Key Takeaways
- To get ASP certification, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in any field OR an associate degree in safety, health, or the environment, plus one year of professional safety experience, and you must pass the ASP examination.
- ASP certification cost is roughly $494 to apply and sit the exam (this includes a $350 exam fee and a $160 application fee, bundled), then a $170 annual renewal once you’re certified.
- The ASP is a credential most people earn on the way to becoming a Certified Safety Professional.
- The ASP is the more attainable of the two BCSP exams, with a 2024 pass rate of approximately 81%.
Do You Need an ASP Certification?
If you’re a safety professional, you know that credentials verify expertise. The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) offers globally accredited certifications that support individual career development. One of the most popular credentials for safety professionals is the Associate Safety Professional (ASP) certification. It’s a stepping stone to the Certified Safety Professional, which makes it very desirable to employers and safety experts. Knowing the ASP certification requirements and the cost can help you get started with the certification process.
What the ASP Certification Actually Is
The ASP certification, issued by BCSP, is an associate-level credential. The ASP leads to the CSP certification.
General contractors and Environmental Health and Safety teams list ASP certification in job postings because it signals verified, professional-level safety knowledge. On paper, the ASP is often the credential that separates a coordinator from a manager.
To achieve ASP certification, the candidate must meet prerequisite requirements, study, pay fees, and take an exam. Once certified, an ASP may do tasks like coordinating safety activities, identifying hazardous situations, and conducting basic safety analyses.
ASP Certification Requirements
Candidates for ASP must have a bachelor’s degree in any field or an associate degree in safety, health, or the environment. They must also have at least one year of safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) experience. At least 50% of that experience needs to be preventative, professional-level work (versus reactive or clerical tasks). To verify this, BCSP requires transcripts or degree verification and a documented experience history.
Required Educational Background
You can meet the ASP education requirement one of two ways:
- Bachelor’s Degree in ANY field OR
- Associate Degree in safety, health, or the environment*
*BCSP requires the associate degree to include coursework in the SH&E domains covered by the exam. This translates to roughly 12 semester hours across four courses, and as a result, a general associate degree alone usually isn’t enough on its own.
Do You Need a Degree to Sit for the ASP?
You can’t get ASP certification without a degree, but if you have a bachelor’s degree, it doesn’t need to be safety-specific. A bachelor’s in any field is enough. There’s no option to swap years of experience for the degree.
If you have no degree and would like to get a certification, the BCSP’s Construction Health and Safety Technician certification (CHST) requires about three years of construction safety experience where at least 35% of the duties are technical safety work. This credential is a solid stepping stone toward the ASP. It can signify your expertise to employers, and once you have a qualifying degree, you can take steps to get the ASP certification.
The ASP Exam: Domains, Format, and Cost
According to BCSP, you’ll pay $160 for the ASP application and $350 to take the exam (or you can pay $494, if you bundle them together). Many people do this by signing up for formal ASP certification exam prep services, but those on a budget can study for free. Either way, you’ll need an ASP exam study plan, whether you’re studying alone or with a program.
Once you’re approved to take the exam, you’ll have one year to schedule the appointment. If you need more time, you can pay a one-time $100 eligibility extension. Once you’re certified, you’ll pay a $170 annual renewal fee to maintain the credential. The BCSP notes on their website that fees can change without notice, so check the BCSP website for the most up-to-date information about fees.
The exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions delivered by computer at Pearson VUE test centers. The test appointment is five hours long. There are nine exam domains, and the exam draws questions from each one. The most heavily weighted domain is safety programs and concepts (25%).
- Safety programs and concepts: 25%
- Fire prevention and protection: 12%
- Industrial hygiene and occupational health: 12%
- Training, education, and communication: 11%
- Mathematical calculations: 10%
- Emergency preparedness and response: 10%
- Ergonomics: 8%
- Environmental management: 7%
- Legal: 5%
How Long It Takes and How to Study
Once you’re approved to take the ASP, it’s time to study. ASP certification exam prep time and methods vary. Typical exam-study sites list about 8 to 12 weeks to prepare for the exam if you’re a professional working full-time. If you have an unrelated degree, you may need longer than someone who has an associate degree in safety. There are different ways to prepare, including self-study and ASP-style prep courses.
