North Dakota Surgical Technologist Requirements

Overview

North Dakota regulates surgical technologists through the North Dakota Board of Nursing’s Unlicensed Assistive Person (UAP) and technician registry.^[1][2] Surgical technologists who carry out delegated nursing interventions must hold current registry status as UAPs/technicians before working in North Dakota facilities.^[1][2]

Board guidance specifies that “Surgical Technicians” are one of the UAP job categories on the registry and that applicants must use the Nurse Portal to submit an application, fee, and required documentation.^[2] National association summaries classify North Dakota as a registration state for surgical technologists based on this 2019 law and the associated Board of Nursing rules.^[3]

In practice, North Dakota employers also look for graduates of board‑recognized and nationally accredited surgical technology programs who hold national certification such as CST®, even though the state’s core requirement is registration rather than a separate ST license card.^[1][2][4][6] Employers combine state registry status with local competency checks and national credentials to set their own minimum hiring standards.^[3][4]

State Classification

North Dakota is a regulated, registration‑required state for surgical technologists.^[1][2][3] State and association materials note that North Dakota has a surgical technologist registration requirement administered through the Board of Nursing’s UAP/technician registry rather than leaving standards solely to employers.^[1][2][3]

AST legislative overviews list North Dakota among the states with laws related to registration for surgical technologists.^[3] This places North Dakota in the group of states where technologists must hold a state‑recognized credential or registry status to work, even if the form is registration instead of a classic professional license.^[1][3]

Statutory Requirements

The North Dakota Board of Nursing maintains an Unlicensed Assistive Persons & Technician Registry that covers several job categories, including surgical technicians.^[2] Board rules require that UAPs who carry out delegated nursing interventions hold current registry status with the Board of Nursing.^[2]

Initial UAP/technician applicants must submit an application and non‑refundable fee through the Nurse Portal, complete a criminal history record check under chapter 54‑07‑02.1, and, if applying as a technician, provide verification of completion of a board‑recognized formal training program or other board‑accepted evidence of preparation.^[2] For surgical technicians, the board recognizes national certification from NBSTSA as one accepted pathway, alongside board‑recognized training and experience options.^[2]

State contact summaries further explain that surgical technologists must either provide official transcripts from a board‑recognized surgical technology program or meet alternate criteria accepted by the Board of Nursing when applying for registry status.^[1][2] Technologists must also meet any ongoing board requirements for maintaining that registry entry in good standing.^[1][2]

Employer Standards in North Dakota

Beyond state registration, North Dakota employers use their own policies to define surgical technologist qualifications and competencies.^[3][4] Hospitals, surgery centers, and specialty clinics typically require completion of an accredited surgical technology program plus operating‑room experience as baseline hiring criteria.^[4][6]

AST position statements encourage facilities in registration states like North Dakota to require graduation from CAAHEP‑ or ABHES‑accredited programs and CST® certification to support patient safety and standardize practice.^[3][6] Employers often formalize these expectations in job descriptions, competency checklists, and annual evaluations that sit on top of the state’s registry requirements.^[4][6]

Certification Requirements

Board of Nursing UAP/technician guidance notes that surgical technicians on the registry must have “a current and active certification by a board‑recognized national body” for their job category, listing NBSTSA, NCCT, AAH, and NAHP as recognized national bodies for surgical technicians.^[2] This effectively ties North Dakota registry recognition for surgical technologists to CST® or another board‑recognized national certification credential.^[2]

A‑B Tech’s state contact summary likewise states that North Dakota surgical technologists must submit an application, fee, and either official transcripts from a board‑recognized program or documentation of national certification to qualify for registration.^[1] National association materials highlight CST® as the primary credential used to meet these expectations in registration states.^[3][6]

North Dakota surgical technology program descriptions emphasize accreditation and CST® exam preparation as core outcomes for graduates who plan to register and work in the state.^[4][6] After certification, technologists must follow NBSTSA recertification rules, which combine continuing‑education activities and renewal fees to keep CST® active.^[6]

