Surgical Technologist State Requirements

This page provides a comprehensive overview of surgical technologist requirements across all U.S. states and territories, including regulation status, certification expectations, and official salary data. Most states do not directly regulate surgical technologists, some states require certification or formal education, and many employers prefer or require Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credentials even when not mandated by law.

The information presented in this directory is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, legal interpretation, or a substitute for consultation with qualified legal counsel. Statutes, regulations, and administrative requirements may change, and users are encouraged to verify all information with the appropriate state authorities or regulatory agencies to ensure accuracy and current applicability.

Last updated: May 25th, 2026
Data sources: State statutes & regulations, Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) state law map, National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for Surgical Technologists (SOC 29-2055).

Use the interactive map and sortable table below to explore surgical technologist requirements across all U.S. states and territories. Click any state on the map or any column header in the directory to explore details.

Interactive Map of State Regulation

Select any state or territory to open its detailed surgical technologist requirements page.

Edu/Cert required – State law requires defined education and/or national certification (often CST) to work as a surgical technologist in regulated facilities.
Registration required – State law requires surgical technologists in covered facilities to register with the state, while employers set education and certification expectations.
Optional registration / title protection – State offers an optional registry and protects certain surgical technologist titles, but non‑registered technologists may still work if employers allow.
Unregulated – No surgical technologist‑specific statute, license, or registry; employers decide whether to require formal education and certification.

Select a state

Hover over a state on the map or a row in the table to see key requirements here.

