Key takeaways
- RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist) is a registry-level credential awarded by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) to cath lab professionals.
- You qualify through one of three CCI pathways — RCIS235 (health-science graduate with one year of invasive cardiovascular experience and 600 procedures), RCIS4 (accredited program graduate) or RCIS5 (non-accredited program plus specialty training) — and every pathway also requires a high school diploma or GED.
- The exam fee is $365, including a $100 non-refundable portion.
- The exam is 170 questions in three hours (150 scored); you pass with a total scaled score of 650.
- The credential renews every three years with 36 CEUs, at least 30 of them cardiovascular-related.
What is RCIS certification?
RCIS stands for Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist. It is a registry-level credential awarded by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) to cardiac catheterization laboratory professionals who meet one of CCI's eligibility pathways and pass the RCIS examination. It is the credential employers most commonly look for in invasive cardiovascular technologists and cath lab staff.
The RCIS is a certification, not a license, and not a job title. It recognizes that you have demonstrated a defined body of cath lab knowledge against a published blueprint. What you are actually permitted to do at the table is a separate question — see RCIS scope of practice, which is the distinction that trips people up most often.
Who administers RCIS certification?
Cardiovascular Credentialing International, usually written CCI, is the credentialing body. CCI writes the exam, sets the eligibility pathways, publishes the content blueprint, sets the fees, and handles renewal. Examinations are delivered by computer through Pearson VUE test centers.
Cardiac Codex is an independent study resource. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or administered by CCI, and nothing on this site is an official CCI publication. Everything below is our summary of CCI's public materials, and CCI is the only authority on its own rules.
What are the requirements for RCIS certification?
CCI publishes three RCIS eligibility pathways, and virtually everyone qualifies under exactly one of them. All three additionally require a high school diploma or GED.
| Pathway | What CCI requires | Typical candidate |
|---|---|---|
| RCIS235 | Graduate of a health science certificate or degree program, plus one year of full-time work experience in invasive cardiovascular technology, plus 600 cardiac diagnostic or interventional procedures in their career | Cath lab RN, radiologic technologist, or paramedic already working in the lab |
| RCIS4 | Graduate of a programmatically accredited program in invasive cardiovascular technology | New graduate of an accredited CVT program |
| RCIS5 | Graduate of a non-programmatically-accredited invasive cardiovascular technology program with a minimum of one year of specialty training including a minimum of 800 clinical hours in the specialty | Graduate of a hospital-based or other non-accredited program |
Pathway requirements as published on CCI's official RCIS credential page, retrieved 2026-08-15. CCI owns these rules and changes them — confirm the current requirements and the exact documentation format directly with CCI before you apply.
The single factor that decides RCIS4 versus RCIS5 is whether your program held programmatic accreditation, which is not the same thing as the college holding institutional accreditation. Full detail, plus the documentation that delays applications most often, is on RCIS requirements and which RCIS pathway are you on.
How much does RCIS certification cost?
CCI lists the RCIS examination fee at $365 USD, and states that all exam fees include a $100 USD non-refundable fee covering the staff resources needed to review and process applications. Renewal is listed separately at $165 USD per three-year cycle.
Those are the fees CCI charges. They are not the whole cost of getting certified — study materials, and in some cases a retake, sit on top. The full breakdown, including score verification and late-renewal fees, is on RCIS certification cost.
Fees per CCI's RCIS credential page and CCI's renewal page, retrieved 2026-08-15. Fees change; confirm the current amount with CCI before you pay.
What is on the RCIS exam, and what score do you need?
The RCIS exam is a three-hour, computer-based exam of 170 questions — 150 scored and 20 unscored pretest items. CCI requires a total scaled score of 650 to pass.
650 is a scaled score, not a percentage of questions answered correctly, which changes how you should read your practice results. That distinction is worked through on the RCIS passing score.
CCI publishes the content blueprint with domain weights, and they are lopsided enough to dictate a study plan on their own:
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Conducting Diagnostic Procedures | 40% |
| Conducting Interventional Procedures | 34% |
| Responding to Emergency Procedures and Protocols | 13% |
| Conducting Pre-Procedural Activities | 8% |
| Conducting Post-Procedural Activities | 5% |
Domain weights per CCI's official RCIS credential page, retrieved 2026-08-15.
