AVIXA CTS Exam Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | 115 four-option multiple-choice questions: 100 scored and 15 unscored pilot questions you cannot identify |
|---|---|
| Time | 150 minutes, plus a brief on-screen tutorial before and a brief survey after |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 350 on a 0 to 500 scale, set by a criterion-referenced process. The scale is fixed, so 350 is not exactly 70% of questions on every form |
| Format | Closed book; an on-screen calculator and a non-erasable note board are provided, and no references or personal calculators are allowed |
| Certifying body | AVIXA Certification Committee |
| Test provider | Pearson VUE test centers only (secure, in person; no remote option) |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete AVIXA CTS Exam study notes for “Needs Analysis and Site Survey”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: Conducting a needs analysis · Preparing for a site survey · Measuring and recording conditions · Access, power and pathways · Documenting the findings, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. Needs Analysis and Site Survey
Duty A, Creating AV Solutions (35% overall). Task 1, Conduct a Customer Needs Analysis, is 7% and Task 2, Conduct Site Survey, is 9%: together 16% of the exam.
Key facts
- Start a needs analysis with users, tasks and outcomes. Hardware decisions come later.
- Identify every stakeholder early: end users, IT, facilities, security and budget holders.
- Record existing infrastructure, standards, budget and schedule alongside the desired outcomes.
- A site survey records dimensions, lighting, acoustics, seating, finishes, architectural features, access and logistical constraints.
- Measure ambient light with a light meter and ambient noise with an SPL meter, at the times the room is used.
- Check access routes for large equipment: door sizes, elevators, stairs and loading areas.
- Note power, data and cable pathways, and know how to read architectural, mechanical and electrical drawings.
- Follow site PPE rules and local codes, and be able to convert between metric and imperial units.
Flashcards
Exam tip: When a question asks what to do first, choose the option that gathers facts about the users or site before committing to equipment.
2. AV Project Scope and Solution Design
Duty A tasks: Develop an AV Project Scope is 9% and Design AV Solutions is 10%, together 19% of the exam. Covers scope, drawings, program reports, bills of materials and AV math.
Key facts
- A scope of work states what will and will not be delivered, so it controls both cost and client expectations.
- Ohm's law: V = I x R and P = V x I. Parallel identical loads: total impedance = load divided by quantity.
- Decibels: doubling power adds 3 dB, doubling voltage adds 6 dB, and doubling distance outdoors drops level by 6 dB.
- Constant-voltage (70 V or 100 V) lines allow many loudspeakers on long runs, and tap settings set the power to each.
- Common AVIXA contrast targets are 7:1 for passive viewing, 15:1 for basic decision making, 50:1 for analytical decision making and 80:1 for full-motion video.
- AVIXA's image-size standard (DISCAS, V202.01) relates viewing distance to the image size and content.
- Uncompressed digital video data rate is H pixels x V pixels x color depth x frame rate x 1.25.
- Thermal load: BTU/hr = watts x 3.4. Convert before you give it to the HVAC designer.
Flashcards
Exam tip: The on-screen calculator handles arithmetic, so spend your study time on knowing which formula to use and which unit it expects.
3. Integrating AV Solutions
Duty B, Implementing AV Solutions (30% overall). Task 1, Integrate AV Solution, is 15% of the exam: installation, rigging, cabling, networks, wireless management and system verification.
Key facts
- Follow design documents and interpret drawings, signal flow diagrams and schematics.
- Put heavy gear low in the rack, leave ventilation space, and dress cables so that service access stays clear.
- Keep microphone-level, line-level, speaker-level and power cables separated to reduce interference.
- Balanced XLR audio uses pin 2 hot, pin 3 cold and pin 1 shield. Balanced lines reject common-mode noise.
- Phantom power at +48 V feeds condenser microphones through the balanced microphone line.
- Networked AV: use VLANs for separation, QoS to prioritize AV traffic, and IGMP snooping for multicast.
- Power over Ethernet: IEEE 802.3af gives up to 15.4 W, 802.3at up to 30 W, and 802.3bt up to 90 W at the port.
- Rigging safety relies on working loads, design factors and competent, documented attachment to structure.
