CRA Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

Fall 2026 Testing Window at a Glance

The Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA) credential is issued by the Radiology Administration Certification Commission (RACC), an autonomous body operating within AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management. Unlike open-enrollment certificate programs, the CRA exam is offered in defined testing windows rather than year-round on-demand testing. For 2026, the operative window is the Fall administration, running November 1-30, 2026. Delivery happens through Meazure Learning, either at a physical test center or remotely via ProctorU, so candidates can pick whichever format fits their schedule and comfort level with remote proctoring software.

Because the window is a full month, radiology administrators, imaging directors, and department managers juggling clinical operations have flexibility in choosing an exact day and time - but that flexibility only exists if the paperwork on the front end is handled correctly. Missing an administrative deadline means waiting for the next scheduled window entirely.

Application Deadlines and Late Windows

For the Fall 2026 cycle, the regular application deadline was September 16, 2026 - roughly six weeks before the testing window opens. That gap exists so RACC and Meazure Learning can process eligibility documentation, confirm point totals, and issue authorization to test before candidates begin scheduling appointments.

Candidates who miss the regular deadline are not automatically shut out. RACC's policy allows for late applications to potentially be accepted for up to 15 days after the regular deadline, though this comes with an additional $50 fee on top of the standard charges. Late acceptance is not guaranteed, so it should never be treated as a backup plan - it's a safety net, not a strategy.

Fees Tied to Each Deadline

Understanding the fee structure helps you budget correctly and avoid surprises when you sit down to apply. For Fall 2026:

• AHRA members: $165 examination fee + $100 application fee = $265 total
• Non-members: $250 examination fee + $100 application fee = $350 total
• Eligible AHRA CRA Pathway members: application fee waived, bringing the total to $165
• Late applicants: add $50 to whichever total above applies

These numbers matter for planning purposes beyond just your bank account - they also signal how RACC structures the credential to reward AHRA membership and Pathway program participation. If you're weighing membership costs against exam fees, a fuller breakdown of every dollar involved, including recertification, is covered in our CRA Certification Cost 2026 breakdown.

Scheduling Your Seat with Meazure Learning

Once RACC approves your eligibility and issues authorization to test, scheduling happens through Meazure Learning's system. You'll choose between:

• Test-center delivery - an in-person, proctored environment at a designated testing site
• ProctorU remote testing - take the exam from home or office under live remote proctoring

Because the Fall window spans all of November, popular dates near the beginning and end of the month (and around holidays) can fill up on the test-center side faster than mid-month slots. If you know your department's schedule will be lighter during a particular week, book early rather than waiting until the window opens to see what's left. Remote ProctorU testing generally offers more day-to-day flexibility but requires a quiet, compliant testing space and a stable internet connection - something worth testing in advance if you've never used remote proctoring before.

Eligibility Timing: Points Before You Apply

You cannot apply to sit for the exam until your eligibility file is complete, and eligibility itself takes time to accumulate. CRA eligibility is based on a seven-point system drawn from three sources:

• Management experience: one point per qualifying year
• Education: up to four points, noncumulative
• A current qualifying imaging credential: up to one point

At least one education point is required unless the candidate already has ten or more years of qualifying management experience. Because these points often depend on completed coursework, credential renewal timing, or years of service that accrue on a fixed calendar, candidates aiming for the Fall 2026 window should verify their point total well before the September application deadline - not the week beforehand. For the complete point-by-point breakdown, see our CRA Requirements 2026 guide.

What Exam Day Looks Like

The CRA exam itself consists of 185 multiple-choice questions - 160 scored and 25 unscored (pretest) items mixed in without being identified - delivered within a 4-hour time limit. That works out to roughly 78 seconds per question on average, though pacing in practice should skew faster on straightforward recall items and slower on scenario-based, multi-step operations or fiscal questions.

Passing is determined using a criterion-referenced standard, meaning your result is measured against a fixed competency bar rather than curved against other test-takers. Notably, a new passing point is being established for the Fall 2026 form, which reflects the updated December 2025 content outline built on the 2025 role-delineation study. For a full explanation of how criterion-referenced scoring works and what it means for your target score, read our CRA Passing Score 2026 guide.

Because the unscored items are indistinguishable from scored ones, there's no strategic value in trying to guess which questions "don't count" - treat every question with the same level of attention.

Mapping the Five Domains to Your Prep Calendar

The Fall 2026 content outline (version December 2025) organizes the exam into five domains with official weight ranges. Building your study calendar around these weights - rather than spending equal time everywhere - is the single biggest scheduling decision you'll make once your test date is locked in.

For a deeper dive into every task statement and subtopic under each of these five areas, our CRA Exam Domains 2026 guide walks through the full content outline in detail.

When Scores Post and What Happens Next

Fall 2026 test-takers will not receive results immediately at the testing center or ProctorU session. Because a new passing standard is being established for this specific form, RACC has indicated that Fall 2026 scores will be released in mid-January 2027 - a longer wait than candidates on a stable, already-established passing point might expect. Build that timeline into any professional plans tied to the credential, such as promotion applications or job postings that list CRA as preferred or required.

Once certified, the clock starts on your three-year renewal cycle. Recertification requires 36 eligible management continuing education credits, with no more than 18 credits coming from a single domain, plus a $175 renewal fee. Passing the initial exam gives you a head start with 12 credits automatically applied toward that first cycle.

A Backward-Planning Timeline for Fall 2026

Working backward from a November testing window and a January score release, here's how a realistic preparation calendar breaks down for someone targeting Fall 2026:

This is only a skeleton - the actual depth of study each domain needs depends on your existing background. Someone with years of fiscal oversight but limited HR exposure should shift hours accordingly. For a more complete week-by-week study system built specifically around CRA content, see our CRA Study Guide 2026, and if you're still gauging how challenging this exam actually is relative to your experience, our CRA difficulty guide breaks that down honestly.

Whichever timeline you follow, practicing under realistic exam conditions matters as much as content review. Running full-length timed sets on our CRA practice test platform before your scheduled date helps surface pacing issues while you still have time to fix them, and reviewing missed questions against the domain weights above tells you exactly where remaining study hours belong.

If cost and scheduling logistics are just one piece of a bigger decision about whether to pursue this credential at all, our CRA ROI analysis and CRA Salary Guide look at the broader career picture, while CRA Jobs covers what employers typically look for. And if you want a fast reference for facts like these deadlines and fees while you're mid-application, bookmark our CRA Cheat Sheet and practice with timed sets here as your date approaches.

Frequently Asked Questions