Guides

HITRUST, explained.

Sourced answers to the questions teams ask before choosing an assessment and an External Assessor. Every guide links to official HITRUST sources.

Cost & Timeline How Long Does HITRUST Certification Take? HITRUST says an e1 can be completed in as few as 4 to 6 weeks if you are ready, and that most companies complete the i1 within 6 to 12 months. The r2 usually takes longer. Your real timeline is set by how much you must fix first, because HITRUST requires new or remediated controls to operate for 90 days before they can be tested. 7 min read · Updated 2026-11-02 Choosing an Assessor How to Choose a HITRUST External Assessor: Questions to Ask Before You Sign Start with HITRUST's current list of authorized External Assessors, then compare firms on the assessment type you need, the certified people who will staff your engagement, how they handle scope and reliance, their schedule and what their fee includes. HITRUST vets assessors but does not recommend specific firms, so the due diligence is yours. 7 min read · Updated 2026-11-02 Cost & Timeline How Much Does HITRUST Certification Cost? HITRUST does not publish an all-in price. Total first-year cost depends mostly on which assessment you choose: industry estimates commonly run from tens of thousands of dollars for an e1 to six figures for an i1, and six figures or more for an r2, once assessor fees, HITRUST fees, remediation and staff time are added up. 6 min read · Updated 2026-10-23 Assessment Types HITRUST e1 vs. i1 vs. r2: Which Assessment Do You Need? HITRUST offers three validated assessments that scale with assurance: e1 (43 core controls, valid 1 year), i1 (182 controls, valid 1 year) and r2 (a risk-tailored, typically much larger assessment, valid 2 years). The right one depends on what your customers require and how much risk you handle. 6 min read · Updated 2026-10-22