Will The RRT Credential Be A Requirement?

This has been an ongoing debate for quite some time. Will respiratory therapists be required to have an RRT credential? The answer is, yes and It depends, but eventually, yes! If California is any indication as to what will take place, the California Society of Respiratory Care (CSRC) wrote a letter to the Respiratory Care Board of California (RCB) to take “immediate action in implementing the RRT credential.”[1]

Did the RCB comply? Yes. California is mandating RRT credentialing beginning 2015. 

In addition, have you read about the change to the NBRC exam for 2015? Here is a snippet:

Changes will include a single multiple choice examination with separate passing points for the CRT credential and eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination which will include a larger number of shorter simulation problems.[2]

In other words, if you score high enough on the CRT exam, you will be eligible to take the simulation exam, and if you pass, you will be given the RRT credential. Currently, the process is that students must

1. Pass the CRT exam
2. Pass the RRT multiple choice (written) exam
3. Pass the RRT clinical simulation exam

That’s all changing by 2015.



[1] CSRC Open Letter

[2] NBRC Change6