Prestressed　structures　are　widely　employed　in　bridges　and　large-span　spatial　structures,　and　the　accurate　evaluation　of　prestress　state　is　of　great　importance　for　structural　maintenance.　This　paper　reviews　the　nondestructive　testing　(NDT)　and　health　monitoring　techniques　for　structural　effective　prestress.　Specifically,　the　fiber　Bragg　grating　(FBG)　sensor-based,　magnetic-elastic　(ME)　sensor-based,　dynamic　response-based,　ultrasonic　guided　wave　(UGW)-based,　electromechanical　impedance　(EMI)-based,　and　electrical　resistance-based　methods　are　reviewed　in　this　paper.　Firstly,　the　principle,　application　range,　and　measuring　accuracy　of　each　technique　are　introduced　and　analyzed,　and　the　benefits　and　limitations　of　each　technique　are　summarized:　The　FBG　sensor　and　ME　sensor　take　on　high　measuring　accuracy　and　have　been　applied　in　practical　engineering,　but　they　are　required　to　be　preinstalled　during　structural　construction;　the　dynamic　response-based　method　is　greatly　effective　in　cable　force　assessment　but　not　suitable　for　prestress　evaluation　of　prestressed　concrete　(PSC)　structures;　the　UGW-based,　EMI-based,　and　electrical　resistance-based　methods　have　shown　favorable　potential　for　prestress　assessment　in　laboratory　experiments,　but　their　feasibility　and　accuracy　in　practical　engineering　need　to　be　verified.　Secondly,　the　challenges　and　discussion　of　each　method　are　discussed　in　the　following　four　aspects:　measuring　range,　reliability　of　measuring　results,　stability　and　durability　considering　long-term　monitoring,　and　cost-efficiency.　Finally,　a　decision　tree　is　proposed　to　choose　the　most　appropriate　prestress　evaluation　method　in　a　specific　application　scenario.