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FAQs
Q. Is the Certified Gate Automation Technician program approved for Louisiana and Mississippi gate systems licensing?
A. YES! The Certified Gate Automation Technician program was approved in 2020 as an initial and qualifier certification for Gate Systems by the Life Safety & Property Protection Education Board of the State Fire Marshal of Lousiana.
If you are trying to become licensed in either Louisiana or Mississippi, successfully earning the Certified Gate Automation Technician credential will meet the certification requirements.
For more information on this, please contact info@acieducation.org.
Q. I work for a company that installs automated gate systems, but I do not have direct installation experience. Am I eligible for the CGAT program?
A. Candidates for the CGAT program must have one year of experience installing gate operators before they are eligible for the certification. However, candidates may sit for the certification exam before the experience requirement is met and the certification will be held until the experience requirement is met.
Q. What kind of continuing education credits are valid for my CGAT recertification?
A. Any courses that relate to automated gates or access control topics are eligible.
Additional FAQs
Q. What is the difference between certification and accreditation?
A. Certification recognizes individuals. Accreditation recognizes companies.
Q. I don’t meet the experience requirements for a certification program yet. Can I still apply?
A. Yes! If you are within one year of meeting the experience requirements, you may sit for the certification exam. If you pass, your credential will be held until all other requirements are met.
Q. Can I test online?
A. Currently, ACI offers all certification testing in-person only.
Q. Does ACI offer education or training to go with its certification programs?
A. No. ACI is a credentialing body only and all programs are self-study. Other organizations do offer hands-on training courses that use the same study guides, but these courses do not “teach to the test” or have any knowledge of what material is included in exam questions.
Q. Do I have to keep track of all my continuing education credits for three years until my renewal application is due?
A. You will be required to enter your continuing education credits as part of your renewal application. However, you may enter them into your ACI profile as you earn them over the three-year period and they will be available to select as part of your renewal application when it is due.
Eligibility Requirements
CGAT eligibility requires a minimum of one year of gate automation installation experience. You may still sit for the exam before you have one year of experience; if you pass the exam, your certification will be held until the experience requirement is met.
Topics Covered
- UL 325
- ASTM F2200
- Safety
- Types of Gates and Operators
- Electrical Wiring and Testing
- Vehicle Detectors
- Telephone Entry
- Installation Best Practices
Study materials are sent electronically following application approval.
Testing
The CGAT exam includes 100 questions and must be completed in two hours. It is not an open book test. All test questions are developed directly from the program study materials; no other resources are used. All ACI exams are in-person only.
For more information on the testing process, please click here.
Once you have passed the exam and received your official notification that you have earned your CGAT designation, you are entitled to advertise yourself as a Certified Gate Automation Technician. Once certified, you may use the designation, its acronym and its logo on your business cards, sales proposals, and other materials normally used in the sales and marketing process.
The designation belongs to you, and it is not owned by your business or employer. Should you leave your current company, your certification will go with you. If you do change jobs or otherwise change your contact information, please contact ACI to update your records.
Recertification
The Certified Gate Automation Technician designation is valid for three years from issuance of the credential.
Renewal Requirements
Earn 12 hours of gate automation/access control-focused continuing education in the three year period prior to renewal
Continuing education will be reported as part of the renewal application and must include the following:
- Date(s) of session
- Session title
- Instructor name
- Name of organization providing training
- Proof of attendance with hours earned included (payment receipt not accepted; must be certificate of attendance/participation or, if unavailable, letter from course instructor confirming applicant’s attendance and hours earned)
Criteria for continuing education programming is subject to change per the AFA Credentialing Committee.
If the renewal requirements are not met, you must reapply for the CGAT program and retake the certification exam to reactivate your CGAT credential. Once certification is earned again, your certification issue date will change accordingly.
FAQs
Q. Is the Certified Gate Automation Technician program approved for Louisiana and Mississippi gate systems licensing?
A. YES! The Certified Gate Automation Technician program was approved in 2020 as an initial and qualifier certification for Gate Systems by the Life Safety & Property Protection Education Board of the State Fire Marshal of Lousiana.
If you are trying to become licensed in either Louisiana or Mississippi, successfully earning the Certified Gate Automation Technician credential will meet the certification requirements.
For more information on this, please contact info@acieducation.org.
Q. I work for a company that installs automated gate systems, but I do not have direct installation experience. Am I eligible for the CGAT program?
A. Candidates for the CGAT program must have one year of experience installing gate operators before they are eligible for the certification. However, candidates may sit for the certification exam before the experience requirement is met and the certification will be held until the experience requirement is met.
Q. What kind of continuing education credits are valid for my CGAT recertification?
A. Any courses that relate to automated gates or access control topics are eligible.
