AV certifications explained: CTS, Crestron, Q-SYS, Dante, BICSI and more

What each common AV credential means, who holds it, what it takes to earn and keep, and how to check that someone really has it.

Published November 5, 2026. 3 minute read.

AV credentials fall into three families: vendor-neutral industry certifications (AVIXA's CTS family), manufacturer certifications (Crestron, Q-SYS, Extron, Biamp, Audinate's Dante), and infrastructure credentials (BICSI) that cover the cabling underneath. Each tells you something different.

AVIXA CTS family: vendor-neutral

AVIXA, the AV industry's trade association, runs the Certified Technology Specialist program. It's the most widely recognized general AV credential.

Credential	Who it's for	To earn it	To keep it
CTS (general)	Anyone who designs, installs, sells or manages AV	Pass the CTS exam, which covers creating, operating and servicing AV solutions and AV project management; agree to the CTS Code of Ethics	30 renewal units every 3 years, or retake the exam
CTS-D (design)	Designers and systems engineers	Hold a current CTS, document at least 2 years of AV design experience, pass the CTS-D exam (needs assessment, collaboration, design, implementation)	30 renewal units every 3 years, or retake the exam
CTS-I (installation)	Installation leads and technicians	Hold a current CTS, document at least 2 years of AV installation experience with verified hands-on skills (termination, rack build, display and projector setup, audio setup and EQ), pass the CTS-I exam	30 renewal units every 3 years, or retake the exam

Renewal units must come from AVIXA or approved providers and be earned after the certificate date, so a current CTS means ongoing training. AVIXA issues digital badges, which makes a credential easy to confirm.

Manufacturer certifications: platform-specific

Manufacturer programs prove someone can configure, program or commission a specific platform. Tracks and names change often, so check the manufacturer's current program when you write requirements.

Crestron. Programmer credentials run from Crestron Certified Programmer through the Masters Programmer levels (Silver, Gold, Platinum). Platinum requires holding Gold, attending nine Masters events and passing a Platinum exam. Crestron also has technical certifications for products like DM NVX and Crestron Flex.

Q-SYS. Q-SYS Level One is online and self-paced: about four hours of video, module assessments, and a final exam where you build a complete audio design to a given spec. Passing it makes you eligible for in-person Level Two training. Separate tracks cover control programming, video and the Q-SYS VisionSuite camera system.

Dante (Audinate). Dante certification runs in levels. Level 1 covers audio networking basics and building a small Dante network, and can be completed online with a short test. Higher levels go into larger networks, clocking, AES67 and network configuration.

Extron, Biamp, Shure and others. Most major manufacturers certify on their own control, DSP, signal distribution or microphone systems. Extron has control programming tracks (Extron Control Specialist and Control Professional, for example) and network AV certifications; Biamp certifies on Tesira.

Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms. These programs certify devices, not people. If your standard is Teams Rooms, ask for experience deploying Microsoft-certified systems and peripherals and for partner status where it applies.

BICSI: the cabling underneath

AV systems ride on structured cabling, and BICSI certifies the people who design and install it.

Installer 1, Installer 2 (copper or optical fiber) and Technician: installation credentials with increasing responsibility.
RCDD (Registered Communications Distribution Designer): the design credential for telecommunications infrastructure. Eligibility needs two years of verifiable ICT design experience plus another BICSI credential or two years of ICT education, or five years of ICT experience. RCDDs renew every three years with 45 continuing education credits.

Safety credentials

For field crews: OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 cards, aerial and scissor lift (MEWP) training, and NFPA 70E where workers are near energized equipment. Live events and theater rigging have ETCP certification.

How to check a credential

Ask for the holder's full name and certificate or ID number.
Look it up with the issuer. AVIXA and many manufacturers issue digital badges; BICSI and ETCP have lookups.
Check the expiry date. A lapsed CTS is not a current CTS.
Make sure the person holding it is the person on your job.

On AVCleared, certifications are tied to named people and checked against the issuer where a lookup exists. See which certifications to require for your project and how AV firms list ecosystems and certifications.