Accreditation Commission For Traffic Accident Reconstruction (ACTAR) Examination
The recognition of ACTAR accreditation in both the accident reconstruction industry and legal community encourages the integrity, consistency and professionalism of those involved in traffic accident investigation and reconstruction. ACTAR accreditation promotes the professional and intellectual development of those individuals, organizations and institutions involved in traffic accident investigation and reconstruction. ACTAR accreditation also assists the legal and scientific community in weighing the suitability of individuals offering their services as Accident Reconstructionists while improving public awareness of the profession as it relates to the legal system.
A reconstructionist interested in becoming accredited must apply to the Commission and be deemed eligible to sit for an accreditation examination based on their unique combination of knowledge, training and experience. Different sections of the application are assigned point values based on knowledge, training, experience, skills and abilities. As a general rule it is better to include more information than less.
To begin the process toward accreditation:
The applicant must complete an application and remit an application fee of $150.00 US if the applicant is a member of one of the Participating Organizations or $175.00 US if they are not. The application fee is non-refundable. Until payment is received, the applicant's submission will not be available to the committee for review until the application fee has been paid.
Applicants not approved due to insufficient education, training or experience will be granted a one year period, beginning with the date their application is received, to submit updated information for consideration. During this one year period, the applicant will be considered as engaged in the application process and will incur no additional fees. Upon conclusion of the one year period, any applicant reapplying for accreditation must resubmit a new application and application fees.
After the applicant is approved to sit for the accreditation examination they will have two years and no more than three attempts to take and sucessfully pass both portions of the two part examination. If the applicant fails one part of the examination, only that part must be attempted again. Upon successful completion of the two part examination, the applicant will receive accreditation as a Traffic Accident Reconstructionist.
*Please see the ACTAR Examination Preparation Guide for further information on Exam Structure, Permitted Reference Materials, Prohibited Items, and Sample Exam Questions. This guide also outlines Grading and Scoring Procedures, along with Sample Examination Questions. Please note, for the integrity of the accreditation exam, ACTAR limits the types of calculators candidates may use during the exam. The list of approved calculator models can be found at the end of the Preparation Guide.*
Location: Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Police Training Institute, located in the Emergency Services Training Academy (ESTA) – 402 Roycefield Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Date: Friday, December 12, 2025
Time: 0800-1700
The accreditation examination is a two-part examination – Theory and Practical or Case Study. Candidates are allowed a maximum of four (4) hours per portion or eight (8) hours total with a break for lunch between portions.
Cost: The examination fee is $50.00 US if the applicant is a member of a Participating Organization or $100.00 US if they are not. (If approved to sit for the exam, a candidate will pay the examination fee in addition to the non-refundable application fee that was previously remitted. All payments must be made to ACTAR.)
Registration:
Students wishing to start their application to the Commission in order to be deemed eligible or ineligible to sit for the exam can do so at the following link: https://actar.org/accreditation/apply
Registration Deadlines:
Application Submission Deadline: Monday, October 13, 2025
Exam Registration Deadline: Wednesday, November 12, 2025
When registering for the examination, Students should ensure they are selecting the Friday, December 12, 2025 Exam in Hillsborough, NJ, sponsored by NJAAR, and held at the Somerset County Police Training Facility, 402 Roycefield Road, 08844.
If you have questions or need additional information regarding the examination process, call the ACTAR office (800) 809-3818 or use the Contact Page on ACTAR's website to send a message to the ACTAR Administrator.
Please contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Police Training Institute (scpti@co.somerset.nj.us) with any venue-related questions or concerns. |