API 570 Piping inspector is one of the three core API certificates. The other two are API 510 – Pressure Vessel Inspector and API 653– Aboveground Storage Tank (AST) Inspector.
These core certifications have some common reference documents between themselves, namely, API 571, API 577, API 576, API 578, PCC-2, ASME Sec V, and ASME Sec IX.
Approximately a third of questions for all three core certifications are derived from above ASME Codes and API RPs.
Most of the inspectors, plan to get at least these 3 core certifications, So, it makes sense that once you have passed one of them, you may go for other two as well, since you have already covered roughly one third of the other two examinations.
All API examinations including API 570 are held 3 times a year and each exam window is 3 weeks long.
The exam windows for API 570 for the year 2022 are: February 7 – 28, 2025, June 6 – 27, 2025, and October 10 – 31, 2025. The API 570 exams for the year 2026 would be more or less along the same windows.
The pass rate for API 570 is around 55%.
Prometric is subcontracted by API to hold the computer-based examinations.
After registering and getting the API approval, you can book an exam date at your selected Prometric test center.
Prometric has 600 test centers across the globe to choose from.
The deadline to get the API authorization email is 2.5 months prior to the selected test window. For exam schedule and application deadline, please visit below link:
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To get the API approval attending API 570 examination, you need to file the application form by registering with API ICP (please use below link for registration):
Then, upload your qualification; provide two references and pay the fees ($940 if your company is not an API member or $730 if your company is an API member).
Unfortunately, API does not grant individual membership. You can only avail the reduced fee if your company is an API member, so, most of candidates end up paying the full exam fee of $940.
The minimum qualification requirements for API 570 Piping inspector certification are based on a combination of education and experience related to piping.
Prior to submitting an application, please use the table below to determine if you qualify to take the API 570 exam.
The minimum experience required MUST be documented on your application. If you are in doubt, please contact us.
API shall verify your claimed experience by sending a link to your two references via email.
This link opens up a questionnaire listing your experience in various fields you have claimed and your references need to verify them.
It is recommended to brief your references so they know which inspection fields and for how long you have claimed the experience for.
Please note that, during registration with API, you are required to select one of the available ‘’3 weeks time window’’.
Once the time window selected, you cannot change it which means you can only sit for the exam within the selected ‘’3 week window’’ unless you decide to reschedule and pay the fee (350 $) which is as good as failing the exam.
Remember, if you do not attend the exam within the allocated 3 weeks window for any reason whatsoever such a:
being absent or no show up at the exam date,
even failing to book a slot;
even non availability of slot in your preferred test center or
failing to book an available slot in another test center
In this situation, you need to request a reschedule (the same way as if you fail the exam) and pay USD 350 $ rescheduling fee.
The deadline to get your application approved prior to your selected test window is around 2.5 months.
If your approval happens at the last minute you might not be able to find a suitable available date or worse, you might not be able to get a seat at your favorite test center within the allocated ‘’3 week window’’ while the next available test center may be hundreds of miles away or even in another country.
This is because Prometric has only 600 test centers across the globe.
Hence, it is recommended that you register and get the API approval (called API Exam Authorization Notice email) roughly 4 months prior to your scheduled exam; that is; do not choose the next immediate test window but we recommend you to choose the one that is 4 months away.
This is especially important for core API 570 exam. For other noncore API exams, there is normally a good chance of getting the convenient test location and date at the next available test window.
There are some 600 Prometric testing centers worldwide to choose from.
Schedule your exam immediately after receiving your Exam Authorization Notice email from API. If the seat is not available at your preferred test center, try a different date, or another location.
You can change the exam location and date (still within the allocated 3 weeks window) up to 30 days before the exam free of charge and between 5-29 days for a fee of USD 70 $ subject to availability.
For API core exams (API 510, 570, 653) being a day long test, it is hardly possible to change the time and location.
API gives each candidate 12 consecutive months to pass an exam beginning from the first scheduled test window.
If you do not pass the exam within a year from your first selected exam window for any reason such as: failing the exam, fail to schedule the exam with Prometric, no show at the exam date, etc., you have to apply all over again & pay the full fee (1070 $).
