- STS here means Smart Technology Systems, an ETA International certification for technicians installing smart home and light commercial systems.
- The written exam runs 2 hours with 75-80 published questions and a 75% passing score.
- The exam fee is USD 105; remote proctoring for two hours adds USD 16.
- Twelve unweighted competency areas feed the exam, from Safety through Basic Troubleshooting.
What STS Means in This Context
STS stands for Smart Technology Systems. It is a technician-level certification focused on the practical, field-facing skills needed to install, connect, and support smart home and light commercial technology. Think low-voltage cabling, communications systems, pre-wiring a structure before the drywall goes up, and walking a customer through a finished installation.
The acronym is shared with several unrelated credentials in other industries, so it is worth being precise from the start. Everything on this page concerns the ETA International Smart Technology Systems certification, and only that. If you are comparing terminology, our short explainers on what STS stands for and STS meaning cover the naming question in more depth, while what STS certification is goes deeper on the credential itself.
Who Issues It and What It Covers
The certification is governed by ETA International, a long-standing credentialing body for electronics and technology technicians. ETA publishes a competency document for Basic STS, and ETA states that its examination questions derive from those competencies. That document, dated May 25, 2022, is the official statement of what a candidate is expected to know. No separately numbered 2026 exam version has been verified, so the current competency requirements remain your authoritative map.
Basic STS is a stand-alone certification. You do not need the Associate CET (CETa) credential or ETA membership to sit for it. ETA's competency document highly recommends prior certification in areas such as CAT, DCI, DVE, FOI, FOT, FOT-OSP, or TTT, but these are recommendations rather than gatekeepers. For the full eligibility picture, see our guide to STS requirements and prerequisites.
The Exam at a Glance
The Basic STS exam is a proctored, written knowledge examination. No hands-on assessment is required according to ETA's STS program table. That makes it a test of what you know about systems, standards, and procedures rather than a demonstration of bench skills.
| Item | What ETA Publishes |
|---|---|
| Format | Proctored written knowledge exam, online or paper |
| Length | 2 hours |
| Questions | 75-80 (published range; exact core count not specified) |
| Passing score | 75% |
| Fee | USD 105 |
| Remote proctoring add-on | USD 16 for two hours |
| Hands-on component | None required |
| Retake | One free eligible retake within one year of the first session |
A few honest caveats: ETA publishes the question count as a range, so you should not plan around a single exact number. The scored versus unscored split is not publicly specified, and the specific item types (for example, whether every question is multiple choice) were not verified in the reviewed sources. Likewise, a verified STS-specific pass rate is not publicly disclosed. Our pages on the passing score and the pass rate data explain what can and cannot be said responsibly. If you are weighing difficulty, how hard the STS exam is offers a frank breakdown.
The 12 Competency Areas
ETA's competency document organizes the knowledge base into twelve numbered top-level areas. No percentage weights are published, so no single area can be named the heaviest. The sensible assumption is that every area can appear, and that you should be comfortable with all twelve. Our full walkthrough, STS exam domains: complete guide to all 12 content areas, expands on each; here is the orientation.
Foundations: Safety and Standards
Domain 1: Safety
Smart technology work happens in attics, crawl spaces, ladders, and live buildings. Expect questions that treat safe practice as a baseline expectation rather than an afterthought.
- Safe work practices around electrical and low-voltage systems
- Personal protective practices on residential and light commercial sites
- Hazard awareness during pre-wiring and installation
Domain 2: Industry Standards
Installers are expected to work to recognized standards rather than improvise. This area tests familiarity with the codes and conventions that govern how systems are built and documented.
- Why standards exist and how they shape installation decisions
- Recognizing compliant versus non-compliant practices
Physical Layer: Wiring, Cabling, and Pre-wiring
Domain 3: Low Voltage Wiring and Wireless Communication Technologies
This is where wired and wireless approaches meet. Candidates should understand when each makes sense and what each demands from the installer.
- Low-voltage wiring concepts and cable selection
- Wireless communication technologies and their practical limits
Domain 4: Cabling - Connectorization
A flawless run of cable is worthless if the termination is poor. This area focuses on attaching connectors correctly and recognizing the faults that bad terminations cause.
Domain 5: Pre-wiring
Pre-wiring happens before walls close, which makes mistakes expensive to fix. Expect scenario thinking: where to run cable, how to plan for future needs, and how to avoid rework.
Systems Knowledge: Electrical and Communications
Domain 6: Electrical Basics
The exam permits a nonprogrammable or scientific calculator, which hints that basic electrical relationships may come up. Be comfortable with the fundamental concepts behind voltage, current, resistance, and power as they apply to low-voltage installs.
Domain 7: Communications Systems
Smart technology depends on devices talking to each other and to the network. This area covers how communications systems are structured and how installers connect them.
Domain 8: Residential and Light Commercial Management
This domain addresses managing installed systems in homes and small commercial spaces, a reminder that the credential covers both settings.
Job-Site Practice: Restoration, Tools, Customers, and Troubleshooting
Domain 9: Premises Restoration
Good installers leave a site as they found it. Expect questions on repairing penetrations, patching, and restoring finishes after cable work.
Domain 10: Tools and Equipment
Knowing the right tool for the right job, and how to use it safely and correctly, is a core part of installer competence.
Domain 11: Customer Orientation and Documentation
Technical skill is only half the job. This area covers communicating with customers, setting expectations, and documenting what was installed so the next technician can understand it.
