A1 Engine Repair · cost, checked Oct 23, 2026
What the ASE A1 costs in 2026
As of Oct 2026, the A1 costs $96 for one test alone in an order ($62 + $34); each extra test in the same order adds $62. The price of a fail is mostly time: you wait 30 days and pay for a new order. Below: when bundling the A1 with other tests saves money, what a retake costs, and the two ways to keep the certificate.
- $96A1 alone in an order
- $62per test added to the order
- $62recertification test
- $52/yrRenewal App, every A-series cert
A1 fees, sourced
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test fee | $62 per test | ASE: test fees and registration (2026) | |
| Registration fee | $34 per order, however many tests the order holds | ASE: test fees and registration (2026) | |
| One test, one order | $96 for one test alone in an order ($62 + $34); each extra test in the same order adds $62 | ASE: test fees and registration (2026) | |
| Recertification fee | $62 per recertification test; test fees are capped at $186 an order, so $220 at most with registration | ASE: test fees and registration (2026) | |
| ASE Renewal App | $52 a year covers all your A1–A9 certifications; 8 correct answers in an area add 1 yearone question per certification every 30 days; an expired credential is reactivated for at least 18 months | ASE: Renewal App · ASE Certification: Need to Know (Jan 2026) · ASE: test fees and registration (2026) | |
| Time to take the test | 90 days from purchase to schedule and take the test; no changes within 3 days of the appointmentuntaken, unexpired tests canceled within 90 days of purchase are refunded | ASE: test fees and registration (2026) |
One order or several
The registration fee is charged per order, not per test, so the A1 costs less when it shares an order. Bought with the A8, for example, you pay two test fees and one $34 registration fee, instead of two registration fees in two orders. That matters if you are working toward Master, since the A1 is one of the 8 tests (A1–A8) required for Master Automobile Technician. As of Oct 2026 it costs $530 to buy all eight Master tests A1–A8 in one order (8 × $62 + $34).
Don't stack tests you are not ready for. Each one must be scheduled and taken within 90 days of purchase, and untaken, unexpired tests canceled within 90 days of purchase are refunded.
What a fail costs
Retake rule: 30 full days before you can buy and schedule the same test again. Then the retake is a new purchase:
- A1 alone in the new order: $96 again, as of Oct 2026.
- A1 added to an order you were placing anyway: $62, because that order's registration fee is already paid.
ASE releases neither a cut score nor the questions you missed, so use the wait on the area that felt weakest, starting with general engine diagnosis: it carries 18 of the 45 scored questions.
Keeping the A1: test or app
A1 certification is good for 5 years. Two ways to renew it:
- Recertification test: $62 per test, at most $220 per order with registration. It is 23 questions in 30 min; with the A1 alone, the order is $62 plus the $34 registration fee.
- Renewal App: $52/yr for every A-series certificate you hold; how it earns extensions is in the table above.
Five years of the app cost $260 for any number of certificates. One recertification order costs less, even when the cap applies to a long list of tests. What the app saves is the test day, not money. All prices are as of Oct 2026.
Check the price on the day you buy
ASE's fee page lists the 2026 fees; the figures here were checked on ASE's registration page on Oct 23, 2026. Check it again before you order, and again for any order placed in 2027.
Fees for every ASE test
A1 cost, quick answers
How much is the ASE A1 test?
As of Oct 2026, $96 if it is the only test in the order: the $62 test fee plus the $34 registration fee. A second test in the same order costs only its own $62 fee.
How much does it cost to retake the A1?
A retake is a new purchase after 30 days: $96 on its own, or $62 if you add it to an order with another test (Oct 2026 prices).
How much is A1 recertification?
$62 for the recertification test plus the $34 registration fee, or $52/yr for the Renewal App, which covers every A-series certificate you hold; over five years the app comes to $260. Prices as of Oct 2026.
Can I get a refund if I don't take the A1?
Yes, within limits: untaken, unexpired tests canceled within 90 days of purchase are refunded.