Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Training and Inspection Services is formed by a group of Professional and chartered engineers and API Inspectors with combined experience of two hundreds years on various fields (offshore, onshore, green field, brown field). We are assisted by a team of IT engineers, website designers, graphic designers, digital marketing specialists, coordinators and project managers. We provide E-Learning self study courses in preparation for 9 most popular API exam certifications. We also provide blended courses (e-learning plus classroom/webinar) for less experienced candidates or those who wish to further increase their chances of passing the exam.

Absolutely

No, the price you see is the cost of our preparatory courses which is on average 30% of our competitors holding classroom training. For API ICP Exam fees, please follow the following link: https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedules-and-fees#tab-fees

Absolutely NOT

We know it’s difficult to believe but there isn’t one. The price you see is the price you are charged plus 100% pass guarantee or your money back.

Yes, Please text us via whatsApp and write to us. We normally answer most of the questions and queries within minutes but maximum 24 hours.

Perhaps, We have very low overhead and reasonable profit margin.

American Petroleum Institute (API) has an Individual Certification Program (ICP) that is mandatory in US and Canada and also a requirement by many US and Non US companies across the world including Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. Training and Inspection Services provide e-learning course and classroom/webinar training for the most popular certifications : API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspector API 570 Piping Inspector API 571 Corrosion & Materials API 577 Welding Inspection API 580 Risk Based Inspection API 653 Storage Tank Inspector API 1169 Pipeline Construction Inspector API SIFE Source Inspector Fixed Equipment API SIRE Source Inspector Rotating Equipment We also provide bespoke courses such as FFS, package management, vendor management, auditing, QA QC, NDT Level II & III NDT courses for companies.

Our courses are self paced E-Learning courses complete with video, textual description with illustration,slides, quiz, practice and mock exam questions. You can look at our " course content" to see the list of topics while the "overview" would give a bird's eye view of the course.

API 510 Pressure Vessel inspector is one of the three core API certificates. The other two are API 570 – Piping Inspector and API 653 - Aboveground Storage Tank Inspector. These core certifications have some common reference documents between themselves, namely, API 571, API 577, ASME Sec V, and ASME Sec IX. Approximately 30% 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.

A simple research in the job market shows that API Inspectors are high in demand with an average salary of double or even triple of a regular inspector. Survey shows that API 510 or 570 or 653 Inspector’s salary is over 85,000 USD on average in USA. Other countries are more or less on the same scale or even more. API certificates have become the most regarded, desired, and demanded credentials in the in-service inspection industry, providing a method to improve technical and code knowledge and strengthening the holder’s overall competence and career prospects.

Publication Effectivity Sheet list of the reference codes and standards you should study and the applicable sections noting revision number. Body of knowledge also list the reference codes and recommended practices (without revision number) and elaborates on topics that an inspector needs to know giving examples. These examples are definitely brought in the exam and should be given the highest importance in your study plan. Our e-learning is particularly designed around the reference documents and the body of knowledge. How deep or how brief we explain a topic also depends on the average number of questions expected from that topic or reference material.

Periodically a question writing session is conducted. Subject Matter Experts (SME’s), or individuals who specialize in that particular field (vessel, tank, piping, pipeline, etc.), write questions from specific sections of the Code. Each question is then checked by three other SME’s. This validation exercise checks two items; first, is the question written clearly, and second, does the question cover knowledge that is important to a the inspector. These questions then go into a question data-bank. Presently there are over 1000 questions in the data-bank for each course and are grouped by topics. For each examination, there are 80-170 questions depending on the type of exam, of which only 70-140 questions are scored. The remaining 10-30 questions are pretest questions and not scored. The non scored questions are experimental questions. For example, for API 510 exam, out of 170 questions, 110 questions are closed-book questions and 60 questions are open-book questions.

We have brought an example of API 510 below that should give you an idea how to invest your time and where to concentrate most. As per Effectivity Sheet for API-510 exam, there are 4 codes (API 510 code & ASME Codes V, VIII & IX) and 4 Recommended Practices (RP) prescribed for examination. However, all of them are not equally important and therefore, do not require equal emphasis. About 45% questions are asked from one code API 510 which is some 60 pages long, while the rest contribute to 55% marks which are some 2000 pages.