Surgical Technologist State Requirements Map Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands Guam Northern Mariana Islands American Samoa
State / Territory Regulation status Summary Median Salary (BLS)
Alabama Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer accredited-program graduates with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C. $48,640
Alaska Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer accredited-program graduates with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Alaska does not require licensure, registration, or certification for surgical technologists. $74,330
Arizona Unregulated Arizona is an unregulated state for surgical technologists, with no state license, registry, or mandatory certification requirement specific to this occupation.[1][2] Employers typically look for graduation from an accredited surgical technology program and often prefer or require nationally certified candidates—commonly those holding CST®, TS‑C, or other recognized credentials—but these expectations arise from employer standards and risk‑management considerations rather than from Arizona statute. $62,640
Arkansas Optional Registration / Title Protection Optional registration / title protection; state offers a voluntary “registered surgical technologist” credential and protects that title, while employers may still hire non‑registered technologists but often prefer accredited-program graduates and nationally certified or registered staff. $53,407
California Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though California does not license or register surgical technologists as a distinct profession. $77,894
Colorado Edu/Cert Required Registration required; Colorado law requires most surgical technologists in covered facilities to hold state registration, while employers often prefer accredited-program graduates with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C. $64,970
Connecticut Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; state law requires facilities to employ only “qualified” surgical technologists—typically accredited‑program graduates with national certification such as CST or TS‑C—under the statutory criteria in § 20‑185aa. $70,910
Delaware Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Delaware does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $63,450
District of Columbia Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though the District of Columbia does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $70,610
Florida Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Florida does not license or register surgical technologists as a distinct profession. $56,730
Georgia Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; employers in Georgia commonly treat graduation from an accredited surgical technology program and national certification such as CST or TS‑C as the de facto standard, even though the state does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $60,880
Hawaii Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Hawaii does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $76,198
Idaho Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; Idaho expects hospital surgical technologists to be graduates of accredited programs or meet CST eligibility requirements, and employers verify these qualifications even though the state does not issue a separate surgical technologist license. $61,690
Illinois Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; Illinois protects the “Registered Surgical Technologist” title and is adding statutory education and certification pathways for most surgical technologists employed in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, even though it does not yet operate a full practice‑act license. $64,203
Indiana Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; Indiana law restricts surgical technology practice in health care facilities to individuals who meet defined certification, education, military‑training, or experience pathways, and protects the CST title for those who hold and maintain NBSTSA certification. $61,610
Iowa Unregulated Iowa is a non‑regulated state with no surgical technologist license or registry; employers typically require accredited education and prefer national certification (CST® or TS‑C), and the proposed HF77 practice‑standards bill has not been enacted as of 2026. $46,690
Kansas Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of CAAHEP‑aligned surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Kansas does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $60,892
Kentucky Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Kentucky does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $46,798
Louisiana Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST, even though Louisiana does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $51,930
Maine Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Maine does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $49,997
Maryland Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Maryland does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $68,143
Massachusetts Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; Massachusetts law conditions employment on completion of an accredited surgical technology program and CST certification (or a narrow statutory alternative), so facilities generally hire only CST‑credentialed surgical technologists. $60,900
Michigan Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Michigan does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $60,897
Minnesota Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST, even though Minnesota does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $70,379
Mississippi Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST, even though Mississippi does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $53,184
Missouri Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST, even though Missouri does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $60,420
Montana Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Montana does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $60,440
Nebraska Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though Nebraska does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $62,586
Nevada Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; Nevada law restricts facilities to employing surgical technologists who have completed an accredited program and hold CST certification (or fit a narrow statutory exemption or short new‑graduate grace period), so CST is effectively required for ongoing practice. $73,800
New Hampshire Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though New Hampshire does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $69,937
New Jersey Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; New Jersey law bars health care facilities from employing surgical technologists who have not met statutory education, national certification, military‑training, or grandfathering criteria, and it requires 15 hours of continuing education per year to remain eligible to practice. $71,370
New Mexico Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST, even though New Mexico does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession. $58,578
New York Edu/Cert Required Edu/Cert required; New York law regulates surgical technologists through Public Health Law §2824, requiring them to meet specified education or national‑credential pathways, work under supervision of licensed professionals, and complete 15 hours of continuing education annually in Article 28 facilities. $75,700
North Carolina Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST or TS‑C, even though North Carolina does not license or register surgical technologists and recent ST‑standards bills have not been enacted. $60,119
North Dakota Registration Required Registration required; North Dakota requires surgical technologists to register with the Board of Nursing as Unlicensed Assistive Persons/technicians (with surgical technician as a covered category), including an application, fee, criminal‑history check, and board‑recognized training or national certification such as CST. $60,418
