- The standalone ETA International BIET exam fee is US$80, with a 75% passing score and no hands-on component.
- Remote testing via ExamRoom.AI adds US$16 to the exam fee for the two-hour session.
- One free retake is available within a year of your first attempt, though remote proctoring fees still apply.
- Maintaining your BIET costs US$25 per year (US$100 across the four-year term) plus continuing education.
BIET Certification Cost Overview
If you're researching the Biomedical Imaging Equipment Technician (BIET) credential from ETA International, cost is usually one of the first practical questions candidates ask - right alongside "how hard is the BIET exam?" The good news is that the BIET fee structure is relatively simple compared to many technical certifications: a flat exam fee, an optional remote-proctoring surcharge, and a modest annual maintenance cost to keep your credential active over its four-year term.
This breakdown walks through every dollar amount tied to the BIET pathway, based on ETA International's published pricing, so you can budget accurately for 2026 whether you're pursuing the standalone certification or the Journeyman CET specialty route. For a deeper look at what the exam itself actually tests, see the BIET Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 18 Content Areas.
The $80 Exam Fee: What It Covers
ETA International sets the BIET exam fee at US$80 for the standalone pathway. This is a flat fee that covers a single sitting of the exam, which is scored against a 75% passing threshold. There is no hands-on or practical examination component - the BIET assessment is entirely knowledge-based, drawing from the 18 content categories on the competency outline (currently carrying a 2019 copyright), including areas like Film Processing, Radiation Physics, and Linear Accelerators.
Unlike some biomedical certifications that require a foundational electronics credential before you can even register, the standalone BIET pathway does not require a foundational electronics certification as a prerequisite. That means the US$80 fee is essentially your entire "cost of entry" for the standalone route - you don't need to budget for a separate prerequisite exam first. If you're unsure whether you meet eligibility expectations, review BIET Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify before registering.
What the Fee Buys You
The exam fee covers a single scored attempt across all 18 domains, delivered either in person or remotely. It does not include study materials, practice exams, or continuing education credits needed later for maintenance.
- One scored exam session against the 75% passing standard
- Access to either in-person or remote testing formats (remote adds a surcharge)
- Eligibility for one free retake within a year if you don't pass on your first attempt
Remote vs. In-Person Testing Costs
Where and how you sit for the BIET exam changes your total out-of-pocket cost slightly. ETA International offers two testing formats:
- In-person testing: Administered using the Trapeza testing platform or paper/pencil format under the supervision of an ETA Certification Administrator. This format carries no additional fee beyond the base US$80 exam fee.
- Remote testing: Delivered through ExamRoom.AI, which requires registering through ETA in advance and adds US$16 to cover the two-hour proctored session. Remote testing brings your total exam-day cost to US$96.
Both formats require a valid photo ID. Scratch paper and a non-programmable scientific calculator are permitted during the exam, but any scratch paper used must be returned before you leave the testing session (or, for remote sessions, before the proctor closes out your exam). If calculator use or scratch-paper rules factor into your prep, it's worth reviewing the format expectations alongside the BIET Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass guide so there are no surprises on exam day.
| Testing Format | Base Exam Fee | Additional Fee | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-person (Trapeza or paper/pencil) | US$80 | None | US$80 |
| Remote (ExamRoom.AI) | US$80 | US$16 | US$96 |
Retake Costs If You Don't Pass
If your first attempt doesn't reach the 75% passing score, ETA International provides one free exam retake within one year of your first session. This is a meaningful cost protection compared to certifications that charge full price for every attempt - but there's an important nuance: the free retake covers the exam fee itself, not remote proctoring charges.
In practical terms, if you tested remotely the first time and need a retake, you'll likely still owe the US$16 ExamRoom.AI fee again, even though the underlying US$80 exam fee is waived. Candidates who want to minimize retake costs sometimes choose in-person testing specifically to avoid any recurring proctoring surcharge. For strategies to avoid needing a retake at all, the BIET Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt covers domain-by-domain prep priorities, and BIET Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows puts the retake policy in broader context.
Key Takeaway
Budget for the possibility of a retake by choosing in-person testing if cost minimization matters - it avoids repeating the US$16 remote proctoring fee even though the exam retake itself is free within one year.
Journeyman Upgrade Pricing
BIET is available two ways: as a standalone certification, or as one specialty recognized under ETA's Journeyman CET pathway. The Journeyman route accepts either CETa or all five Electronics Modules (EM1 through EM5) as the underlying foundation, and ETA recommends candidates have at least two years of relevant experience before pursuing it.
If you already hold a standalone BIET and later decide you want Journeyman recognition, there's a defined upgrade path: a maintained standalone BIET can be upgraded after you've earned CETa, provided you have at least two years of combined training and experience, and you pay a US$55 upgrade fee. This is separate from the original US$80 exam fee - it's an incremental cost layered on top of a certification you already hold, not a full re-examination.