The core examinations have open book and closed book parts (API 510, API 570, API 653, also API 1169). Other exams (API 571, API 577, API 580, API SIFE, API SIRE) are entirely closed book. The closed-book examination includes such questions which the inspector is normally expected to know without referring to the Codes, that is , these questions are ";awareness level"; or ‘’practical’’ type of questions. Whenever you find a very definitive or quantitative statement or fact in body of the Code, a closed book question may be expected on it. Thus, the basic requirements of a code, specific DOs & DONTs statements, important quantified statements, important definitions and well-known inspection principles will constitute such questions. Where the candidate is required to refer to the diagrams or formulas or tables or graphs and curves from the Codes, it will always be an open book question. All calculation oriented questions will normally be open- book type. The Code Information which is not short and crisp, (that is, large paragraphs, several descriptive statements clubbed together) will normally be asked in open-book part. Here the participant is expected not to remember the information but should know where to find it in the body of the Code. The questions asked in closed book part are straight forward statements directly taken form Code without much of the modifications and therefore are easy to answer. Pay special attention to relevant figures, charts and table foot notes. To answer an open-book questions, you only needs to know where to find the answer in the code and therefore tabbing of Code pages, highlighting the paragraphs or additional explanatory notes in page margins is useful and time saving. We shall identify the important pages of codes during each module. During calculation type of sample and mock exams, you shall notice the code pages that are frequented. Please note that it is very important to also work with the PDF version of the codes and RPs as it is quite different when you go through a hard copy of a code than when you go through the PDF format. You should get used to navigating through the PDF version as this is the medium you have to work through during the examination. We have designed the mock questions in such a way to complement your knowledge and in line with actual exam questions. When solving the mock or sample review questions, you need to understand the underlying reason behind the right answer, and also try to understand why other answers are wrong. This would help you immensely during the real exam by avoiding mistakes and trick questions. We have explained the reason for each correct answer whenever needed.

Time is your limited resource. Your learning efficiency will increase by having a plan and be focussed. Why spend hundreds of hours studying haphazardly when you could learn just as much or even more within 50 hours of organized approach. Our e-learning course helps you manage your time as well as focussing on key subjects in an organized and effective manner. The plan can be based on 12 weeks of preparation with 6-8 study hours each week. This plan will allow you to study at a steady pace whenever you want and wherever you want with our mobile application. Your learning and satisfaction will significantly increase with this disciplined approach that also fit in with your daily. Do not wait and cram the week prior to the exam. You may be still be lucky to pass the test, but you will soon forget what little you learned. Preparing for a certification exams is a great opportunity to really increase your inspection knowledge and skills. Make the most of it. How to prioritize and plan your study? You have only a limited amount of time to study, so you need to invest your time wisely, that is, obviously, you should spend your study time where you can get the MAXIMUM return! For example, for API 510, approximately 40% of the exam questions come from API 510. So that's your priority! For every hour spent studying the other publications, spend 2 hours studying API 510. We have explained the scoring area and number of questions per reference documents for each course. We have also detailed each RP and code depending on the expected number of questions. If you are about a month away from examination, read all the Codes at least once and concentrate on highlighted text in the Codes and also try to solve the question bank. If you are about two weeks away from the exam, concentrate on highlighted text as well as the mock examinations provided. In the last week of preparation, focus on Flash Card and highlighted text from the codes and RP.

Prometric is sub contracted 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 centre. Prometric has 3000 test centres 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: https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedules-and-fees#tab-2021 To get the API approval, you need to file the application form by registering with API ICP (please use below link for registration): https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/apply Then, upload your qualification; provide two references and pay the fees.

The minimum qualification requirements for API certification are based on a combination of education and relevant experience. This experience must have been acquired within the last 10 years. Prior to submitting an application, please go to API ICP Qualification section and see if you are qualified to attend the exam. If in doubt, please contact us and we shall be happy to help with your registration.

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 in your application that your references need to verify. It is recommended to brief your references so they know which inspection fields and for how long you have claimed the experience for. If possible, sit with your references when they are responding to API experience verification email. This would avoid any discrepancy that may result from your claimed experience against their verification.