Self-study exam prep techniques require more discipline and motivation to be effective. If you’re good at independent study and have a limited budget, self-study exam prep can work.
Structured exam prep packages are a good option for people who need more structure and direction in their study efforts. These exam prep courses cost money, but if you have the budget and need the help, this is a good option for preparing for the exam.
Passing the ASP exam is an attainable goal for the majority of test-takers. In 2024, the pass rate for the exam was around 81%. With this information in mind, you can choose the study method that works for you.
What Changes on the Job Once You’re ASP-Certified
Once you’re ASP-certified, you’ll likely see a shift in responsibility and oversight on the job site. Many employers hand ASP-holders more responsibility for reporting across crews or sites, along with broader oversight of subcontractor compliance. As an ASP holder, you may begin to use Safety Mojo’s Contractor Scorecard for a live, current-state view of how each sub is performing on the safety program. The Contractor Scorecard offers insights into Pre-Task Plan (PTP) quality, safety observations, audit findings, incidents, and how fast corrective actions get closed.
Ask Mojo can also answer questions out loud in English or Spanish, pulling only from the safety documents each company has uploaded, so a foreman or superintendent gets an answer straight from the crew’s phone. These tools can help new ASP certificate holders as they adjust to their new duties and scope of work.
ASP vs. CSP: Which Certification Fits Your Career Path
The ASP and CSP are not completely separate tracks. Many safety professionals choose a path from ASP to CSP certification, first getting one, then the other.
The CSP credential requires more work experience, so you take it later in your career. Meanwhile, the ASP offers proof of fundamentals, which can help you attain a good job while you’re gaining that experience. If you earn the ASP immediately after your first qualifying year, you’ll still need to reach four total years of qualifying experience before you’re CSP eligible.
Taking time between the two certifications is a good choice, since the CSP is a deeper, management-level exam with a much lower pass rate (approximately 68%, versus the ASP’s 81%).
| Certification | Education Requirement | Experience Requirement | Pass Rate |
| ASP | Bachelor’s degree (any field), OR associate’s degree in SH&E. The associate degree must include four courses with at least 12 semester hours of study in the SH&E domains covered in the ASP examination blueprint | 1 year of SH&E experience, at least 50% of which is/was preventative | ~81% in 2024 |
| CSP | Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in any field | 4 years of SH&E experience, at least 50% of which is/was preventative, and a BCSP approved credential | ~68% in 2024 |
Keep Building Your Safety Career Beyond the Exam
The ASP credential helps build credibility on site, but the day-to-day work still requires safety professionals to keep field data straight and defensible. If you’re building toward the ASP while running a real job site, see how Safety Mojo helps you keep field data straight while you study at safetymojo.com.
ASP Certification FAQ
How do I get an ASP certification?
To take the ASP exam, you’ll need to meet the educational prerequisites (either a bachelor’s degree in ANY field, or an associate’s degree in SH&E) and the experience prerequisite (one year of SH&E experience, at least 50% of which is/was preventative). To gain the credential, apply for the credential through BCSP, then pass the ASP exam once you’re approved.
Which is harder, ASP or CSP?
The ASP had a pass rate of approximately 81% in 2024, whereas the CSP had a pass rate of approximately 68% in the same year. The CSP is more difficult because it requires more experience and tests at a deeper level. The ASP is the more attainable step that leads to the CSP.
How long does it take to get ASP?
Typical working candidates study for about 8 to 12 weeks once they’re eligible to take the exam. Some people need longer. You can buy an eligibility extension for $100.
How much does the ASP exam cost?
The ASP exam costs about $494 for the application and exam together (or $160 + $350 when purchased separately), plus a $170 annual renewal once certified.