- Verify the installed system against the requirements and test methods given in the project documents before handover.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Integration questions blend AV and IT. Learn the network vocabulary well enough to talk to an IT team, not just the AV terms.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question AVIXA CTS Exam test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Managing AV Integration
Duty B task: Managing AV Integration is 15% of the exam: project management, change control, training, schematics, warranties, operations manuals and as-built drawings.
Key facts
- Track project progress against scope, schedule and budget, and report variance early.
- Use a formal change order for any change in scope, cost or schedule.
Flashcards
Exam tip: On the exam, written and approved always beats verbal and assumed. If an option skips the paperwork, it is probably wrong.
5. Providing AV Support
Duty C, Supporting AV System Operation, is 15% of the exam (one task, Provide AV Support): troubleshooting, remote assistance, live event support, in-room operation and training.
Key facts
- Support begins with listening, reproducing the fault and checking the simplest causes first.
- Remote monitoring allows staff to see status and correct some faults without a site visit.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Support questions reward restoring service quickly and safely. Prefer the option that gets the user back to work with the least disruption.
6. Supervising Operations and Maintenance
Duty D, Servicing AV Solutions (20% overall). Supervise AV Operations is 4% and Conduct Maintenance Activities is 8%, together 12% of the exam: preventive maintenance, firmware and equipment upgrades.
Key facts
- Preventive maintenance reduces failures; set its intervals by usage and by the environment.
- Typical tasks include cleaning filters, checking connections, inspecting mounts and reviewing device logs.
Flashcards
Exam tip: If an option removes a protection or skips a backup, reject it. Exam writers use those as tempting shortcuts.
7. Troubleshooting and Repair
Duty D task: Troubleshoot and Repair AV Solutions is 8% of the exam, covering analog and digital systems and break/fix work.
Key facts
- Follow the signal flow from source to destination, and use the half-split method to narrow the fault quickly.
- Change one thing at a time, then retest.
Flashcards
Exam tip: A safe, logical order wins: confirm, isolate by signal flow, change one thing, retest and document.
How to pass
- Creating AV Solutions is 35% of the scored items, so needs analysis, site surveys, scope and design deserve the most study time.
- 115 questions in 150 minutes is about 78 seconds each. Mark long math items for review, since you cannot tell which 15 are unscored.
- Questions test how you perform the job tasks, not only recall. For each scenario, ask what a professional does first or what prevents the problem.
- After a failed attempt there is a 30-day wait, and a retest application filed within 120 days gets the US$150 fee. You can retest two times before a 90-day wait and a new application.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the AVIXA CTS Exam exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the AVIXA CTS Exam exam online?
BICSI's v15 handbook describes the RCDD exam at Pearson VUE test centers, not remote proctoring. Format: closed book; an on-screen calculator and a non-erasable note board are provided, and no references or personal calculators are allowed. Check pearsonvue.com/bicsi for the options in your country.
What score do I need to pass the AVIXA CTS Exam exam?
Scaled score of 350 on a 0 to 500 scale, set by a criterion-referenced process. The scale is fixed, so 350 is not exactly 70% of questions on every form. The exam has 115 four-option multiple-choice questions: 100 scored and 15 unscored pilot questions you cannot identify and a time limit of 150 minutes, plus a brief on-screen tutorial before and a brief survey after.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers needs analysis and site survey, av project scope and solution design, integrating av solutions, managing av integration, providing av support, supervising operations and maintenance, troubleshooting and repair. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium AVIXA CTS Exam study path
Premium AVIXA CTS Exam prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Needs Analysis and Site Survey9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 450 practice questions in 18 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2AV Project Scope and Solution Design9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 3Integrating AV Solutions9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 4Managing AV Integration9 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 5Providing AV Support8 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 6Supervising Operations and Maintenance8 key notes, 115 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- 7Troubleshooting and Repair8 key notes, 110 flashcards, then 425 practice questions in 17 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams115 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
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- The RCDD exam: full prep for the v15 blueprint
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: numbers and formulas sheet, standards atlas, study planner and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from BICSI's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked October 2026. Confirm current requirements with AVIXA Certification Committee.