Education and experience
AWS requires documented proof of education and work experience, on its employment verification form. Check QC1:2016-AMD1 and B5.1 for how qualifying work is defined.
| Education | Minimum welding-based work experience |
|---|---|
| Bachelor or higher degree in welding engineering or welding technology | 1 year |
| Associate or higher degree in welding or non-welding related engineering technology, engineering or a physical science | 2 years |
| Engineering or technical courses applicable to a bachelor or higher degree in welding | 3 years |
| Trade or vocational courses | 4 years |
| High school diploma or approved equivalency | 5 years |
| 8th grade level of schooling | 9 years |
| Less than 8th grade | 12 years |
Step by step
- Confirm that your education and welding-based work experience meet the table above.
- Complete the Employment Verification Form and the Visual Acuity Exam Form, and gather your documents and photo.
- Apply through my.aws.org, choose your code and pay the exam fee.
- Take Part B, the practical, at an AWS-authorized site. AWS requires it before the other two parts.
- Use the eligibility codes in your confirmation letter to book Parts A and C at a Prometric center, and complete them within 120 days of Part B.
- Pass all three parts at 72% or better. A consolidated score report arrives by email about two weeks after you finish Parts A and C.
The vision test
AWS requires an eye examination on its Visual Acuity Exam Form. AWS's renewal documents describe the standard as near vision acuity at Jaeger J2 at 12 in. or greater, with or without corrective lenses, plus a color perception test. Check the form for the current requirement and how recent the exam must be.
See where you stand in 10 minutes
Take the free CWI Part A practice test. 15 questions, every answer explained.
What it costs
In 2026 AWS lists the initial CWI exams at US$1,255 for members and US$1,520 for non-members, or US$2,000 and US$2,265 with Part B training, including the seat fees for the Prometric parts. The non-member price includes a 3-year AWS Individual Membership. Seminars, code books and study material are extra. Always check the current price list on aws.org before you apply.
Keeping the credential
- CWI certification is valid for nine years, with renewal applications at years three and six.
- Renewal by work experience costs US$630 for members or US$895 for non-members. You must confirm no break in practice over two years within the prior three years.
- Renewal applications can be sent up to 11 months before expiry; AWS recommends at least 60 days before. There is a 60-day grace period, then late fees.
- At the nine-year mark, recertification is by exam or by 80 Professional Development Hours.
How to study
- Part A: learn terms, symbols and basic formulas without a book.
- Part B: read the free Book of Specifications and practice with fillet gauges and a V-WAC gauge.
- Part C: tab your code book and practice finding requirements against the clock.
- Take timed mock exams before each part.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a CWI?
It depends mainly on your experience: AWS's minimum runs from one year with a bachelor's in welding engineering or technology to five years with a high school diploma. Once you meet that, most of the time goes to study and to scheduling Part B and the two Prometric parts.
Do I need a degree to become a CWI?
No. A high school diploma or equivalent with five years of welding-based work experience qualifies, and there are routes with less schooling and more experience.
Is the CWI certification worth it?
It's the best-known welding inspector credential in the US, and D1.1 lists AWS QC1 certification among the inspector qualifications it accepts. Whether it pays off depends on your industry and role.
How long does the CWI certification last?
Nine years, with renewals at years three and six and recertification at year nine.
Official sources
Practice tests for these certifications
AWS CWI Part A Fundamentals Exam (Certified Welding Inspector)
Part A tests the welding fundamentals every inspector must know without a book: terms and definitions, welding processes, welding and NDE symbols, weld examination, procedure and welder qualification, NDT, metallurgy, calculations, inspector duties, destructive tests and cutting.
AWS CWI Part B Practical Exam (Certified Welding Inspector)
Part B is the practical: you measure plastic weld replicas with real gauges, review WPSs, PQRs and welder test records, read NDE photos, and judge each item against the AWS Book of Specifications.
AWS CWI Part C Code Book Exam: AWS D1.1 Structural Steel
Part C tests how fast and accurately you can find and apply requirements in the code you chose, here AWS D1.1, the Structural Welding Code for steel.
This guide is general information, checked November 2026, not legal advice. AWS rules change; confirm with AWS before you apply.