Diagnostic and interventional procedures together are three-quarters of the exam. A domain-by-domain breakdown of what to actually study inside each of those weights is on the RCIS study guide.
How do you get RCIS certified?
The short version: identify your pathway, assemble the documentation it requires, apply to CCI, schedule through Pearson VUE, study to the blueprint, sit the exam, then keep it current. Each step in full:
Step 1
Identify your eligibility pathway
You do not choose among CCI's three pathways. You identify which one your education and work history already place you in. In short: RCIS4 if you graduated from a programmatically accredited invasive cardiovascular technology program; RCIS5 if your invasive cardiovascular program was not programmatically accredited; RCIS235 if you came from another health science background and now work in a cath lab. All three additionally require a high school diploma or GED.
The word doing the most work there is programmatic. A college can hold institutional accreditation, as nearly all do, while its invasive cardiovascular program is not programmatically accredited — which moves you from RCIS4 to RCIS5. Full detail on all three is on RCIS eligibility pathways.
Step 2
Assemble your documentation early
This is where applications actually stall — not on requirements, on records. What you need depends on your pathway:
- RCIS235: proof of graduation from your health science program, evidence of one year of full-time invasive cardiovascular experience, and a log of 600 cardiac diagnostic or interventional procedures
- RCIS4: proof of graduation from your programmatically accredited program
- RCIS5: proof of graduation, plus records showing a minimum of one year of specialty training including a minimum of 800 clinical hours
If you are on the experience pathway, start the procedure log on your first day in the lab, even if the exam feels distant. Reconstructing 600 procedures from old schedules two years later is a genuinely miserable exercise, and it delays more applications than anything else. If you are in a non-accredited program right now, ask your program director how clinical hours are documented and whether you can obtain that record after graduating — getting it while enrolled is far easier.
Step 3
Apply to CCI and pay the fee
Applications go to CCI directly. The examination fee is listed at $365 USD, and CCI states that all exam fees include a $100 USD non-refundable portion covering the staff resources required to review and process applications.
That non-refundable portion is the reason not to apply speculatively. Applying is not a free way to hold a place while you decide whether you are ready — it starts a process with a cost attached. A full fee breakdown is on RCIS certification cost.
Fee per CCI's official RCIS credential page, retrieved 2026-08-15. Confirm the current fee and application process with CCI before you pay.
Step 4
Schedule through Pearson VUE
Once CCI approves your application, you schedule your own seat. CCI directs approved applicants to the Pearson VUE dashboard inside the CCI portal, under submitted certification applications. Test sites can also be viewed through Pearson VUE's CCI page.
One detail worth noting before you book: rescheduling requires at least two full business days notice before your appointment. Build that into your plan if your schedule is volatile, because a last-minute clinical assignment is not a reason Pearson VUE will accept on the day.
Scheduling and rescheduling details per CCI's exam process page, retrieved 2026-08-15.
Step 5
Study to the published blueprint, not to a book's table of contents
CCI publishes the domain weights, and they are lopsided enough to plan around on their own:
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Conducting Diagnostic Procedures | 40% |
| Conducting Interventional Procedures | 34% |
| Responding to Emergency Procedures and Protocols | 13% |
| Conducting Pre-Procedural Activities | 8% |
| Conducting Post-Procedural Activities | 5% |
Domain weights per CCI's official RCIS credential page, retrieved 2026-08-15.
Diagnostic and interventional together are three-quarters of the exam. Being excellent on closure devices and shaky on hemodynamics is a much worse trade than the reverse. A domain-by-domain breakdown of what to study inside each weight is on the RCIS study guide, and a comparison of prep resources is on best RCIS exam prep 2026.
Step 6
Sit the exam
The RCIS is a three-hour, computer-based exam of 170 questions — 150 scored and 20 unscored pretest items. You will not know which is which, so answer every question with equal effort. Passing requires a total scaled score of 650.
