How Much Does the ARRT Radiography Exam Cost? $225 as of October 2026

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Radiography examination costs $225 as of October 2026. That is the primary pathway application fee, and it covers your application for ARRT certification and registration plus your first exam attempt; ARRT’s fee page lists no separate exam fee on top of it. If you do not pass on your first or second attempt, each reapplication costs $200, so three attempts cost $625 in total if no exam window closes unused, under ARRT’s rule of three attempts within three years (that total is our arithmetic from ARRT’s two fees); each closed window or missed appointment adds another $200 reapplication. The application fee is nonrefundable. After you earn the credential, ARRT charges a $65 annual renewal fee, effective January 1, 2026, no matter how many ARRT credentials you hold. Situational charges include a $100 Ethics Review Preapplication, a $25 scoring appeal, and a $15 duplicate certificate. Pearson administers the exam at its test centers and charges its own fee each time you reschedule; ARRT’s handbook does not state that amount.

What the $225 Application Fee Covers

As of October 2026, ARRT lists the same $225 application fee for every primary pathway discipline, and Radiography is a primary pathway discipline. Paying it starts your eligibility period: ARRT’s 2026 Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook says that once you establish eligibility by submitting an application, you have three years and three attempts to pass the exam. You may submit the online application up to 90 days before you finish your educational program or degree, and ARRT accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Some educational programs pay the fee for their students, in which case you choose the option to submit payment to the program and ARRT does not process the application until the school confirms payment. Ask your program director whether yours does this before you pay out of pocket. For the exam blueprint, see our guide to what is on the ARRT Radiography exam, and for pass rate data, see how hard the ARRT Radiography exam is.

Know where the fee is and is not protected. ARRT does not refund fees or transfer them to another discipline, and if ARRT finds you ineligible, the application fee is not refunded. Your exam window lasts 365 calendar days once ARRT processes your application. If the window closes before you test, the handbook says that does not count as one of your three attempts, but you forfeit the application fee and must pay the reapplication fee to open a new window.

Every ARRT Fee at a Glance

This table collects the fees that apply to a Radiography candidate and new R.T.(R) credential holder, as listed on ARRT’s fee page as of October 2026.

Fee	Amount	When It Applies
Application, primary pathway	$225	Initial application, includes your first exam attempt
Reapplication, primary pathway	$200	After an unsuccessful first or second attempt, or after a closed exam window
Ethics Review Preapplication	$100	Optional; nonrefundable; submit any time to learn how a past issue may affect eligibility
Scoring appeal	$25	If you ask ARRT to review your score
Annual renewal	$65	Every year once certified and registered
CE probation	$100	If you do not meet your biennial continuing education requirement
Reinstatement, online	$150	Lapsed credential where no re-examination is required
Reinstatement by re-examination	$225	Lapsed credential where you must retake the exam
Duplicate certificate	$15	Replacement copy
Pearson reschedule fee	Set by Pearson	Each time you reschedule; paid by credit card at the time you change the appointment

Retake Costs

ARRT does not run a free or discounted resit. According to the handbook, if you do not pass on your first or second try, the Reapply button appears on your dashboard, and each new attempt needs its own application and fee. As of October 2026, ARRT’s fee page lists the reapplication fee at $200 for the primary pathway, which is $25 less than the original $225. If you fail a third time, you do not simply pay again: eligibility ends and you must requalify by completing an ARRT-recognized educational program, then pay the $225 application fee as a new applicant. Your exam window also matters for cost. If you miss an appointment without proper notice, you forfeit your application fee, your window closes, and you must pay the reapplication fee before you can book again, although a missed appointment does not count as one of your three attempts. Our companion guide on what happens if you fail the ARRT Radiography exam covers wait times, deadlines, and the full retake path. For the full list of content shifts, see our guide to the ARRT 2027 exam changes.

Renewal and Credential Costs After You Pass

Passing the exam is not the last ARRT charge. As of January 1, 2026, ARRT’s annual renewal fee is $65, and ARRT’s renewal page says that amount applies regardless of how many ARRT credentials you hold. The renewal deadline is 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the last day of your birth month. After your first credential, you are certified and registered through the end of your next birth month, and if your birth month ends less than two months after you earn it, your status runs to the end of your birth month the following year. Continuing education is reported every other year during a two year period ARRT calls your CE biennium, and ARRT’s handbook adds a continuing qualifications requirement every 10 years. If you do not complete renewal, ARRT states your credentials are discontinued. Coming back costs money: ARRT lists $150 for online reinstatement when no exam is needed, and $225 when you must reinstate by re-examination. ARRT announced the $65 renewal, $100 CE probation, and $150 reinstatement amounts as changes effective January 1, 2026.

Incidental Costs to Plan For

Beyond ARRT’s own fees, budget for the items below.

• Pearson rescheduling. The handbook says Pearson charges a fee each time you reschedule and that you pay by credit card when you make the change. ARRT does not publish the amount, so check Pearson when you book. Canceling or rescheduling requires at least 24 hours (one business day) of notice, and ARRT notes a test center closed for severe weather lets you reschedule at no cost.
• Ethics Review Preapplication. The $100 fee is optional, so it only applies if you have a past issue you want ARRT to evaluate before you finish your program.
• Travel and time. Pearson has more than 200 test centers in the U.S. and territories. The appointment runs 4 hours 10 minutes including the tutorial, nondisclosure agreement, and survey, so plan for the full block.
• Study materials. ARRT publishes its content specifications for free. Any other prep is your own choice and cost.

The cheapest attempt is the first one that passes. Start practicing now with full length ARRT Radiography practice built around the current content specifications, or try a free practice test first to see where you stand before you pay the $225.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the ARRT Radiography exam cost?

As of October 2026, the ARRT primary pathway application fee is $225. It covers your application for certification and registration and your first exam attempt, and it is nonrefundable.

How much is it to retake the ARRT Radiography exam?

As of October 2026, ARRT’s reapplication fee is $200 for the primary pathway. It applies if you do not pass on your first or second attempt, and each attempt needs its own application and fee.

How much does it cost to renew ARRT certification?

As of January 1, 2026, the annual renewal fee is $65. It is the same amount however many ARRT credentials you hold, and the deadline is the last day of your birth month.

Can my school pay the ARRT application fee?

Some educational programs do. If yours does, you select the option to submit payment to the program and ARRT will not process your application until the school confirms payment. Ask your program director.

Sources

• ARRT, Fees
• ARRT, Important Information: ARRT Fee Changes Effective Jan. 1, 2026
• ARRT, Annual Renewal
• ARRT, 2026 Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook
• ARRT, Examination Questions
• ARRT, Radiography

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For educational and exam preparation purposes only. Not a substitute for formal clinical training.