Guide · ASE recertification, checked Oct 2026
ASE renewal, test or app
An ASE certification lasts 5 years. To renew it you pass a recertification test, usually a shorter one, at a test center or online with a live proctor, or, for the A series only, you earn extensions through the ASE Renewal App. Expired certifications can be renewed the same ways. Here is how each route works and what it costs.
Renewal by test
| Test | Recertification test | Ways to recertify | ASE Renewal App | Practice | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASE T-SeriesMedium/Heavy Truck Tests T1–T8 | 20–28 | Center or remote | Not for T tests | Practice test Facts | ASE Medium/Heavy Truck Study Guide 2026 · ASE: T1–T8 tests page | |
| ASE G1Auto Maintenance and Light Repair | 28 | Center or remote | Not for G1 | Practice test Facts | ASE: G1 test page · ASE G1 Study Guide 2026 | |
| ASE A5Brakes | 23 | Center, remote or Renewal App | $52/yr | Practice test Facts | ASE Automobile Study Guide 2026 (A1–A9) · ASE: A1–A9 tests page | |
| ASE A6Electrical/Electronic Systems | 25 | Center, remote or Renewal App | $52/yr | Practice test Facts | ASE Automobile Study Guide 2026 (A1–A9) · ASE: A1–A9 tests page | |
| ASE A1Engine Repair | 23 | Center, remote or Renewal App | $52/yr | Practice test Facts | ASE Automobile Study Guide 2026 (A1–A9) · ASE: A1–A9 tests page | |
| ASE A8Engine Performance | 25 | Center, remote or Renewal App | $52/yr | Practice test Facts | ASE Automobile Study Guide 2026 (A1–A9) · ASE: A1–A9 tests page |
When to recertify
- Validity: 5 years, then a recertification test.
- Early renewal costs time: a recertification resets the expiry to five years from the recert date, so the months left on the old certificate are lost.
- Lapsed is fine: per the FAQ on ase.com, you can take a recertification test however long ago the certification expired, as long as you passed the original test once.
- Master status needs every required certification current; one lapse suspends it until that test is renewed.
Recertification tests
For the A, G1 and T tests, a recertification test is about half the original and has no research questions: A1's is 23 questions, 30 minutes, A6's 25 questions, 45 minutes, G1's 28 questions, 45 minutes. For the truck series, 20 to 28 questions per recertification test, 30 or 45 minutes. Advanced Level recertification tests are full length: L1's is 50 questions, 2¼ hours, L2's 45 questions, 2 hours.
You can take it at a Prometric test center or with Prometric ProProctor remote proctoring at home or at work. For remote testing, ASE asks you to register at least 4 days before the appointment so you can check your computer and set up the room.
Cost: $62 per test, and test fees per order are capped, so one order costs at most $220 with registration. Putting all your due tests in one order is the cheap way: the seven Master truck tests come to $220.
The ASE Renewal App
$52 a year covers all your A1–A9 certifications; 8 correct answers in an area add 1 year. It is a subscription, not a test: one question per certification every 30 days; an expired credential is reactivated for at least 18 months. You answer on a phone or computer, on your own schedule.
- Speed: answering every question right the first time earns 8 credits in about 8 months, per the FAQ on ase.com. A wrong answer gets a second and a third chance on similar content 10 days apart.
- Expired certifications: the FAQ puts reinstatement at 8 to 12 months from the start of the subscription. If you need the certificate back sooner, take the recertification test.
- First subscription: ASE's Renewal App page offers first-time paid subscribers a free 12-month extension of their current A1–A9 certifications (checked Oct 23, 2026).
- Who it's for: A1–A9 holders only. G1, the truck tests and the L tests renew by recertification test.
- Five-year cost: $260 per cycle, against at most $220 for one capped recertification order. The app costs more but needs no test appointment.
The app doesn't earn new certifications
The Renewal App only extends certifications you already passed. An A test you never passed still has to be bought and taken as a full certification test, at a test center.
Related
- ASE test cost every fee in one grid
- ASE Master Technician keeping all eight current
- All ASE certifications
Renewal questions
How long does ASE certification last?
5 years, then a recertification test.
Is the ASE recertification test easier?
Usually shorter: for the A, G1 and T tests about half the questions of the original, with no unscored research items. Advanced Level recertification tests are full length.
Can I take the ASE recert test online?
Yes. Every recertification test can be taken with Prometric ProProctor remote proctoring; register at least 4 days ahead.
How much does the ASE Renewal App cost?
$52/yr, one subscription for all your A1–A9 certifications.