What are DSP 1 and DSP 2 in California?

They are the two required years of California's Direct Support Professional Training (DSPT). Each is a 35-hour, competency-based segment, completed in successive years, for 70 hours in total. DSPs in licensed community care facilities vendored by a regional center must complete them.

Can I test out of DSP 1 or DSP 2?

Yes. DDS lets DSPs meet each year's requirement by passing that year's Challenge Test instead of taking the 35-hour class. There is a separate Challenge Test for Year 1 and Year 2.

How much does DSP 1 and 2 training cost?

DDS says DSPT is free for DSPs in their first or second year at a regional center vendored community care facility, and that any DSPT certification sold for a fee is not sanctioned by the state and won't meet the requirement.

How do I register for DSPT?

Register online at dsptrain.org. Registration opens 35 days before and closes 7 days before a scheduled class or Challenge Test. You'll need your email, phone number, facility vendor number and facility email address.

What happens if I fail DSPT?

You must register and retake that year of training until you receive a Certification Notice. Until then, DDS says you must work under the supervision of a DSP who has completed the DSPT requirement.

State requirements

California DSP Training Requirements: DSP 1 & DSP 2 Explained

California DSPs in vendored community care facilities must complete DSP 1 and DSP 2, two 35-hour trainings, or pass a Challenge Test for each. Here's how registration, results and employer tracking work.

California · DSP · state-requirements · IDD · training

The California State Capitol in Sacramento, a white domed building framed by tall trees — Andre m, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Training & eTracking Solutions · October 15, 2026 · 5 min read

If you work in a California group home or other licensed residential facility for people with developmental disabilities, you will hear about "DSP 1" and "DSP 2" in your first weeks on the job. These are the two required years of the state's Direct Support Professional Training (DSPT), run by the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS).

This guide explains who has to complete DSP 1 and DSP 2, how the 70 hours are structured, what the Challenge Test is, how results work, and what employers should track.

The short version

Who: Direct support professionals (DSPs) working in licensed community care facilities that are vendored by a regional center.
What: Two 35-hour, competency-based training segments, one in each of your first two years, for 70 hours in total.
Test-out option: You can meet each year's requirement by passing that year's Challenge Test instead of taking the class.
Cost: DDS says DSPT is free for DSPs in their first or second year at a regional center vendored facility, and that any DSPT certification sold for a fee is not sanctioned by the state and will not meet the requirement.
Legal basis: DDS cites Welfare and Institutions Code section 4695.2(a) as the source of the requirement.

Who has to complete DSP 1 and DSP 2

DDS describes DSPT as "mandatory for all Direct Support Professionals (DSP) working in licensed community care facilities vendored by regional centers." California has required this statewide, competency-based training since January 1, 1999.

That scope matters. The requirement is tied to the setting: a licensed community care facility (CCF) that is vendored by one of California's regional centers. If you provide supports in a different kind of program, such as day services or supported living, your training rules come from that service type, your regional center and your employer, not from the DSPT mandate. Ask your administrator which rules apply to your position.

How the 70 hours are structured

DSPT is "divided into two equal segments of 35 hours each to be completed in successive years for a total of 70 hours," according to DDS.

DSP 1 (Year 1): a 35-hour segment completed during your first year of employment.
DSP 2 (Year 2): a second 35-hour segment completed during your second year.

Each segment ends with a competency test. DDS publishes the session areas and the Title 17 regulations behind each year on its DSPT page, so you can see in advance what each year covers.

One update worth knowing: since 2017, the medication content teaches the Seven Rights of medication administration instead of five. DDS added the "Right Reason" and the "Right Documentation," and the medication skill check in both the training class and the Challenge Test includes them.

The Challenge Test

If you already have the knowledge and skills, you don't have to sit through 35 hours of class. DDS says DSPs "may opt to meet it by passing the Challenge Test for each 35-hour training program." There is a separate Challenge Test for each year, so passing the Year 1 test does not cover Year 2.

