PASC Certification

What the PASC Credential Actually Is

Pediatric Audiology Specialty Certification (PASC) is a voluntary specialty credential offered by the American Board of Audiology (ABA). Candidates who pass and meet all program requirements earn the designation Board Certified in Pediatric Audiology (BC-PA). If you are still sorting out the terminology, our explainers on what PASC certification is and what PASC stands for cover the basics; this article focuses on how the certification works from application through renewal.

Two features set this program apart from many professional credentials. First, it is independent of other certification: under the current handbook and program page, general ABA certification, the CCC-A, and professional membership are not prerequisites. Second, the evidence base for eligibility is clinical practice with children, not just degree completion. The credential is meant to signal that you have sustained, documented experience in pediatric hearing and balance care.

Who Qualifies to Apply

Eligibility is experience-heavy. The application asks you to document the following:

• A graduate audiology degree from a regionally accredited institution, supported by an official transcript.
• An appropriate audiology license or work authorization. The current handbook requires a permanent U.S. audiology license, or valid license/work authorization for international and U.S.-territory applicants.
• Paid, post-degree professional experience.
• 550 pediatric direct-patient hours and 50 pediatric case-management hours, accumulated over two consecutive years within the preceding five years.
• Two professional references, one of which must be a supervisor.
• Documented experience and a signed ethics agreement.

Externship hours do not qualify toward the pediatric hour requirements. That surprises some recent graduates, so plan around it if you are early in your career.

Older materials, including the January 2024 handbook introduction, listed other-certification prerequisites. Those have been superseded. Always work from the current handbook (Edition 23, November 2025) rather than archived PDFs.

Application, Fees, and Registration Mechanics

The process has two financial components that are paid separately: an application fee and an exam registration fee. ABA fees differ for Academy members and non-members, and the figures below exclude membership dues.

A second-certification application receives a USD 50 application-fee reduction, which is relevant if you already hold another ABA credential. For the full cost picture including renewal, see our PASC certification cost breakdown.

The sequence matters. You submit the application and documentation first, wait for approval, and then register for an exam window. Missing the application deadline means waiting for the next cycle, so build your documentation early. Transcripts, supervisor references, and hour logs are the items that most often take longer than expected.

Exam Format and Question Style

The exam consists of 120 questions delivered in 2 hours 30 minutes. Of those, 100 are scored and 20 are unscored beta items used to evaluate future questions. You will not be told which items are which, so treat every question as if it counts.

Every question has four answer options, but two item types appear:

• Single-answer multiple choice: one correct option out of four.
• Multiple-response: two or three correct options out of four. Read the stem carefully for the number of selections required.

There is no guessing penalty, so leaving an item unanswered offers no scoring advantage. Answer everything, flagging uncertain items to revisit if time allows. At roughly 75 seconds per question across all 120 items, pacing matters: a long case-based stem can consume time you need later.

The Six Content Domains

The exam blueprint has six content domains. The current handbook publishes scored-item allocations of 24, 21, 22, 16, 9, and 8 out of 100, and the ABA's November 13, 2023 revised-blueprint announcement publishes the matching percentage weights. These are formal exam content domains, not a preparation curriculum, so your study plan should be organized around your gaps rather than simply following the list order. For a deeper breakdown, see our complete guide to all six PASC content areas.

The 2023 announcement adds the phrase "patients with" to this domain's title; the current handbook and live-page wording controls the heading used here.

Notice how the weighting should shape your time. Domains 1 and 3 together account for 46% of the scored items. Domains 5 and 6 together account for 17%. That does not mean ignoring the small domains; it means you should not spend equal hours on every area.

Scoring, Pass Rates, and Results Timing

Passing is criterion-referenced. The ABA uses modified Angoff standard setting and applies the overall raw score on the 100 scored items, with adjustment for item difficulty. There is no fixed, universal passing percentage you can memorize, which is why raw practice-test percentages are an imperfect predictor. Our PASC passing score guide explains what this means for your preparation.

On outcomes, the ABA's August 6, 2026 report gives a Spring 2026 first-time pass rate of 82.6%, while 20 of 25 candidates passed overall. These figures use different denominators, so do not treat them as contradictory or interchangeable. A reported 2025 first-time rate of 86.9% describes a different cohort and should not be read as a 2026 figure. For more context, see our analysis of the PASC pass rate, and for a perspective on difficulty, how hard the PASC exam is.

Results arrive approximately eight weeks after the administration, so plan any dependent decisions, such as job applications or announcements, with that delay in mind.

Remote Testing Rules

The exam is delivered through Prolydian with Proctor360 live remote proctoring. Older Examity delivery language in archived materials does not override the current Prolydian/Proctor360 instructions.

• Device: a desktop or laptop with a webcam and microphone. Tablets, phones, and Chromebooks do not meet the requirements.
• Environment: a private room, with identity and room checks before you begin.
• ID: current government-issued photo and signature ID that matches your registered name.
• Rules: English-only and closed book. No calculators, notes, dual monitors, or ordinary breaks.

Approved accommodations are governed separately; if you need one, start that process well before your testing window rather than at registration.

Sequencing Your Preparation by Domain

Because the domains are weighted unevenly, a PASC study plan should front-load the heavy areas and reserve time for mixed practice. This sample sequence assumes a roughly six-week runway and should be adjusted to your clinical strengths. Clinicians who work daily in diagnostics may need less time on Domain 1 and more on educational audiology, for example. See our PASC study guide for a fuller plan.

When you are ready for timed practice, use the PASC practice test site to simulate the format, and keep our PASC cheat sheet handy for a final review of high-yield facts.

Dates and Your Five-Year Testing Window

The next exam window is May 3-17, 2027. Key deadlines:

For ongoing updates, see our page on PASC exam dates and deadlines.

Once your application is approved, you have a finite window to test and retake. The current handbook permits testing and retakes for five years beginning on the first day of the next testing window after application approval. An older FAQ counts the five years from the first test date instead. Treat the current handbook as controlling, but be aware the conflict exists and confirm with the ABA if your timing is close to a boundary. After your eligibility expires, you must submit a new application, documentation, and fees.

Renewal Every Three Years

BC-PA certification must be renewed every three years. Requirements are:

• 60 CE hours total, including 30 pediatric hours, 15 Tier 1 hours, and 3 professional-ethics hours
• Continued ethics and licensure compliance
• A USD 360 renewal fee for either membership group

The pediatric, Tier 1, and ethics categories are subsets of the same 60-hour total, not additional hours on top of it. Excess hours do not carry forward into the next cycle, so there is no benefit to front-loading beyond what you need.

Where the Credential Fits in a Career

PASC is most relevant for audiologists whose caseloads or roles center on children. Typical settings include children's hospitals, university and academic medical centers, pediatric ENT and audiology practices, early hearing detection and intervention programs, and school-based or educational audiology roles. The credential can help differentiate you when applying for pediatric-focused positions or advancing within a program, though its value depends on your employer and region. Our PASC jobs overview and salary guide explore the market, and our ROI analysis helps you weigh cost against benefit for your situation.

Because the certification is voluntary, the decision is personal and professional rather than mandated. If your practice is heavily pediatric and you want a recognized marker of that expertise, it is worth a close look.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a broader introduction to the program, you can also read our overview of what PASC is, then use the PASC Exam Prep practice questions to start building familiarity with the question format.