NOTE: As of October 1, 2009, the certification course fee is $75.

CLICK HERE for the CPST Code of Conduct

Why be a CPST? (personalizable Word doc) - ver 2/2010

Certification Course

Descriptions

The national standardized child passenger safety technician certification course is usually four days long and combines classroom instruction, hands-on work with car seats and vehicles, and a community safety seat checkup event, where students demonstrate proper use and installation of child restraints and safety belts and then teach these skills to parents. Successful completion of this course certifies the individual as a CPS technician for two years.

This certification is only valid for practice in the United States and its territories and on non-domestic U.S. military installations. Registration for all certification courses is $75, excluding any applicable late fees. A detailed fee table is available in Resources -> Fees.

The certification course is available in English. All official written documentation, including correspondence with technician-candidates and certified individuals, and the Web site will continue to be in English. There are Spanish-speaking customer service representatives available to field inquiries and assist individuals in navigating the Web site.

The minimum age requirement for CPS certification is 18 at the time the course starts.  Age 18 is the national age of majority; 18-year-olds are legally accountable for actions and are likely to have experience as a driver. Any individual who is under the age of 18 and attends a course will not be certified, and any certification granted under false pretences will be immediately revoked.  No refunds will be issued.  Individuals under 18 will be eligible to take the course again when they are at least 18 years of age.  Upon successfully completing all requirements, they will be certified. Any person who wishes to become certified who will not be 18 years of age when the course starts may submit a written request using the standard Appeals Cover Page on our Web site under Resources--> Forms.

Failure to Qualify for Certification

You will fail to qualify for certification if one of the following occurs:

1. You do not pass any of the three hands-on skills assessments during the course. You will be notified during the course and may stay in class as an observer only at the discretion of the lead instructor.
2. You do not pass the checkup event (communication and/or technical skill).
3. You fail the written component (overall score of 83% or less).

If any of the above occurs, you must repeat the entire course to be certified. No refund will be provided, as all processing and course materials have been delivered. You must register for any subsequent course and pay any associated fees.

Students who must retake the NSCPSTP course should access their online profiles and register for a new course using their existing usernames and passwords. Do not create a duplicate contact record.

Special Needs and Accommodations

Students with special needs should send a written request to the lead instructor, documenting the need and specifying the accommodation requested before the start date of the course.

Accommodations may be made on-site at the discretion of the instructor team. Depending on the nature of the accommodation requested, additional documentation from a qualified professional may be required.