The ARRT ethics review is the process the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists uses to decide whether a criminal history, a sanction against another professional license, exam misconduct, or similar issue will keep you from earning or holding certification as a radiologic technologist. If you know you have something to disclose, you can submit a pre-application for a $100 fee and get an advance determination before you file your full certification paperwork. ARRT says the review can take three months or longer, so the earlier you start, the better.
What Triggers a Review
Criminal history is the most common reason applicants land in ethics review. ARRT’s Rules of Ethics reach felony and misdemeanor convictions, but also guilty pleas, no-contest pleas, Alford pleas, pre-trial diversion, and deferred adjudication, even when no formal conviction appears on your record. Military court-martial offenses are included too.1The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. ARRT Standards of Ethics – Section: Rules of Ethics
Discipline against another healthcare license also triggers review. If a state nursing board or massage therapy board has suspended, revoked, or placed conditions on a license you hold, ARRT treats that as relevant to your fitness to practice.1The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. ARRT Standards of Ethics – Section: Rules of Ethics
Exam and credential fraud sit in their own category. Sharing exam questions, receiving exam content from another test-taker, reconstructing test materials from memory, or using any method to alter exam results can result in permanent ineligibility. Submitting false information on an application or fraudulently claiming credentials falls under the same Rules.2The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). ARRT Standards of Ethics These dishonesty-based violations tend to draw harsher sanctions than many criminal offenses.
What You Don’t Have to Report
You can answer “No” to the ethics question on the ARRT application if your only issues are juvenile matters handled in juvenile court before you turned 18, minor speeding or parking tickets that were not charged as misdemeanors or felonies and did not involve drugs or alcohol, or criminal charges that were fully dismissed with no court-imposed conditions like community service or counseling.
Everything else counts. A traffic violation charged as a misdemeanor or felony requires disclosure, and any DUI or DWI always requires disclosure regardless of how the case resolved.3ARRT. Ethics Questions on the Application
The Pre-Application: Why Use It
If you have a reportable issue, you can submit an ethics review pre-application to the Ethics Committee before filing your full certification application. The pre-application is optional. Answering “Yes” on the regular application triggers the same review anyway, but by then you may be sitting on a completed program with an exam eligibility window running down.4The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Ethics Review Preapplication
The fee is $100 and is nonrefundable.5The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. ARRT Fees ARRT states the review can take three months or more from the date they receive a complete submission, and incomplete packages add time because the committee has to request missing items.6ARRT. Ethics Public – Frequent Questions
Documents to Gather
Every pre-application needs a personal written explanation covering each incident you’re reporting. Include the date, the charges, and how the case was resolved. Vague accounts invite follow-up requests that slow the review.
For criminal matters, pull certified court records that show:
- Whether each charge was a misdemeanor, felony, or military court-martial
- The date and jurisdiction where charges were filed
- The final judgment, whether a verdict, plea, deferred adjudication, or pre-trial diversion
- Any probation, parole, fines, or community service ordered
- Proof that court conditions are satisfied and the case is closed
If you’re still on probation or parole, your supervising officer must send a current status update directly to ARRT on official stationery, including the estimated end date and the office phone number. If probation or parole is finished, submit the official court release documents.7The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Ethics Review Preapplication Form
Dismissed and expunged cases still need documentation. Submit the official dismissal papers or the court order authorizing the expungement. If the court required counseling, treatment, or any remedial program, include proof you completed it. Letters of recommendation from employers, instructors, or court officials are optional and can help.7The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Ethics Review Preapplication Form
County courts charge varying fees for certified copies and process requests at different speeds, so begin collecting records as soon as you decide to go this route.
What Happens After You Submit
Once ARRT has a complete package, the Ethics Committee reviews it and issues a written determination. If you’re cleared, you can move ahead with the full certification application. If the committee finds you ineligible, the letter will explain the reasons and describe your options for a hearing.6ARRT. Ethics Public – Frequent Questions
If You Already Hold ARRT Certification
Registered Technologists have ongoing reporting duties. You must notify ARRT of any ethics violation within 30 days of the occurrence, during your annual online renewal, or when applying for an additional credential, whichever comes first. That includes new criminal charges, even before a court has reached a final judgment.8The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Reporting Ethics Violations The same 30-day window applies to discipline against any other professional license you hold.1The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. ARRT Standards of Ethics – Section: Rules of Ethics
ARRT’s guidance is direct: if you’re unsure whether something qualifies, report it. Failing to disclose is treated as its own separate violation, and nondisclosure is often viewed more seriously than the underlying issue.8The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Reporting Ethics Violations
Possible Sanctions
When the Ethics Committee finds a violation, the penalty depends on the severity of the offense, how long ago it happened, and whether you can show rehabilitation. Possible outcomes include a public or private reprimand; suspension of certification for up to one year; summary suspension, imposed immediately when the committee believes the alleged violation could pose a direct risk to patients or the public; revocation across all credential categories, which may be time-limited or permanent; a finding of ineligibility, again either time-limited or permanent; or an alternative disposition contract allowing continued certification in exchange for conditions like counseling, monitoring, or regular screenings. ARRT may pursue civil or criminal penalties on top of any administrative sanction.2The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). ARRT Standards of Ethics Permanent revocation is rare and typically tied to the most serious offenses, including exam fraud and repeated violations.
Hearings and Appeals
If ARRT proposes to deny your application or impose a sanction, the notice will spell out the specific reasons. You have 30 days from the mailing date to submit a written hearing request along with a nonrefundable $100 hearing fee. Missing the 30-day deadline counts as consent to the proposed action and effectively waives your right to challenge it. You can appear in person, participate by teleconference, or submit a written statement, and ARRT will give you at least 30 days’ notice of the hearing date and time.9The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. ARRT Standards of Ethics
If the Ethics Committee still rules against you, you can appeal to ARRT’s Board of Trustees. The written appeal request must be filed within 30 days of the committee’s decision with a nonrefundable $250 appeal fee. The Board reviews the committee’s decision, the ARRT file, and your written submission, then decides whether to affirm, modify, or send the matter back to the committee.9The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. ARRT Standards of Ethics Contesting a denial through both stages costs $350 in fees before any other expense, which is one more reason to put together a thorough, well-documented submission the first time.