The RESNA Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) credential
The ATP is a certification from RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America. It is not a state license. RESNA’s eligibility rules combine a degree with paid, direct assistive technology work experience, and RESNA counts occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and several other fields as Rehab Science degrees. The ATP is a separate credential from the CHT and from AOTA, APTA, or ASHA specialty certifications. No fees or pass rates are copied.
Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.
Sources read on November 10, 2026: RESNA’s Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) page, ATP Exam Eligibility page, About the ATP Exam page, the FAQ How do I meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the ATP exam, and the ATP Candidate Handbook (PDF, July 2026). RESNA’s fee and statistics pages are not copied.
What the ATP recognizes
RESNA states: “The ATP certification recognizes demonstrated competence in analyzing the needs of consumers with disabilities, assisting in the selection of appropriate assistive technology for the consumers' needs, and providing training in the use of the selected devices.” Its exam page states: “The ATP exam is intended to measure competent practice as a mid-level assistive technology practitioner.”
Which professions RESNA names
RESNA’s eligibility page states: “Rehab Science, for the purposes of the program, is defined as one of the following: medicine, nursing, low vision rehabilitation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, audiology, vocational rehabilitation, engineering (biomedical, clinical, or rehabilitation), prosthetics & orthotics, recreation therapy, and rehabilitation technology”.
The Candidate Handbook’s Evaluation and Assessment Route states: “Specific job titles may include Occupational Therapist (OT), Physical Therapist (PT), and Speech & Language Pathologist (SLP), Special Educator, AT Supplier or Manufacturer, Rehabilitation Engineer, Assistive Technologist, Rehabilitation Technologist, or Rehabilitation Technician.” The handbook’s Implementer Route states: “Specific job titles may include Occupational Therapist Assistant, Physical Therapist Assistant, Paraprofessional, SLP Assistant, Rehabilitation Engineer, Rehabilitation Technologist, Rehabilitation Technician.” RESNA’s eligibility, FAQ, and exam web pages do not name those assistant titles; how an associate degree counts is in RESNA’s table.
Degree and work experience
RESNA’s eligibility table pairs each degree level with hours of work experience. For example, for a “Master’s Degree or Higher in Rehab Science” it lists “1000 hours within the past 6 years**”, and for a “Bachelor’s Degree in Rehab Science” it lists “1500 hours within the past 6 years**”. Other degree levels, and the AT training hours for degrees outside Special Education or Rehab Science, are in RESNA’s table.
RESNA’s FAQ describes the experience differently: “You must have at least two years of experience in AT direct consumer-related service.” The hours table and the two-years wording are left side by side; RESNA’s eligibility page and handbook are the detailed sources.
On what counts, the eligibility page states: “The work experience must consist of Assistive Technology services that are provided direct service to consumers and others related to or working with consumers.” It also states: “Only paid work may be applied towards the work experience requirement, unless otherwise noted.” The handbook says: “You must have direct, paid experience providing assistive technology services to people with disabilities to apply for the ATP Exam.”
The exam
RESNA states: “The ATP examination features 180 multiple choice questions that test competency in the broad field of assistive technology practice.” And: “The four-hour exam is administered via computer at Prometric test centers around the world.” On scoring: “You need a total score of 600 or above to pass the exam.”
Recertification
The handbook states: “Initial certification, earned through the application and exam process, is valid for two years.” It says recertification requires documentation of “Relevant work experience” and ongoing professional development through “retaking the examination; or” “earning continuing education units; or” “earning academic credit from an academic (higher education) institution”.
How it relates to other credentials
The ATP is awarded by RESNA, not by a licensing board or by NBCOT, FSBPT, or ASHA. Other optional credentials on this site are the Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) from HTCC and AOTA Advanced Certification; each has its own rules. See Specialties for the full list.
What this page does not do
It does not copy application, exam, or renewal fees or exam statistics, and does not say that any job or payer requires the ATP. It is not legal, billing, or compliance advice. Confirm current rules with the agency or organization that publishes them, your employer, and your state board.