Four-Year Maintenance Costs
A BIET certification is valid for a four-year term, and keeping it active requires ongoing effort and a recurring fee - this isn't a one-time credential you earn and forget. To maintain your certification, ETA International requires:
- Submission of the maintenance form
- 10 related continuing-education hours per year (40 hours total across the four-year term), or equivalent employer-verified experience completed and signed off by a supervisor
- A maintenance fee of US$25 per year, totaling US$100 across the full four-year cycle
ETA recommends submitting your maintenance documentation annually rather than waiting until the end of the four-year term. This spreads the US$25 payments out predictably and reduces the risk of scrambling to document 40 hours of continuing education all at once near your renewal deadline.
Maintenance Documentation Options
Candidates have two paths to satisfy the annual continuing-education requirement, which matters for planning both time and cost.
- Complete 10 hours per year of related continuing education and document it on the maintenance form
- Have a supervisor complete employer verification of equivalent on-the-job experience in lieu of formal CE hours
Total Cost of Ownership Over Four Years
Putting the pieces together, here's what a full four-year cycle looks like financially, from initial exam through renewal:
| Cost Component | In-Person Path | Remote Path |
|---|---|---|
| Initial exam fee | US$80 | US$80 |
| Remote proctoring surcharge | - | US$16 |
| Maintenance (4 years @ US$25/year) | US$100 | US$100 |
| Total over 4-year term | US$180 | US$196 |
Note that this total does not include an optional Journeyman upgrade (an additional US$55) or any study materials, practice exams, or continuing-education courses you may pay for separately to satisfy the CE requirement. Compared to many technical certifications, the direct fees charged by ETA International for the BIET are modest - most of your investment will be in study time rather than exam or renewal costs. To assess whether that investment pays off long-term, see Is the BIET Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and BIET Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.
Hidden Costs Candidates Overlook
Beyond the fees ETA International charges directly, a few less obvious costs affect your total budget:
- Continuing education courses: Satisfying the 10-hour annual CE requirement may involve paid coursework unless your employer provides free training or verifies equivalent experience.
- Study resources: Practice questions and structured review materials aren't included in the exam fee. Working through domain-specific practice tests on our BIET practice test platform is a common way candidates prepare before spending money on the actual exam attempt.
- Travel to a test site: If you choose in-person testing to avoid the remote surcharge, factor in travel time and cost to reach an ETA Certification Administrator location.
- Retake proctoring fees: As noted above, a free retake doesn't necessarily mean a completely free retake if you're testing remotely.
Budgeting Your Study Timeline
Since the exam fee is fixed and non-refundable beyond the one free retake, most candidates focus their financial planning on avoiding a second attempt altogether - which means allocating study time wisely across all 18 domains rather than spreading a fee across multiple tries. A simple way to align your study calendar with the exam's structure is to weight your review time toward the domains that are broadest or most technical, such as Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Nuclear Medicine, and Linear Accelerators, while not neglecting foundational areas like Anatomy, Medical Terminology, and Electro/Mechanical Safety.
Foundations
- Anatomy, Medical Terminology, Computer, and Electro/Mechanical Safety
Imaging Modalities
- Basic Radiographic Equipment, Film Processing, Diagnostic Ultrasound, PACS
Advanced Systems
- MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Linear Accelerators
Practical & Regulatory
- Building Wiring, Test Equipment, Troubleshooting, Radiation Safety, Radiation Physics, Codes and Regulations, then full practice exams
This kind of pacing turns a fixed US$80-96 exam fee into a one-time cost by reducing the odds you'll need the retake window at all. For a full walkthrough of every domain's weight and content, revisit BIET Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 18 Content Areas, and check BIET Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling to line up your study timeline with an actual registration date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The standalone BIET exam fee from ETA International is US$80. If you test remotely through ExamRoom.AI, an additional US$16 applies, bringing the total to US$96.
No - ETA International provides one free retake within one year of your first exam attempt. However, if you test remotely, the US$16 remote proctoring fee still applies to the retake session.
Maintenance costs US$25 per year, or US$100 over the full four-year certification term, along with 10 continuing-education hours per year (40 total) or equivalent supervisor-verified experience.
Yes. Once you've earned CETa and have at least two years of combined training and experience, you can upgrade a maintained standalone BIET for a US$55 fee.
No. The BIET certification exam is entirely knowledge-based with no hands-on examination component, so the US$80 fee covers only the written/computer-based assessment.
Understanding the full cost picture - exam fee, testing format surcharge, retake policy, and four-year maintenance - makes it easier to plan your BIET journey without financial surprises. For more on what the credential actually represents day to day, browse What Is BIET Certification? and BIET Jobs, or start practicing with our full BIET practice question bank before you commit to a registration date.