CodeWest is a Certified API
Training Provider for the API-510,
570 and 653 Examination
Preparation Courses
Answers to Common Questions About API Exams
Call the American Petroleum Institute (API) at 202-682-8064 to request a registration package for the inspector certification you are interested in obtaining or download the application from www.api.org/icp.
The inspector certifications that are available include API 510 Pressure Vessels, API 653 Aboveground Storage Tanks, API 570 Process Piping. You can also visit www.api.org/icp for more information on API Inspector Certification Exams.
You must be registered 8 to 10 weeks before the actual API exam date. API publishes registration deadline dates for each exam in the applications. Browse the CodeWest API 510, API 570, and API 653 Exam Prep Course pages for deadlines dates as well.
The API 510 and API 570 exams are currently administered by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors through the “Chief Boiler Inspectors” of several US States and Canadian Provinces. The exam is also administered in some areas by an API subcontractor. There is no difference in the registration process either way. However; if the exam is administered by one of the states or provinces there is often an additional fee that must be paid to that organization. These fees run from about $25.00 to $150.00. All the API 653 exams are administered by API through a subcontractor. The subcontractor will send you a letter about two to three weeks in advance of the exam which will give you the exact site.
All the exams were just recently revised to have the same length and presentation format. In the past, the API 653 exam had a different length and presentation format.
The exams are all now 8 hours with a lunch break. All exams include 150 questions. The “Open Book” portion will be administered in the morning and the “Closed Book” in the afternoon. The “Open Book” is approximately 1/3 of the exam including 35 to 50 questions, and the “Closed Book” is about 2/3 of the exam including about 100 to 115 questions. The passing score varies for each exam but is normally between 65% and 75%. The passing score will be given to you when you get your final grade. It takes about six to eight weeks for you to get your grade. Your certificate and wallet card will be sent to you by API ICP shortly after the grades are sent out.
Where Can I Get the Codes and Standards Required for a Specific Examination?
Purchase required exam prep course publications from:
- Techstreet: API and partial ASME publications. Call toll free 800-699-9277, or visit their web site at www.techstreet.com
- Complete Sets of ASME Documents, including future addenda are available at ASME's publications department. Call toll free 800-843-2763, local 973-882-1167, or fax 973-882-1717
The Codes and Standards required for the exams are listed in general terms in several places. However; there is an “Effectivity Sheet” for each exam in the application booklet sent out by API. This sheet lists the exact Edition, Addenda, or Supplement required for each exam. This is the list you should go by when ordering the books you will need to study. The list we publish in our advertisements gets checked about 10 times prior to publication and it is pretty reliable as well.
You should receive a “Body of Knowledge” with your application. This outlines in general the areas you will need to be familiar with for the exam and even points out some areas not to study. It will help you to some extent to get started. Also see our "Pre Course Preparation" page on this site.