How to register

All DSPT registration happens online at dsptrain.org. DDS notes that registration opens 35 days before and closes 7 days before a scheduled Challenge Test or training class, and that the DSP who works in the facility must complete it. To register you need:

Your email address
Your phone number
Your facility's vendor number
Your facility's email address

DDS delivers DSPT through four regional service hubs, and instructor-led online classes are also available. Facility vendors can create a "Vendor Administration" account on the same site to see results for their employees.

What your results mean

After a class or Challenge Test, both you and your facility administrator get an email with the result, as long as you used the correct facility email when you registered. There are four possible outcomes:

Result	What it means
Certification Notice	You met the training requirement for that year.
Certification Notice with Additional Training Needed (ATN)	You met the requirement, and you must also complete extra training in the areas listed. Your employer is responsible for building a plan to cover them.
Failure Notice	You did not pass. You must register and retake that year of training.
Incomplete/Failure Notice	You did not pass. You must register and retake that year of training.

Certification Notices can be viewed at dsptrain.org by DSPs, facility administrators and regional centers. Failure notices are not available online. After a Failure Notice, DDS says the DSP must work under the supervision of a DSP who has successfully completed the DSPT requirement until they pass.

What employers should track

For administrators, DSPT is a tracking job as much as a training job. For each DSP in a covered facility, keep:

Date of hire, which sets the Year 1 and Year 2 deadlines
Date and result of each DSPT class or Challenge Test
A copy of each Certification Notice
Any Additional Training Needed areas, plus your plan and completion dates for that training
Supervision arrangements for any DSP who received a Failure Notice

DSPT is the state's core training mandate for these facilities, but it may not be the only training your staff need. Check with your licensing agency and regional center about orientation, in-service and person-specific training they expect.

How TES fits in

TES does not offer DSPT, and no outside course can replace it. DDS is clear that DSPT is free through the state and that paid DSPT certification does not count. What TES can do is support the training around it. Our California DSP requirements page summarizes the state's rules, and our direct support professional courses cover topics many agencies use for in-service and professional development, such as Person Centered Planning for Direct Support Professionals and Human Rights and Recognizing Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation.

For California agencies, we set up compliance pathways just in time: tell us your facility type and the training your regional center and licensing agency expect, and we'll build a pathway around those requirements for your organization. Contact us to get started, or browse our compliance pathways library to see how pathways work in other states. New to the field? Start with our overview of who DSPs are and why they matter.

This post summarizes California Department of Developmental Services guidance on DSPT as published on October 15, 2026. It is not legal advice; check the current DDS DSPT page, the Welfare and Institutions Code and your regional center for requirements specific to your facility.

Common questions

What are DSP 1 and DSP 2 in California?: They are the two required years of California's Direct Support Professional Training (DSPT). Each is a 35-hour, competency-based segment, completed in successive years, for 70 hours in total. DSPs in licensed community care facilities vendored by a regional center must complete them.
Can I test out of DSP 1 or DSP 2?: Yes. DDS lets DSPs meet each year's requirement by passing that year's Challenge Test instead of taking the 35-hour class. There is a separate Challenge Test for Year 1 and Year 2.
How much does DSP 1 and 2 training cost?: DDS says DSPT is free for DSPs in their first or second year at a regional center vendored community care facility, and that any DSPT certification sold for a fee is not sanctioned by the state and won't meet the requirement.
How do I register for DSPT?: Register online at dsptrain.org. Registration opens 35 days before and closes 7 days before a scheduled class or Challenge Test. You'll need your email, phone number, facility vendor number and facility email address.
What happens if I fail DSPT?: You must register and retake that year of training until you receive a Certification Notice. Until then, DDS says you must work under the supervision of a DSP who has completed the DSPT requirement.

Sources

Direct Support Professional Training (DSPT) · Mandatory 70-hour DSPT in two 35-hour segments; Challenge Test; free; paid DSPT not sanctioned; registration; result notices; WIC 4695.2(a)
eDSPT registration · Online registration site for DSPT classes and Challenge Tests, and certification notices