- CAST is issued by ETA International and tests 13 base sections through a 75-question, two-hour written exam.
- Passing score is 75%; there is no hands-on component for the base CAST.
- Exam fee is $80, plus $16 if you use remote proctoring; one free retake is included within a year.
- Certification lasts four years and is renewed with 10 CE hours annually or employer verification.
What Is a CAST, Exactly?
CAST stands for Certified Alarm Security Technician, a credential administered by ETA International for people who install, configure, and service alarm and low-voltage security systems. If you've landed here after searching "what is a CAST," it's worth noting that the acronym is reused by a handful of unrelated certifications in other industries - this article, and every other page on this site, is exclusively about the alarm/security technician credential from ETA International. Nothing here borrows facts, fees, or domains from any other program that happens to share the same letters.
The base CAST credential covers the general competencies a working alarm technician needs - wiring, components, troubleshooting, and the math behind circuit and signal calculations - without the additional commercial-systems competencies found in the CAST(C) designation. For a plain-language breakdown of the acronym itself, see CAST Meaning and What Does CAST Stand For?.
Who Issues the CAST Credential
CAST is issued and maintained by ETA International, a long-standing electronics certifying body. ETA publishes the official competency document that defines exam content, and that document is the authoritative source for what candidates need to know - not third-party study guides, forum posts, or generic security-industry training. The version currently linked by ETA carries 13 base sections and 2013/2016 copyright dates, which tells you the core content has been stable for a while even as testing delivery methods have modernized.
If you want the full breakdown of eligibility rules before you register, read CAST Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Exam Format, Fees, and Registration
The CAST exam is a proctored written test administered through an ETA Certification Administrator. You have two main delivery paths:
- Trapeza online testing or paper testing at an approved test site
- ExamRoom.AI remote proctoring, which lets you test from home or office under camera supervision
The exam itself consists of 75 questions in a two-hour window, and you need a 75% passing score to earn the credential. There is no hands-on or practical demonstration component - everything is assessed through written questions, which makes disciplined domain-by-domain review more valuable than physical practice runs. For a deeper look at what "hard" actually means for this specific exam, see How Hard Is the CAST Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
No reference materials or formula sheets are permitted during the exam. Calculator use is allowed but governed by ETA's testing rules, so confirm what device is acceptable before exam day.
What It Costs
The base exam fee is $80. If you choose the two-hour remote-proctoring session through ExamRoom.AI, that adds $16 on top of the base fee. One important detail candidates often miss: if you don't pass on the first attempt, ETA provides one free retake within one year of the original session - but if you retake remotely, the proctoring charge applies separately again. A complete pricing walkthrough, including renewal costs, is available in CAST Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Because pass/fail is a hard 75% cutoff with no partial credit for practical skill, it pays to understand exactly how scoring works before you sit down - details are covered in CAST Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass. Testing windows and scheduling logistics through your local Certification Administrator are covered in CAST Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
The 13 CAST Domains
The written exam draws its 75 questions from 13 defined competency sections. Knowing the exact domain names - not vague topic guesses - is the single biggest advantage a candidate can have going into study. The full list, in ETA's own structure, is:
Domain 1: Technology and Configuration
Covers system layout decisions and how alarm technology is configured for a given installation.
- Understand how system design choices affect configuration steps
Domain 2: Alarms
Core knowledge of alarm system types, sensors, and how they trigger and report events.
- Know sensor categories and typical trigger logic
Domain 3: Cameras and Intercoms
Video and intercom hardware as part of an integrated security package.
- Understand how cameras and intercoms interface with alarm panels
Domain 7: Locks
Access-control hardware and how locking mechanisms tie into alarm and entry systems.
- Distinguish electrified lock types and their control requirements
Domain 9: Troubleshooting
Diagnosing system faults using logical, methodical steps rather than guesswork.
- Practice reading symptoms back to root-cause components
Domain 13: Mathematics
The calculations technicians need for wiring runs, voltage drop, and circuit sizing.
- Be comfortable with basic electrical formulas without a reference sheet
The remaining domains - Components, Cabling and Connectors, Interfacing, Block Diagrams and Schematics, Computers and Digital Concepts, Hand Tools - Soldering, and Data Communications and Software - round out the full 13. Each one deserves individual attention rather than being lumped into "general knowledge" review. For a section-by-section breakdown of what each domain actually tests and how heavily it's likely to show up, see CAST Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 13 Content Areas.