Domain 12: Basic Troubleshooting
When something does not work, a methodical approach beats guesswork. Candidates should be able to reason from symptoms to likely causes across wiring, connectors, and communications.
Registration, Fees, and Test-Day Rules
The testing provider is ETA Certification Administrators. Candidates can take the exam in person through Trapeza online testing or on paper, and ExamRoom.AI is available for remote proctoring. Registration for remote testing is arranged through ETA.
What You Will Pay
The exam fee is USD 105. ETA does not publish separate member and nonmember exam prices. If you take the core STS exam at the same time as at least one endorsement, ETA offers the core exam at half price. Remote proctoring for two hours adds USD 16, and local proctor charges are not quoted publicly, so confirm those before booking. For a complete budget including optional study resources, see our STS certification cost breakdown.
What to Expect on Test Day
- A proctor and photo ID are required.
- Scratch paper and a nonprogrammable or scientific calculator are permitted; used scratch paper must be surrendered.
- Personal electronic devices such as phones are prohibited.
- ETA's general rules prohibit leaving the room once testing has started.
- Remote candidates need a webcam, microphone, suitable computer, and reliable connectivity.
ETA's sources reviewed did not verify the exact open or closed-book rules for STS or whether the exam uses adaptive testing, so confirm those details with ETA when you register. Scheduling specifics are covered in our exam dates and scheduling guide.
Key Takeaway
Fail the first attempt and you are not starting over: ETA offers one free eligible retake within one year of the first exam session. Remote-proctoring charges still apply to the retake, so budget for that USD 16 add-on if you test remotely.
Who Should Pursue It
The natural audience is working or aspiring technicians: low-voltage installers, home technology integrators, security and audio-video installers moving into broader smart home work, and cable or network technicians who want a recognized credential showing they understand the whole smart home installation picture. ETA's Credly badge describes the holder as a practicing technician, though it does not quantify a minimum amount of experience. Holders also accept ETA's Code of Conduct.
Employers in residential technology integration, home automation, and light commercial installation are the likely hirers for this skill set. We discuss the job landscape in STS jobs, the earnings picture in the STS salary guide, and the career case in whether the STS certification is worth it. Because wages vary widely by region and employer, treat any single number you see online with caution.
Keeping the Credential Current
The certification has a four-year term, and maintenance is required to keep it active. Under ETA's general rules for non-hands-on certifications, you submit the maintenance form with a USD 25 annual fee (USD 100 across the four years) and satisfy one of two options:
- Complete 10 continuing-education contact hours per year (40 across the cycle), or
- Provide an Employer Verification Form completed by a supervisor.
ETA recommends annual submission rather than waiting until the end of the cycle, which keeps documentation manageable and avoids a last-minute scramble.
Sequencing Your Preparation
Since the twelve areas are unweighted, a sensible plan is to build from the physical layer outward rather than chasing difficulty. Start with the safety and standards foundation, move into wiring and cabling, then layer in electrical and communications theory, and finish with the practice-oriented areas. A compact version:
Foundations
- Safety and Industry Standards
- Read the official competency document end to end
Physical Layer
- Low Voltage Wiring and Wireless Communication Technologies
- Cabling - Connectorization and Pre-wiring
Systems Knowledge
- Electrical Basics, with calculator practice
- Communications Systems and Residential and Light Commercial Management
Practice and Review
- Premises Restoration, Tools and Equipment, Customer Orientation and Documentation
- Basic Troubleshooting, then timed practice questions
Troubleshooting goes last on purpose: it draws on everything before it. For a fuller plan, read our STS study guide and keep the STS cheat sheet handy for last-day review. If you want formal instruction, STS training options are outlined separately; note that ETA advertises a USD 59.95 study resource, but the linked public course catalog visibly identifies the Security and Surveillance endorsement course rather than a separate Basic STS course, so confirm availability before you buy. ETA's membership page also lists STS practice-exam access for members, though membership is optional and practice access does not equal access to real exam questions. You can also test yourself with our STS practice tests.
Common Confusions to Avoid
- Wrong STS: Safety Trained Supervisor and drone-related STS examinations are different credentials entirely. Do not use their materials, fees, or dates for this exam.
- Endorsements versus Basic: The four endorsements and the STS Master Integrator are separate from Basic STS. Basic competencies do not substitute for them.
- Recommended versus required: Prior CAT, DCI, and similar certifications are recommended, not mandatory.
- Catalog dates: A 2024 reference in the ETA certification catalog's metadata is not an exam version designation.
Alternate phrasings you may have searched, such as what is a STS, what does STS mean, and the broader STS certification overview, all point back to this same ETA credential when the context is smart home and low-voltage technology. For a quick-reference version of this article, What Is STS? is the hub page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It stands for Smart Technology Systems. The credential is issued by ETA International and covers the skills needed to install and support smart home and light commercial technology systems.
ETA publishes 75-80 questions and a 2-hour time limit. The exact core question count and the scored versus unscored split are not publicly specified, so plan around the range.
The passing score is 75%. ETA does not publicly disclose a verified STS-specific pass rate, so be wary of any site quoting one without a source.
No. Basic STS is a stand-alone certification and neither membership nor the Associate CET is required. Prior CAT, DCI, DVE, FOI, FOT, FOT-OSP, or TTT certification is highly recommended but not mandatory.
ETA offers one free eligible retake within one year of your first exam session. Any remote-proctoring charges remain payable for the retake.