The API examination window is the period in which you can sit your exam. For list of examinations window and fees for initial registration and rescheduling fee, please use below link: https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedules-and-fees#tab-2021

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 rescheduling fee 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, failing to book a slot; non availability of slot in your preferred test centre and failing to book an available slot in another test centre is as good as failing the exam itself. In this situation, you need to request a reschedule pay the 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 favourite test centre within the allocated ‘’3 week window’’ while the next available test centre may be hundreds of miles away or even in another country. This is because Prometric has only 3000 test centre offered for API exams across the globe. Hence, it is recommended that you register and get the API approval (called API Exam Authorization Notice email) roughly 6 months prior to your scheduled exam for the core exams (API 510, 570, 653) and approximately 4 months for non core exams; that is; do not choose the next immediate test window but choose the one that is 4-6 months away. This is especially important for core API 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 3000 Prometric testing centres worldwide to choose from. All Prometric testing centres operate on the first-come-first-served basis. Therefore, API cannot promise that you will be able to obtain a seat at your preferred location. Schedule your exam immediately after receiving your Exam Authorization Notice email from API. If he seat is not available, try a different date, or another location. You can change the exam location and date (still within the allocated 2 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. Currently due to Covid 19, Prometric offers a choice of attending the exam remotely from the comfort of your home or office. Please follow the below link: https://www.api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedule-exams#tab-remote-proctoring

API gives each candidate 12 consecutive months to pass an exam beginning from the first scheduled test window. This means you can attempt an exam for a maximum of 4 consecutive times. 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 and pay the full fees. Schedule your exam with your closest Prometric test centre as soon as you receive the API authorization. One of our trainees received his ‘’API Exam Authorization Notice’’ for API 510 seven months before the selected test window; but attempted to book a place with Prometric only two months before the test window. As a result, his closest Prometric centre (London) was already full, so, he had to go to Amsterdam Prometric test centre to attend the exam. Therefore, it is strongly recommend that you book your place as soon as you receive the API authorization notice. Remember, API core certification (510, 570, 653) is a full day exam, so booking your favourite exam date and location may not be possible if you are late. Prometric booking is on the first come first served basis.

You will be required to present one valid, unexpired and original government-issued photo ID with a signature, such as a driving 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 employees shall check your valid government photographic ID, ask you to sign in; check you with a metal detector; ask you to turn up your sleeves and trousers; check your pockets; look at your reading glasses to ensure it does not have any camera/video recording device and ask you a security question (Date Of Birth, email address). 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 colour 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 centre, you shall be refused entry and it is treated as a ‘’no show up’’ which is as good as failing the exam. Also, make sure your government issued photo ID (driving license, passport) is valid. During API 653 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 300 $) 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 centre 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 for core exams (API 519, 570, 653).

API periodically performs a job analysis to find out what specific duties an inspector has. This leads to defining what knowledge and competency an inspector should have in order to carry those duties. API exam is intended to verify that you have the knowledge and can apply them under various scenarios. For this reason, mere memorizing of facts and figures would not help you much towards passing the exam, however, information that you use on a day to day basis as an inspector should be memorized. API calls them practical type of questions. You should have the knowledge or the underlying reason; be able to interpret and apply the knowledge based on codes and recommended practices.

There is a tutorial prior to exam and it explains how the bottoms work. You can also find the tutorial for API core exams via the below link which is an exact replica of the tutorial you shall see prior to the exam: https://www.api.org/~/media/Files/Certification/ICP/Examinations/201809 12_Tutorial_510570653.PDF For tutorial for other exam, please go the relevant section of API for that particular 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. Remember that you can flag off those questions you are not sure of so you can return back to them during the remaining time. 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.

The pass mark is roughly 70% for all the API examinations as API uses scaled grading to standardize the degree of difficulty for all the exams. No negative marking is applied. Therefore, it is recommended to answer all the questions. At the end, click the ‘’review all’’ button and peruse through the list to ensure that you have not skipped any question. You can also check ‘’review incomplete questions’’ to ensure there is nothing on the list, that is, no question left unanswered.