Employers may also hire technologists with other recognized national credentials when they align with Board of Nursing recognition and internal policies.^[2][4] In practice, technologists who hold CST® often have broader job options and are more competitive for full‑time staff roles in larger systems.^[3][4][6]

Registration / Licensure

North Dakota does not issue a separate “surgical technologist license” under its nurse license structure, but it does require surgical technologists to appear on the Board of Nursing’s UAP/technician registry as surgical technicians.^[1][2] All applications for licensure and registration with the Board, including UAP/technician registry entries, are submitted through the Nurse Portal.^[2]

UAP registry information explains that technicians must submit an Unlicensed Assistive Person application, pay the required fee, complete a criminal history record check, and provide documentation of training or national certification as appropriate to their job category.^[2] For surgical technicians, the board‑recognized national body is NBSTSA, which issues CST® certification.^[2][6]

Hospitals and other employers verify UAP/technician registry status through the Board’s online verification tools as part of pre‑hire credentialing and periodic audits.^[1][2] Technologists who also hold North Dakota nursing or other professional licenses remain accountable to those boards’ practice acts for their licensed work, while their surgical technology duties rely on UAP registry status and facility policies.^[2][4]

Renewal Requirements

Unlicensed Assistive Person and technician registry entries with the Board of Nursing must be renewed according to board timelines posted in the Nurse Portal.^[2] The Board’s site notes that all applications for licensure and registration, including renewals, are managed through the online portal rather than paper forms.^[2]

UAP/technician renewal requirements can include renewal fees, confirmation of ongoing competence, and, where specified, continuing‑education or practice‑hour attestations consistent with board rules.^[2] Surgical technologists are responsible for monitoring renewal dates and completing all required steps before their registry entry expires to avoid interruptions in practice eligibility.^[1][2]

CST®‑certified technologists must also maintain their national credentials by meeting NBSTSA recertification standards, which generally require continuing‑education credits over a defined cycle or retaking the exam.^[6] Employers frequently track both UAP/technician registry status and national certification status during periodic credential reviews.^[3][4][6]

Background Checks

The Board of Nursing’s UAP registration guidance explicitly requires a criminal history record check (CHRC) and associated fees for initial UAP/technician applicants, including surgical technicians, under chapter 54‑07‑02.1.^[2] This state‑level CHRC requirement is part of the registration process and is separate from employer‑driven background checks.^[2]

North Dakota employers also conduct their own background screening when hiring surgical technologists, including criminal checks, drug testing, immunization review, and reference verification to satisfy facility policies and accreditation standards.^[4][6] These employer checks complement the board’s CHRC to support patient‑safety and quality‑assurance goals.^[2][4][6]

Scope of Practice

Board of Nursing guidance describes surgical technicians as Unlicensed Assistive Persons who carry out delegated nursing interventions and intraoperative tasks under the supervision of licensed nurses and surgeons.^[2] As UAPs, they may perform only those functions that fit within delegation frameworks and facility policies; they are not independent practitioners.^[2][4]

In day‑to‑day practice, North Dakota surgical technologists typically prepare the operating room, arrange instruments and supplies, assist with patient positioning and draping, maintain the sterile field, pass instruments and supplies, handle specimens, and assist with counts according to facility procedure.^[4][6] They do not diagnose, prescribe, or independently determine treatment plans and must remain within delegated responsibilities as defined by supervising licensed professionals and board rules.^[2][4][6]

Governing Agency

The North Dakota Board of Nursing is the governing agency for surgical technologists through its Unlicensed Assistive Person & Technician Registry.^[1][2] The Board’s website and Nurse Portal provide access to registration applications, criminal history check instructions, renewal processes, and online verification tools.^[2][3]

Other agencies and accrediting bodies regulate facilities where surgical technologists work, but the Board of Nursing manages registry status and associated rules for UAP/technician categories, including surgical technicians.^[1][2] National certification organizations such as NBSTSA support this framework by providing CST® exams and recertification pathways that the Board recognizes for surgical technicians.^[2][6]