Stand-Alone CAST vs. Journeyman Status
Not every CAST holder is on the same track. ETA structures the credential so that a technician can earn the stand-alone certification independently, or pursue a higher Journeyman designation that layers on additional requirements.
| Path | Prerequisite | Additional Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-alone CAST | None required | Pass the 75-question written exam |
| Journeyman status | CETa credential | At least two years of combined training/experience |
This means you can walk into the CAST exam with zero prior ETA credentials and still earn the base certification - a detail that surprises a lot of candidates researching prerequisites. The Journeyman path exists for technicians who want to formally document field-level seniority on top of the base credential. Full eligibility nuances are unpacked in CAST Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify, and the base terminology is explained plainly in What Is CAST Certification?.
Who Hires CAST-Certified Technicians
Employers in the alarm and physical-security installation space use CAST as a hiring and promotion signal because it verifies written knowledge across the full scope of the trade - not just one narrow specialty. Typical hiring contexts include:
- Residential and light-commercial alarm installation companies
- Integrated security firms that bundle alarms, cameras, and access control
- Independent technicians seeking a portable, third-party-verified credential
- Employers who use CAST as a step toward internal advancement or Journeyman-track roles
If you're evaluating whether the certification translates into better job prospects or pay, CAST Jobs and CAST Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis go deeper on the employment angle, while Is the CAST Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 weighs the cost against the career benefit.
Keeping Your CAST Current
CAST is not a lifetime credential - it runs on a four-year certification term. To keep it active, ETA requires one of two paths:
- Continuing education: 10 CE hours per year, totaling 40 hours across the four-year term
- Employer/supervisor verification under ETA policy, as an alternative to logged CE hours
Maintenance has its own cost structure, separate from the original exam fee: $25 per year, or you can pay $100 up front to cover the full four-year term. Budgeting for this ongoing cost - not just the initial $80 exam fee - matters if you're comparing CAST against other credentials, which is exactly what CAST Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown is built to help with.
Key Takeaway
Set a calendar reminder near your CAST anniversary date each year. Missing CE hours or the annual fee is a far more common cause of lapsed certification than exam failure.
Building a Realistic Study Timeline
Because the CAST exam pulls from 13 distinct domains with no published weighting and no hands-on component, the most efficient prep approach is to rotate through domains in blocks rather than cramming generically. A simple four-week structure works well for most working technicians studying part-time:
Foundations
- Review Technology and Configuration, Alarms, and Components
- Skim the official ETA competency document section by section
Hardware and Wiring
- Cabling and Connectors, Locks, Cameras and Intercoms
- Practice identifying components from diagrams, not just names
Systems Logic
- Interfacing, Block Diagrams and Schematics, Troubleshooting
- Work through fault-diagnosis scenarios methodically
Digital and Math
- Computers and Digital Concepts, Data Communications and Software, Hand Tools - Soldering, Mathematics
- Drill calculations you'll need without a formula sheet
This rotation isn't a generic productivity template - it's ordered specifically around how CAST domains build on each other, moving from concepts to hardware to systems logic to the math and digital topics that tie everything together. For a more detailed, exam-aligned version of this plan, see CAST Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and for a condensed reference you can review the night before, try the CAST Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts. You can also run realistic timed practice questions on our practice test platform to see how your pacing holds up across all 13 domains before exam day.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The base CAST credential covers the 13 general competency sections. CAST(C) adds separate commercial-systems competencies on top of the base certification.
No. The stand-alone CAST credential does not require CETa. CETa is only required if you're pursuing Journeyman status, which also requires at least two years of combined training and experience.
The exam has 75 questions and a two-hour time limit, with a required passing score of 75%. There is no hands-on practical portion.
You get one free retake within one year of your original exam session. If you use remote proctoring for the retake, that $16 proctoring charge applies again separately.
CAST is valid for a four-year term. Renewal requires 10 CE hours annually (40 total over four years) or employer/supervisor verification, at a cost of $25 per year or $100 for the full four-year term.