AWS CW: AWS Certified Welder

The Certified Welder program tests hands-on welding performance rather than classroom knowledge. Candidates select the process (e.g. SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW), position, and material/thickness they want certified, and the same ATF that administers the test can also re-certify on a periodic cycle.

• Issuer American Welding Society (AWS)
• Scope A performance-based credential: the candidate welds a qualification test coupon under a specific process/position/material combination and an AWS-accredited test facility (ATF) grades it against AWS QC7 acceptance criteria.
• Who needs it A working or trained welder who wants a portable, code-referenced proof of hands-on skill for a specific process and position. It is the entry credential most job postings mean when they ask for "certified welder."
• Prerequisites None. AWS states there are "no prerequisite courses or certifications required prior to testing" and no minimum education or experience requirement.
• Test format A hands-on performance test at an AWS Accredited Test Facility (ATF): the candidate welds a coupon to a specific Welding Procedure Specification, and the weld is inspected against the acceptance criteria of the applicable code.
• Cost AWS lists a $70 application fee (member and non-member) plus a $105 yearly maintenance subscription covering unlimited renewals. The ATF's own testing fee is separate and set by each facility; AWS directs candidates to contact their chosen ATF directly for that price (aws.org Program Price List, retrieved 2026-08-05).
• Renewal / recertification Not a fixed retest interval. AWS requires the welder to submit certification-maintenance documentation every six months confirming continued work in the certified process (aws.org, retrieved 2026-08-05).
• Where employers ask for it Structural fabrication, pipeline, sheet metal, and refinery job postings commonly ask for an AWS CW as the baseline hands-on credential, then layer a specific D-code (structural, pipe, or code-specific) qualification on top for the work at hand.