Earning your CET credentials will help you
Fulfill employer requirements
Access better career opportunities
Maximize earning potential
Enhance knowledge & skills
What Does Certified EKG Technician do?
By administering EKGs — testing the electronic activity of the heart through small electrode patches attached to the body — you'll be making a life-changing difference, helping people of all ages prevent and treat heart disease. As an EKG tech, you may perform some or all of the following tasks:
- Set up and administer EKGs (electrocardiograms) and stress tests
- Prepare patients for Holter or ambulatory monitoring
- Edit and deliver final test results to physicians for analysis
- Schedule appointments
- Transcribe physicians’ interpretations
91% of employers require or encourage certification for EKG Technicians
(Source: 2025 Industry Outlook)
CET Exam Eligibility
Possess a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalency; or are scheduled to earn a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalency in the next 12 months
Completed an EKG technician training or education program within the last 5 years
Provide evidence that you have successfully performed a minimum of ten (10) EKGs on live individuals.
OR
Possess a high school
diploma or
GED/high
school equivalency
1 year of supervised work experience in a EKG technician field within the last 3 years; or 2 years of supervised work experience in a EKG technician field within the last 5 years.
Provide evidence that you have successfully performed a minimum of ten (10) EKGs on live individuals.
5 steps to EKG certification
Apply for your exam
Create a free NHA account online, anytime, and submit your Certified EKG Technician (CET) exam application through your account portal.
Set a date
Select the date and location–online or in-person–for your exam. (An exam fee payment is required during this step.)
Prepare, prepare, prepare
Time to study! We're here to support you. We have study materials available, including an interactive study guide and EKG practice test.
Take the exam
You'll take the two-hour exam either at your school, a PSI testing center near you, or through live remote proctoring at the location of your choice.
Get your Results!
For online exams, NHA will officially post your certification results to your account page within two days of scoring your test.