One of our trainees received his ‘’API Exam Authorization Notice’’ for API 570 seven months before the selected test window; but attempted to book a place with Prometric only one months before the test window.
As a result, his closest Prometric center (London) was already full, so, he had to fly to Amsterdam Prometric test center to attend the exam because the other option would be reschedule paying 350$ and wait for next available window which was 5 months away.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you book your place as soon as you receive the API authorization notice.
Prometric booking is on the first come first served basis.
Make sure you reach the Prometric test center half an hour before the scheduled time.
You will be required to present one valid, unexpired and original government-issued photo ID with a signature, such as a driver’s license, passport, national ID or military ID.
In cases where a primary government-issued photo ID does not have a signature, a second ID with signature must be presented. The identification must be in Latin characters.
Prior to letting you to sit for the exam; Prometric employee:
You cannot carry anything with you except a bottle of water.
No ornaments are allowed except a wedding ring.
Prometric shall supply you with a couple of green color A4 size papers and a pencil for taking notes plus a simple calculator.
If you don’t produce a valid government ID card at the Prometric test center, you shall be refused entry and it is treated as a ‘’no show up’’ which is as good as failing the exam.
During API 570 exam, one of our candidate’s driving license was expired and he was refused entry although he returned half an hour later with a valid passport but by that time it was too late, Prometric said.
As a result, he had to pay the rescheduling fee (USD 350 $) and appear for the exam 6 months later.
It is recommended to check your photo ID to ensure it is valid.
As plan B, try carrying even two valid photo ID.
It is simply not worth it to be refused at the exam center for an ID issue after all the time, effort and money you have spent.
Prior to the examination, you shall be given the key to a locker to keep your belongings.
You are not allowed to use the locker until you have completed the exam.
However, you are allowed to use the locker during the 45 minutes break.
There is a tutorial prior to exam, and it explains how the bottoms work.
You can also find the tutorial via the below link which is an exact replica of the tutorial you shall see before the exam:
You can end the tutorial session earlier whenever you feel comfortable enough working with the icons.
The exam would automatically start after the 10 minutes allocated time for tutorial or if you end it earlier. The icons are simple and user friendly.
You can also right click on selected answers to eliminate them if you are confident that they are definitely the wrong answers.
This will narrow down the possible right answers and therefore increases you chance of getting the right answer.
You can either review all the questions once again or review the flagged off questions or review incomplete questions (questions you have not attempted) by clicking on respective tabs during any remaining time left.
The exam ends automatically when the remaining time showing on the right-hand corner of the screen reaches zero.
API core examinations contain two parts: (Closed & Open Book).
After that, you have a maximum of 45 minutes break when you can leave the building and also use the locker.
After the break, you would start the second part (open book) and need to answer some 60 question within 3.75 hours of allocated time using the reference documents in PDF format shown on the computer screen.
We shall also explain how you could navigate between documents to find the relevant information, chart or formulae that you need to solve an open book exam question, but remember, you also need to practice navigating between documents.
This means you should start your second part of examination (open book part) no later than 45 minutes after completing the first part in order not to lose any time.
Try to report to the examination center around 5 minutes before the end of the 45 minutes break to allow for time spent going through the security check and sign in.
During API 570 examinations, one of our candidates went for lunch and returned half an hour late.
By the time, he started his second part of the exam; he was already some 30 minutes short of the allocated 3.75 hours because after the 45 minute break, the time for second part of the test (closed book) keeps running regardless of whether you are at your desk or not.
Remember, if you need to leave the examination room for say, using the toilet or drinking water, you need to take your ID with you, report to the security outside the examination room and sign out.
On return, you shall go through the same initial security check and sign in. During all this time, the clock is running.
Remember, your exam is not concluded until your time is up or when you press the ‘end exam’ button (which asks for confirmation to ensure that you have not pressed it accidentally).
You can also see the list of attempted and non attempted questions by pressing the ‘’review all’’ button.
This would ensure that you have not left a question unanswered. You can see the remaining time at the upper right hand corner of the screen. There are a few good tutorials in the API ICP (Individual Certification Program) website.
The allocated time seems to be more than enough to answer all the questions as well as review them.
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