Frequently Asked Questions

No. AAHT is not a school — it's a professional association that evaluates and verifies credentials for allied health technicians. We maintain a registry that employers can use to confirm a candidate's certification is valid.

Use the quick-contact form on our website to ask about affiliated schools in your area, or browse our list of affiliated institutions.

Visit aah-tech.com and go to the Certifications section, where you'll find a full step-by-step overview of the process for the certification you're interested in.

You can apply in one of two ways: download Form A31 from our website, fill it out, attach the required documentation, and email everything to info@aah-tech.com; or fill out the A31 form directly online.

Once we receive and process your application, you'll get a confirmation email and an invoice for payment. From the time you submit your application, the process typically takes about 7–10 business days.

Official study guides are available for purchase on our website for each certification program. Each guide is built around that exam's specific content objectives — it won't match the exam word-for-word, but it ensures you've reviewed everything you need to pass.

No. Once a study guide has been downloaded, we can't issue a refund for an electronic copy.

For applicants who have completed a related educational program. You must have graduated within the last five (5) years and provide a copy of your diploma or certificate of completion. Once your documents are verified, you'll still need to take and pass the certification exam.

Lets you earn a credential without taking our exam, if you hold an equivalent, active certification from a recognized U.S. certifying agency. You must submit a copy of a certification that is current or expired within the last twelve (12) months, plus a copy of your diploma or program completion certificate. AAHT reserves the right to evaluate equivalency and request additional documentation.

Available only for select certifications. You may qualify without taking the corresponding exam if you already hold one or more active certifications that meet the eligibility requirements for the credential you're seeking. For example, to earn the Certified Medical Assistant credential this way, you'd need active certifications in Phlebotomy and EKG/ECG, plus any other stated requirements. Legible copies of the qualifying certificates are required.

Available only for select certifications. You may qualify without taking the exam by meeting one of the following verifiable work-experience thresholds:

• Six (6) months of full-time, verifiable work experience within the last five (5) years; or
• One (1) year of full-time, verifiable work experience within the last five (5) years — depending on the specific certification's requirements.

Experience must be directly related to the certification field and is subject to verification. You'll also need a legible copy of your diploma or program completion certificate, plus any other documentation AAHT requires.

Yes — the exam is 100% online. A remote-proctoring system verifies your identity and monitors your camera throughout the test to prevent academic dishonesty, so you can take it wherever you have a computer and a stable connection.

The exam takes about 90 minutes on average and can run up to 120 minutes, and it can't be paused once started, so test from a quiet, private space free of interruptions and background noise so you can finish within the time limit.

Most certification exams have fifty (50) multiple-choice questions with a maximum time limit of ninety (90) minutes. A few certifications — due to broader or more complex content — have eighty (80) questions with a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) minutes. A minimum score of seventy percent (70%) is required to pass.

Once you submit your application online (or email in all required documents), it typically takes about 7–10 days to receive an invoice by email, payable via PayPal. After payment, it usually takes about 7–10 more days to receive instructions for taking the exam. These are average timeframes — processing can be faster.

No. To qualify for an exam, you must meet the specific requirements for that certification. Visit Certifications on our website and select the field you're interested in to see the full requirements.

You can take your exam any time within three (3) months of receiving your exam confirmation email. If you're unable to test within that window, you can request a one-time three-month extension.

No — once you've taken the exam, the fee is non-refundable regardless of the result. If you fail, you can retake it (see below).

Here's how it works if you don't pass, try by try:

• 1st try: Your original exam attempt, included with your application.
• 2nd try: A $45 fee, which includes access to a discounted study guide and practice exam to help you prepare. You must wait 30 days after your 1st try before testing again.

Immediately after finishing the exam, you'll see whether you passed or failed, along with your score. You'll also receive an email with your results.

Total processing time from the date you take your exam runs about 15–21 days. Processing itself takes 7–10 days; from there, your certificate is sent to the institute you selected or, depending on your situation, shipped directly to your home — that shipping step is what can bring the total to the 15–21 day mark.

There are two ways to verify a certification, both available on our Verify a Certification page: by email, or through our online lookup, which works from a computer, tablet, or phone. Both methods can generate a verification report.

Your certificate number appears on your certificate and on the ID card that comes with your certification, along with its expiration date. If you need your number for a job interview or application before your certificate arrives, use Verify Certification at the top of the AAHT homepage.

Email info@aah-tech.com and our team will reissue it. Replacement cost is $15 for the ID card and $30 for the diploma. The reissued document will carry the same expiration date as the one currently on file.

Not necessarily. If you completed a health program but never sat for the exam, you may still be able to. You'll need to have completed the program within the last five (5) years and provide proof of completion. If more than five years have passed, you'll also need to show at least one (1) year of work experience in the field you're applying for.

An AAHT certificate is valid for two (2) years. After that, you'll need to complete the renewal process, which has two main requirements — you'll need one of the following:

• A letter of employment on company letterhead, signed by your immediate supervisor with their phone number and email, dated within 3 months of your renewal date; or
• 8 hours of Continuing Education Credits (CEC) from an institution accredited by the appropriate governing body in your state.

To keep your certification active, it must be recertified every two (2) years. The recertification fee is $90 per certification. We recommend starting the process about one (1) month before your expiration date to avoid a lapse — once expired, you lose the right to use your credential until it's renewed or reinstated.

You can still recertify within three (3) months after your expiration date at no extra cost beyond the standard recertification fee. If more than three months have passed, you'll also owe a reinstatement fee based on how long it's been:

• 3 months – 1 year lapsed: +$30 reinstatement fee
• 1 – 2 years lapsed: +$50 reinstatement fee
• 2 – 5 years lapsed: +$70 reinstatement fee

AAHT reserves the right to set additional requirements for renewing or reinstating expired certifications.

Active: You've met the biennial recertification requirements.

Inactive: You didn't meet the biennial recertification requirements in time. You can regain Active status by completing the required continuing education credits and paying the recertification fee plus any applicable reinstatement fee. A certification can also become Inactive if it's revoked by the AAHT Examinations Committee.

Incomplete: The certification doesn't meet requirements, hasn't been paid for, or the exam hasn't been passed yet.

After completing Form A31 — whether you have it on hand, as a PDF, or you submit it online — it takes about 7–10 days to receive your secure PayPal payment link by email. You can pay with any Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card; you don't need a PayPal account.

Refunds for online purchases can only be issued within 90 days of purchase, and only if you have not yet taken the exam. If you applied for a certification, you must request your refund within 90 days of your application payment; the amount paid will be refunded minus a $10 handling fee. Once the exam has been taken, refunds are no longer available.

Generally yes, but it depends on the certification and the state — some roles are subject to state-specific licensing rules, so it's worth checking your state's requirements for your particular field. For example:

• Recognized as-is, no added state license: our Certified Phlebotomy Technician credential carries no state-specific licensing restriction — it's accepted nationwide on its own.
• State restrictions apply: our Certified Medical Laboratory Assistant credential does carry restrictions depending on the state, since some states require an additional license issued by their Department of Health for that role.

Yes. You don't need to prove U.S. residency or immigration status — if you don't have a valid U.S.-issued ID, your passport is sufficient identification.

Yes. Submit a valid form of ID showing your updated full name and ID number, and we'll update your record.

Not directly. You'll need to go through a certification and credential-evaluation process with one of our affiliated institutes, who will confirm that your education is equivalent to U.S. standards and evaluate the authenticity of your foreign diploma. Once verified, they'll issue a certificate valid in the U.S. and compliant with each state's laws.