U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Washington, DC 20555-0001

NUREG/BR-0472

March 2010

National 

Source 

Tracking 

System

 NSTS Updates and Support

NSTS Blog

The NSTS blog is the NRC’s primary method of 

communication with licensees about the NSTS. The 

blog provides information such as Web site updates, 

notifications of upcoming events (e.g., NSTS training 

or industry meetings), and information on using the 

NSTS online. Stay up-to-date on all NSTS-related 

activities by subscribing to the NSTS blog.

NSTS Help Desk

The NRC maintains 

a Help Desk to assist 

users by answering 

questions and resolving issues related 

to credentialing, 

login procedures, system use, transaction reporting, 

and any other problems encountered while using 

the NSTS. Users may also contact the Help Desk 

to submit system change requests (to remedy defects 

or enhance functionality). The NRC logs and tracks 

each inquiry for future reference.

Help Desk availability is as follows: 

Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00am to 5:00pm (EST)

 Friday 8:00am–3:00pm (EST)

Phone: 1-877-671-6787

E-mail: NSTS.Help@nrc.gov

The NRC and the NSTS staff are interested in 

hearing from you. Submit your suggestions, 

comments, or questions online when you visit the 

NSTS Web site.

 NSTS Quick References

NSTS Online Resources

To learn more about the continuing developments 

and implementation of the NSTS, please visit us 

online!

NSTS Web site

• Get credentialed

• Report sources

• http://www.nrc.gov/security/byproduct/nsts.html

NSTS Blog 

• Stay up-to-date on all NSTS activities

• Subscribe for updates

Frequently Asked Questions about the NSTS

 • Answers to inquiries regarding general 

information, credentialing, and expansion

Resources for Online Reporting

 • Web-based training

 • NSTS User Guide

 • NSTS Training Guide

Thank you for using the NSTS!
What is the National Source 

Tracking System?

The National Source Tracking System (NSTS), a 

major security initiative of the U.S. Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission (NRC), is a secure, userfriendly, Web-based database that tracks NRCand Agreement State-regulated Category 1 and 

Category 2 radioactive sources. The NSTS tracks 

these high-risk, radioactive sources from the time 

of their manufacture or import through the time of 

their disposal or export, or until they decay enough 

to no longer be of concern. The NSTS meets the U.S. 

Government’s commitment to implement a national 

source registry as described in the 2004 International 

Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Code of Conduct 

on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources 

and later mandated in the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Approximately 1,400 licensees possessing over 

70,000 Category 1 and Category 2 sources began 

reporting source information in January 2009.

The NSTS is a crucial component of a comprehensive integrated source management system intended 

to improve the security and control of radioactive 

material. This integrated 

system will also 

include WebBased Licensing 

(WBL) and a 

License Verification System 

(LVS), currently 

under development.

 Source Reporting

Once an NSTS user completes the credentialing 

process, all source transactions may be completed by 

logging into the NSTS. 

The NRC prefers and strongly encourages online 

reporting. Online reporting provides for more timely 

and accurate tracking. Licensees may also report 

transactions for inclusion in the NSTS by completing 

the paper-based NRC Form 748, “National Source 

Tracking Transaction Report,” and submitting it by 

fax. Users may also make reports by telephone to the 

NSTS Help Desk with fax or mail followup.

Visit the NSTS Web site to access online reporting 

training modules and guides. NRC Form 748 and 

examples of completed transaction reports may also 

be found online.

 Annual Reconciliation

The NRC requires all licensees using the NSTS 

to review and confirm their inventory annually in 

the NSTS. Licensees must conduct an inventory 

reconciliation each January beginning in 2010. 

Licensees must complete reconciliation by January 31st. 

A specially formatted inventory report has been 

created to confirm inventory and ensure that all 

records in the NSTS are correct. 

NSTS users completing their annual inventory 

reconciliation may do so by logging into the NSTS 

and following the instructions provided online.

 Credentialing

The easiest way to report to the NSTS is electronically 

online. In order to report to the NSTS online, you 

will need to enroll for a 

digital certificate, which is 

loaded onto a hard token 

or smart card. A digital 

certificate is an electronic 

identification which 

establishes a user’s 

credentials when 

processing transactions on the Web. Digital 

certificates allow the NSTS to 

uniquely identify each user. 

The process of obtaining the digital certificate is called 

credentialing. 

The credentialing process takes approximately 30 days 

from start to finish. There are three steps for the applicant 

to complete: (1) enrollment, (2) completion of the 

subscriber agreement, and (3) smart card activation. 

Licensees possessing Category 1 or Category 2 sources 

may begin the credentialing process online. Enrollment 

is easy and should take no more than 10 minutes. 

All NSTS users with digital certificates issued prior to 

July 2009 must renew their digital certificates 1 year 

from the card-issued date to maintain access to the 

NSTS. Once an NSTS user renews the certificate, it 

is valid for the next 2 years.

Please find detailed, step-by-step instructions for the 

credentialing process and certificate renewal on the 

NSTS Web site.

*U.S. Department of Energy