close to your scheduled exam date, you may also be subject to a rescheduling fee from Prometric.
What is the Exam Rescheduling policy?
You must contact Prometric or reschedule online through Prometric's ProScheduler. Please have your exam eligibility ID and appointment confirmation #. Exams can be rescheduled under certain circumstances, but additional fees will be incurred. Exams must be rescheduled within the same eligibility window at the time the rescheduling fee is applied. Exams cancelled by candidates forfeit the entire $625 test delivery fee.
| Reschedule Period |
Rescheduling Fee |
| 61 or more days before test date |
None |
| 5-60 days before scheduled test date |
$75 per reschedule (to be collected by Prometric from the applicant) |
| Less than 5 days before test date, or fails to appear for a scheduled test, or presents himself/herself more than thirty minutes after the scheduled exam start time and is refused admission |
The full $625 test delivery fee is forfeited |
What if I need to cancel my exam due to a medical or personal emergency?
RESNA understands that unexpected medical or personal emergencies can arise. If you are unable to reschedule or cancel your exam appointment due to such circumstances, you may request a refund of the application/exam fees by contacting RESNA and submitting any necessary supporting documentation. Please see page 12 in the Candidate Handbook for more information on the exam cancellation policy for medical/personal emergencies.
Important: Please note that any rescheduling fees already paid to Prometric are non-refundable.
Can I retake the ATP Exam if I don't pass?
Candidates may take the ATP exam up to three times within a 365-day period. A 90-day waiting period is required prior to each retesting attempt. During the initial 365-day period, candidates are eligible for a reduced retake fee of $300 USD.
If a candidate does not pass the exam upon their third attempt, there will be a waiting period of 365 days from the date of the third attempt to reapply as a new candidate and restart the application process. When reapplying, candidates must meet the eligibility requirements in effect at the time of submission. A new application must be submitted along with the applicable fees, which includes a $125 application fee and a $625 exam fee.
The retake request form can be found here.
Accommodations
Can I request testing accommodations for the ATP Exam?
Yes, testing accommodations are available for candidates with documented disabilities or special needs. Please see our Testing Accommodation page for more information. Applicants may submit a testing accommodation request after paying their exam fees and before scheduling their exam.
To request accommodations, please complete our online accommodation request form here. Your request must include a formal letter that outlines the following:
- Candidate's disability or special need
- Adaptations the candidate is requesting
- Documentation from a physician or other appropriate diagnostic authority concerning the disability and special needs
- For more information on available accommodations at Prometric testing centers, please see here.
After the Exam
How is the ATP Exam score calculated?
The ATP Exam score is reported as a scaled score. A scaled score is an arithmetic conversion of the raw scores; it is not a “number correct” or “percent correct”. Your score does not reflect the number of questions you answered correctly/incorrectly. Scores are determined by converting the number of questions answered correctly to a scaled score that ranges from 200 to 800. A passing score is 600 or higher.
Your score is reported along with a diagnostic message for each of the domains included in the exam. The diagnostic messages are intended to help you identify areas of strength and weakness. Diagnostic messages (i.e., Proficient, Marginal, Not Proficient) are offered to help candidates focus on areas of need for subsequent exams.
How soon after passing the ATP Exam will I receive my ATP Certificate?
Applicants that applied for ATP Certification through the traditional pathway can expect to receive their certificate via email within 1-2 weeks of passing the exam.
Applicants that applied for ATP Certification through the Accelerated Pathway application are not ATP Certified upon passing the exam. Instead, once all remaining eligibility requirements have been met, Candidates for the ATP must submit a traditional application for review and approval before receiving their ATP certificate.
ATP EXAM PREPARATION
What can I do to prepare for the ATP Exam?
There are many options to prepare for the ATP exam. There’s an ATP Practice Exam, ATP readiness tool, reference materials, courses, and more to help prepare you to pass the exam. For more detailed information, please visit our website: ATP Exam Preparation
Can I review the questions and answers after completing the ATP Practice Exam?
Yes, you can review the questions and answers immediately after completing the ATP Practice Exam. Please note that once you exit the practice exam, you will not be able to revisit the quetions and answers again.
Does the ATP Practice Exam provide a score report?
There is currently no score report available after completing the practice exam.
MAINTAINING YOUR ATP CERTIFICATION
Do I need to renew my ATP Certification?
Yes. RESNA certifications are time-limited and are on a two-year renewal cycle. Renewal requires commitment to continuous professional development by accumulating specified continuing education and/or academic credits during each certification period, and relevant work experience.
If you have multiple RESNA certifications (i.e. ATP, SMS, RET), your term dates are linked and can be renewed at the same time without additional work experience or education requirement per certification, as long as at least half of the trainings are relevant to all certifications.
Please see our Renew Your Certification page for more information on renewal requirements.
My ATP Certification has expired, how can I reinstate?
If it has been less than 4 years since your certification expired, you can reinstate your certification by:
- Submitting a Recertification Application
- Paying the Reinstatement fee
- Submitting additional CEU; 0.25 CEUs for every 3 months the certification has been expired, up to 2.0 CEUs.
Please see our Reinstatement page for more information.
If it has been over 4 years since your certification expired, reinstatement is no longer an option and you must reapply for certification as a new candidate and retake the exam.
What is a CEU?
CEU stands for “Continuing Education Unit,” which can be offered to individuals upon completion of an instructional course. RESNA recognizes CEUs awarded by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). Only CEUs from an IACET authorized provider (such as RESNA) or accredited college or university are accepted for the ATP credential. In addition, the course must be focused on assistive technology. Learn more about continuing education requirements for recertification
What is a Contact Hour?
A “contact hour” is equivalent to 50-60 minutes of educational or professional development instruction. A maximum of 10 contact hours is accepted for certification renewal, as long as the content is directly related to practice in AT, and a certificate of attendance is provided. These can also be documented inservices you attend and formal teaching or presentations you have given, up to a maximum amount per year (3 for in-services attended and 5 hours for the first time a course is presented or taught). Learn more about continuing education requirements for recertification.