650 is a scaled score, not a percentage correct, which is why your percentage on random question sets is a poor readiness signal and full-length timed mocks are a good one. That is worked through on the RCIS passing score.
Step 7
Keep the credential current
CCI renews registry-level credentials on a three-year cycle. Registry-level holders need 36 CEUs per triennial cycle, of which a minimum of 30 must be cardiovascular-related and the remaining 6 may be in any medical-related field, plus the renewal fee. Let it lapse and CCI's late and penalty fees apply.
Renewal and CEU requirements per CCI's renew credentials page and CCI's continuing education page, retrieved 2026-08-15.
How long does it take to get RCIS certified?
The exam is the short part. What sets the timeline is your pathway. A graduate of a programmatically accredited program qualifies under RCIS4 at graduation, with no work-experience requirement and no procedure count. Someone crossing over from nursing or radiologic technology needs a year of full-time invasive cardiovascular experience and 600 documented procedures first, so the eligibility clock runs about a year longer.
Once you are eligible, preparation time is personal rather than prescribed. Our own guidance on that, and how to tell readiness apart from eligibility, is on how long to study for the RCIS exam.
Is RCIS certification worth it?
Two honest halves to this. The credential is the recognized standard in the cath lab and is frequently tied to hiring, pay steps, and clinical ladders — but how much it is worth is extremely local, and the only reliable way to find out is to ask your own manager what it does to your pay band and whether the exam fee is reimbursed. Many employers will fund the attempt, and very few people ask.
For published wage data on the underlying occupation rather than the credential, see RCIS salary. For a comparison of prep options, including ours, see best RCIS exam prep 2026.
How is RCIS certification maintained?
CCI renews registry-level credentials on a three-year cycle. Registry-level holders — a group that includes RCIS — must complete 36 CEUs per triennial cycle, of which a minimum of 30 must be cardiovascular-related and the remaining 6 may be in any medical-related field.
CEU requirements per CCI's continuing education page, retrieved 2026-08-15.
RCIS or RCES — which one applies to you?
RCIS is the cath lab credential: hemodynamics, angiography, and coronary intervention. RCES, the Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist, is the EP lab credential: electrophysiology studies, ablation, and device therapy. Both are CCI registry-level credentials with the same 650 scaled passing standard. If you split time between both labs, RCIS vs RCES walks through which to sit first.
Find out where you actually stand
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RCIS certification FAQ
What is RCIS certification?
RCIS stands for Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist — a registry-level credential awarded by CCI to cath lab professionals who meet an eligibility pathway and pass CCI's RCIS exam.
How much does RCIS certification cost?
CCI lists the exam fee at $365 USD, including a $100 USD non-refundable application-processing fee, and renewal at $165 USD per three-year cycle. Confirm current fees with CCI before applying.
What are the requirements for RCIS certification?
One of three CCI pathways: RCIS235 (health science graduate, one year full-time invasive cardiovascular experience, 600 procedures), RCIS4 (programmatically accredited program graduate), or RCIS5 (non-accredited program plus one year of specialty training including at least 800 clinical hours). All three also require a high school diploma or GED.
How long does it take to get RCIS certified?
Your pathway sets the timeline. Accredited-program graduates qualify at graduation under RCIS4; the crossover route requires a year of full-time invasive cardiovascular experience first. Preparation time after that varies by candidate.
Is RCIS certification a license?
No. It is a professional certification from a credentialing body, not a state license, and it does not by itself grant authority to practice. See RCIS scope of practice.
What score do you need to pass the RCIS exam?
A total scaled score of 650. The exam is 170 questions — 150 scored, 20 unscored pretest items — over three hours.
What does RCIS stand for?
RCIS stands for Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist. It is a registry-level credential awarded by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). You earn it by meeting one of CCI's eligibility pathways and passing CCI's RCIS examination.
How do you get RCIS certification?
Identify which of CCI's three eligibility pathways your history places you in, assemble that pathway's documentation, apply to CCI and pay the $365 USD examination fee, schedule your seat through Pearson VUE, study to CCI's published blueprint, and pass with a total scaled score of 650. Then keep it current with 36 CEUs every three years.