Ohio Unregulated Unregulated; employers set standards, and many prefer graduates of accredited surgical technology programs with national credentials such as CST, even though Ohio does not license, certify, or register surgical technologists and proposed licensure legislation has not been enacted. $62,565
Oklahoma Unregulated Non‑licensure; Oklahoma does not license or register surgical technologists, but hospital rules specify that surgical technicians may function only as scrub personnel under RN supervision and may not serve as circulating nurses, so employers set education and certification standards on top of those operating‑room regulations. $58,880
Oregon Edu/Cert Required Regulated; Oregon law requires most surgical technologists in covered facilities to complete accredited education, hold a nationally accredited certification (such as CST) or another approved credential, and meet continuing‑education rules, with limited grandfathering, apprenticeship, military, and rural exceptions. $66,000
Pennsylvania Edu/Cert Required Regulated; Pennsylvania’s Act 80 requires most surgical technologists employed by health care facilities to complete an accredited program, pass a nationally accredited exam, and complete at least 15 hours of continuing education annually, with facilities responsible for verifying compliance under Department of Health oversight. $58,900
Rhode Island Unregulated Non‑licensure; Rhode Island does not license, certify, or register surgical technologists at the state level, so hospitals and surgery centers rely on accredited education (often via CCRI) and national credentials such as CST® as their primary hiring benchmarks rather than a dedicated state practice act. $63,997
South Carolina Edu/Cert Required Certification‑required; South Carolina law (SC Code § 44‑7‑380) requires most surgical technologists in licensed health care facilities to complete an accredited program, obtain and maintain NBSTSA’s Surgical Technologist Certification or qualify via specified military or experience pathways, and complete 15 hours of continuing education each year, with facilities verifying compliance. $55,570
South Dakota Unregulated Non‑licensure; South Dakota does not license, certify, or register surgical technologists, so hospitals and surgery centers rely on their own policies—typically preferring graduates of accredited programs with national credentials such as CST®—rather than a state practice act or registry. $51,120
Tennessee Edu/Cert Required Certification‑required; Tennessee law (Title 68, Chapter 57) requires surgical technologists employed in hospitals and covered facilities to meet statutory qualification pathways built around CAAHEP‑accredited education, NBSTSA CST® certification or specified military/experience alternatives, and fifteen hours of annual continuing education documented by employers. $56,370
Territory-American Samoa Unregulated Non‑licensure; American Samoa does not license surgical technologists as a separate profession under Title 31, Chapter 4, section 31.0421 of the American Samoa Rule Book, so hospitals rely on the American Samoa Health Services Regulatory Board, accredited programs, and national certification (such as CST®) plus local credentialing to authorize operating‑room technologists. $53,781
Territory-Guam Unregulated Non‑licensure; Guam does not require registration, certification, or licensure of surgical technologists, so hospitals and surgery centers rely on accredited CAAHEP/ARC‑STSA programs and national certification (such as CST®) plus internal credentialing and supervision by licensed practitioners, under the broader framework of the Guam Board of Allied Health Examiners. $51,663
Territory-Northern Mariana Islands Unregulated Non‑licensure; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands does not license surgical technologists as a separate profession, so hospitals and clinics rely on accredited CAAHEP/ARC‑STSA programs, national certification (such as CST®), and internal credentialing under the broader Health Care Professions Licensing Board framework rather than a dedicated ST license. $62,248
Territory-Puerto Rico Unregulated Non‑licensure; Puerto Rico does not register, certify, or license surgical technologists or set minimum education requirements for this occupation, so hospitals and surgery centers rely on accredited Surgical Technology programs and national certification (such as CST®) plus internal credentialing, while other health professions remain licensed under Title Twenty examining boards. $17,610
Territory-US Virgin Islands Unregulated Non‑licensure; the U.S. Virgin Islands do not license surgical technologists as a distinct profession, so hospitals and surgery centers rely on accredited Surgical Technology education, national certification (such as CST®), and internal credentialing under the oversight of DOH‑licensed practitioners, while DOH licensure processes apply specifically to EMTs and paramedics rather than to operating‑room technologists. $52,832
Texas Edu/Cert Required Regulated; Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 259 requires surgical technologists in licensed facilities to qualify through accredited education plus national certification (or specified military/prior‑experience pathways), with defined 180‑day new‑graduate provisions and biennial continuing‑education requirements enforced at the facility level. $66,640
Utah Unregulated Non‑licensure; Utah does not license or register surgical technologists, so hospitals and surgery centers follow hospital surgical‑services rules (with RN supervision) while setting their own requirements, which commonly include accredited education and national certification such as CST®, but not a state ST license. $55,000
Vermont Unregulated Non‑licensure; Vermont does not license, certify, or register surgical technologists at the state level, so hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers set their own standards—typically preferring accredited education and national credentials such as CST®—within the broader ambulatory‑surgery facility licensing framework. $45,996
Virginia Edu/Cert Required Registration‑required; Virginia protects the title “registered surgical technologist” and requires Board of Medicine certification based on defined education and national‑credential pathways, with biennial renewal and continuing‑education rules rather than an employer‑only standard. $54,999
Washington Registration Required Registration‑required; Washington requires individuals who use the “surgical technologist” title to hold a Department of Health registration under RCW 18.215 and WAC 246‑939, work under delegation in the sterile surgical setting, and avoid prohibited independent medical acts, while employers typically add expectations for accredited education and national certification. $73,000
West Virginia Unregulated Non‑licensure; West Virginia does not license or register surgical technologists, so hospitals and programs rely on accredited education and national certification (commonly CST®) as the de facto standard for preparing and hiring surgical technologists rather than a state‑issued credential. $52,290
Wisconsin Unregulated Non‑licensure (with proposed regulation); Wisconsin does not currently require a state license, registration, or state‑issued certification for surgical technologists, so hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers rely on accredited education and national certification—often CST®—as de facto standards, while pending legislation (AB 261/SB 260) would, if enacted, require certified or otherwise qualified technologists for surgical roles in these facilities. $72,530
Wyoming Unregulated Non‑licensure; Wyoming does not license, register, or certify surgical technologists at the state level, so hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers rely on accredited programs and national certification—commonly CST®—plus internal credentialing to control who may work in the operating room. $59,730

Data Sources & Citations

State law data: Compiled from official state statutes, the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) State Law Map, and NBSTSA certification requirements.

Salary data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2023) for Surgical Technologists (SOC 29‑2055).

Last updated: May 9th, 2026.

Credit: David Munro, CST — Surgical Technologist.

Primary sources: