Booking and feesDANB
What the DANB RHS exam costs, and how to apply
Facts read in DANB's 2026 RHS application packet and 5 other documents listed under Sources
Under the fees DANB set for 2026, the RHS exam costs $270, including a $75 nonrefundable application fee. Payment goes through your DANB account with the application; once the authorization email arrives, you schedule with Pearson VUE, either at a center or online from home. No eligibility documents are needed: the exam has no requirements to sit.
Fees, booking and deadlines
| Item | Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $270, including a $75 nonrefundable application fee Active military personnel pay $265. RHS paired with ICE or GC costs $375; the full CDA exam costs $450. | DANB: 2026 RHS application packet [1] |
| Other prices | $265 for active military; $375 for RHS with ICE or with GC | DANB: 2026 RHS application packet [1][2] |
| Retake fee | The full $270 again | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [1][3] |
| How to book | Apply and pay through your DANB account; after the authorization email, schedule with Pearson VUE | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [3] |
| Test provider | Pearson VUE | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [3] |
| Where you test | A Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring (OnVUE), at the same price Online exams have no breaks. Candidates under 18 testing online need a parent or guardian consent form. | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [3][4] |
| Window to test | 60 days from the authorization email; a new 60-day window can be requested once If the window runs out, one new 60-day window can be requested within 60 days after it ends; after that you reapply with full fees. A missed appointment can be rebooked once at a reduced fee. Canceling a window is a separate refund request, minus the $75 and, once authorized, $40 charges. | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [3] |
| Changes and cancellations | Change a test center appointment up to 24 hours ahead and an online one up to its start time A canceled exam is refunded minus the $75 processing fee, and minus $40 more once the exam is authorized. | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [3] |
| Who can sit | Anyone can take the RHS exam; DANB sets no eligibility requirements | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [4] |
Each row read on Nov 6, 2026. Fees are the published 2026 amounts; recheck the amounts before you pay in 2027. Format and scoring: RHS exam facts.
Five steps from application to exam day
- Open an application in your DANB account and pay there. The application takes no transcripts, hours or CPR card.
- Wait for the authorization email. Your scheduling window opens with it and lasts 60 days; if you cannot make it, a new window can be requested once.
- Schedule through Pearson VUE: a center near you, or a proctored session at home.
- Sit the exam, 75 questions in 60 minutes.
- Check your account for the result, which posts within 1–3 business days.
Testing online or at a center
Both settings deliver the same exam at the same price. Choose by your space and your connection rather than by cost: an online sitting depends on both, a center only on travel. The table lists the conditions that apply to online sittings.
"Online x-ray certification" is two different things
Many searches for an online dental x-ray certification lead to course sellers, not to this exam. They are separate products:
- The exam is a national knowledge test. DANB's certificate does not expire, though a board may limit how long a result counts toward its permit.
- A radiography course is state training. Some boards want a board-approved course, clinical images taken under supervision, or both, in addition to or instead of the exam.
Which one counts is the board's call: some want the exam, some a course, some both, and New Mexico accepts either. The state table on the RHS overview shows the listing for each state.
Booking RHS with a second exam
If you are working toward the DANB CDA, you can apply for this exam together with Infection Control or General Chairside. As of the 2026 schedule, a pair costs $375 for any two exams: ICE/GC, RHS/GC or RHS/ICE ($365 for active military), less than two single applications. The full three-exam sitting is priced on the certification's registration page.
Changing or canceling the appointment
A test center appointment can be moved until a day before; an online one until its start time. A canceled exam is refunded only in part; the withheld charges are listed in the fees table. If your window is about to run out, ask for the one-time new window rather than letting the authorization lapse.
Before and after you book the RHS
- DANB RHSThe dental x-ray exam: what the certificate is, who can sit it and where DANB lists it
- DANB RHS practice testFree digital radiography questions, each answer choice explained
- DANB RHS exam factsQuestion count, time, adaptive scaled scoring, results and retakes
- DANB RHS study guideTechnique, radiation protection and infection control: what each asks and the usual errors
Sources
- [1]DANB: 2026 RHS application packet (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [2]DANB: 2026 CDA application packet (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [3]DANB: Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [4]DANB: RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [5]DANB blog: 4 important details to know about DANB exams (Jan. 10, 2024) danb.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [6]DANB: Radiation Health and Safety exam page danb.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
RHS cost and booking
Is any part of the RHS fee refundable?
Partly. A canceled exam is refunded minus a processing fee, and a further cancellation fee is withheld once the exam is authorized; both amounts are in the table.
Does the RHS exam cost less if I take it online?
No. Online and test-center sittings cost the same.
How long do I have to schedule the RHS after applying?
The window runs 60 days from the authorization email, not from the payment, and a new one can be requested once.