For core exams: There are 170 questions in the core exams, of which only 140 are scored. The remaining 30 are pre-test questions and not marked towards your score, meaning these pre-test questions do not affect your score whether you have answered them correctly or incorrectly. API does not tell you which ones these questions are, so, you have to answer all the questions. The reason for these non scored pre-test questions is that API frequently adds up new questions to their existing question bank. API needs to ensure that these questions are not significantly challenged by the candidates and also answered by a reasonable number of people before adding them to their question bank as scored questions. For non-core exams, the number of questions are between 80 - 110 questions: Please go to API ICP relevant section for each certification and look for ‘’Exam Info’’ or look at module 1 of our respective e-learning course which is accessible to all for free.

API certification is valid for a three-year term and cost depending on type of course. For prices, please go to API ICP and look for ‘’Schedules and Fees’’ or alternatively, see module 1 of our respective e-learning course which is accessible to all for free. After 3 years, you need to apply for recertification demonstrating that you still work as an API inspector for 20% of the time. You may apply for recertification 90 days prior to the certification expiration date, and for a 90-day grace period after. If an application is not submitted by the end of the 90-day grace period, the certification will expire. A new application and the full fee must be submitted, and you will need to pass the full version of the examination in order to be recertified. API inspectors are required to take an on-line, open-book quiz every six years in order to recertify. Each quiz has 25 questions that address the changes in the relevant API codes over the past six years. You have a total of four hours to complete the quiz, and it may be paused or interrupted up to three times. If you fail the quiz once, you will be able to take it again. If you fail the quiz a second time, you will not be able to recertify. You will need to submit a new application and take the full version of the exam to certify again.

The fee payable to Training and Inspection Services is for the API ICP Exam Preparation Training only. The API exam registration fee is payable directly to API on completion of submitting your exam application.

We can not arrange for you to register and attend the exam. This is an individual certification program and exam registration shall be done by yourself. Please have a look at our module 1 which is free for all and explains the A- Z of qualification, exam registration, exams tips and exam time management.

API ICP examination and certification is only issued by API itself.

Yes, You shall receive a certificate of achievement at he end of our full courses

The approximate duration is estimated in the course overview. For example, we estimate candidates complete API 653 course within 60 hours of self paced E-Learning

If you are planning to select a training centre to help you with API examinations, make sure that: 1- The trainer is an API inspector himself. (who actually passed the exam and maintained his certification and therefore is up-to-date). 2- The trainer has actually worked as an API inspector. Surely you don’t want to get swimming lessons from somebody who does not know how to swim himself! 3- The training course and study material completely covers the publication effectivitiy sheet and the body of knowledge. Please note that Publication effectivity sheet is revised every 2-3 years. 4- The depth of reference document covered is commensurate with number of expected exam questions. For example, for API 510 pressure vessel inspector exam, roughly 40% -45% of questions come from API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspection Code that should be read in conjunction with API 572 Pressure Vessel Inspection Practice and ASME VIII Pressure Vessel Construction Code.

Our courses are self paced E-Learning courses complete with video, textual description with illustration, slides, quiz, practice and mock exam questions. You can look at our " course content" to see the list of topics while the "overview" would give a bird's eye view of the course.

We can not arrange for you to register and attend the exam. This is an individual certification program and exam registration shall be done by yourself. Please have a look at our module 1 which is free for all and explains the A- Z of qualification, exam registration, exams tips and exam time management.

Fortunately, API is quite clear about what are the criteria for the examination. These are: 1- Publication Effectivitiy Sheet which is a list of reference study material and the specific chapters that you should study. Ensure you have the right revision number of references. 2- Body of knowledge giving examples of what you are expected to know and should be treated as potential exam questions. 3- Score cards of people who have already attended the exam showing the percentage of questions they have answered per topic.

API ICP examination and certification is only issued by API itself.

Yes, You shall receive a certificate of achievement at the end of our full courses. We are CPD accredited training centre and you can use our certificate for any professional bodies globally if you are a member.

The approximate duration is estimated in the course overview. For example, we estimate candidates complete API 653 course within 60 hours of self paced E-Learning