Statute Citations

• Unlicensed Assistive Person & Technician Registry – Board of Nursing authority: Board rules and guidance governing the UAP/technician registry require current registry status for UAPs who carry out delegated nursing interventions, including surgical technicians, and specify application, CHRC, training, and national‑certification expectations.^[2]
• State contact summary – registration requirement: National state‑contact lists for surgical technology note that North Dakota “requires surgical technologists to register with the North Dakota Board of Nursing” by submitting an application, fee, and board‑recognized education or credential documentation.^[1]

North Dakota Surgical Technologist Salary & Job Outlook

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) data for Surgical Technologists (SOC 29‑2055) report a national annual mean wage of about $60,600 and a median annual wage around $59,520 for full‑time wage and salary workers as of May 2023.^[4][5] North Dakota’s OEWS state estimates show surgical technologist wages that generally track near national levels, with some variation across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas based on employer mix and local demand.^[5][6]

The Occupational Outlook Handbook profile projects approximately 5 percent national employment growth for surgical technologists and related roles from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.^[4] In North Dakota, health‑system and regional workforce materials point to ongoing need for full‑time staff surgical technologists in hospitals and surgery centers, particularly for candidates who complete accredited programs, hold CST®, and maintain active registry status with the Board of Nursing.^[2][4][6]

Summary

North Dakota requires surgical technologists to register on the North Dakota Board of Nursing’s Unlicensed Assistive Person & Technician Registry as surgical technicians, including completing an application, criminal history check, and board‑recognized training or national certification.^[1][2] Aspiring North Dakota surgical technologists should complete an accredited program, obtain CST® certification through NBSTSA, and keep both their national credential and UAP/technician registry status current to meet state rules and employer expectations.^[2][3][4][6]

References

• [1] A‑B Tech. “State Contact Agencies – Surgical Technology” – national PDF listing state contact agencies for surgical technology and noting that North Dakota requires surgical technologists to register with the North Dakota Board of Nursing, including application, fee, and transcript or credential documentation. https://abtech.edu/sites/default/files/2022-03/surgical-technology-state-licensing-boards.pdf^[web:635]
• [2] North Dakota Board of Nursing. “Unlicensed Assistive Person & Technician Registry / UAP Registration” – official Board pages describing the UAP and technician registry, listing surgical technicians as a covered job category, outlining application, Nurse Portal, criminal history check, and national‑certification expectations, and naming NBSTSA as the recognized body for surgical technicians. https://ndbon.org/uap-maiii/uap-registration/^[web:1092]
• [3] Association of Surgical Technologists (AST). “Legislative Overview / State Law Map” – national overview noting that North Dakota is one of the states with laws related to registration for surgical technologists and summarizing AST’s legislative mission for accredited education and CST® certification in regulated and registration states. https://www.ast.org/Public_Policy/Legislative_Overview/^[web:881]
• [4] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Surgical Assistants and Technologists” – Occupational Outlook Handbook profile providing national median pay for surgical technologists and related occupations and projecting employment growth from 2024 to 2034, used to describe national job‑outlook trends that affect North Dakota demand. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/surgical-assistants-and-technologists.htm^[web:419]
• [5] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Surgical Technologists, SOC 29‑2055, May 2023” and “May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates – North Dakota” – OEWS national and North Dakota tables providing full‑time wage and salary estimates and employment data used to describe national and state wage patterns for surgical technologists. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes292055.htm; https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes_nd.htm^{[web:408][web:1094]}
• [6] AST and NBSTSA resources – AST minimum‑standards and facility‑policy documents, along with NBSTSA certification and recertification information, explaining the role of accredited programs and CST® in employer standards and board‑recognized certification for surgical technologists. https://www.ast.org/…/Minimum%20Standards%20Surgical%20Technologists; https://www.nbstsa.org^{[web:978][web:408]}