Certified Welding Inspector (CWI): requirements, exam, cost and renewal

To become an AWS Certified Welding Inspector you need a qualifying mix of education and welding work experience (1 year with a bachelor's in welding engineering or technology, up to 5 years with a high school diploma), a passed vision test, and a score of at least 72% on each of three exams: Part A Fundamentals, Part B Practical, and Part C Code Book. The initial exam fee is $1,255 for AWS members and $1,520 for non-members. The credential is valid for 9 years, with renewal applications due at years 3 and 6 (aws.org CWI page, as of 2026-10-01).

CWI candidates sit for a multi-part exam (fundamentals, practical, and code book) and must meet education/experience prerequisites under AWS QC1. The credential is renewed on a fixed cycle with a choice of exam or continuing-education paths.

• Issuer American Welding Society (AWS)
• Scope A knowledge-based inspection credential (AWS QC1) covering welding inspection, codes and standards, and visual inspection of welds, not a hands-on welding performance test.
• Who needs it A welder or quality professional moving from producing welds to inspecting them: the standard career-advancement credential referenced in quality-control, code-compliance, and third-party inspection job postings.
• Prerequisites One combination of education and welding-related work experience, on a sliding scale: a bachelor's degree or higher in welding engineering/technology needs 1 year of experience; an associate degree in a related field needs 2 years; college-level technical coursework needs 3 years; trade/vocational coursework needs 4 years; a high school diploma or equivalent needs 5 years (longer scales apply below high-school level). All candidates must also pass a vision test.
• Test format Three parts: Part A (Fundamentals, 150 computer-based questions on testing methods, fabrication math, safety, metallurgy, and welding symbols), Part B (Practical, in-person hands-on inspection tasks plus 46 questions), and Part C (Code Book, 50-65 open-book computer-based questions on a code such as AWS D1.1, API 1104, or ASME BPVC Section IX). Each part requires a 72% passing score.
• Cost AWS lists an initial CWI exam fee of $1,255 (member) / $1,520 (non-member); with Part B training included, $2,000 / $2,265; and a seminar-plus-exam package built around D1.1, $3,070 / $3,335 (aws.org Program Price List, retrieved 2026-08-05).
• Renewal / recertification Valid for 9 years, with renewal applications due at years 3 and 6; AWS's CWI page lists the year-3/year-6 renewal at $630 member / $895 non-member by work experience or $1,000 / $1,265 by examination (aws.org, as of 2026-10-01). At the 9-year mark, AWS lists two recertification paths: retake the Part B practical exam, or accumulate 80 Professional Development Hours through continuing education ($795 member / $1,060 non-member for the non-exam path, aws.org Program Price List, retrieved 2026-08-05). The two AWS sources disagree on the Part B recertification price: the CWI page shows $1,130 / $1,395 (as of 2026-10-01), the Program Price List effective 2026-01-01 showed $1,165 / $1,430 (retrieved 2026-08-05); confirm with AWS before paying. A CRI credential or an endorsement exam can also satisfy recertification.
• Where employers ask for it Quality assurance, code-compliance, and third-party inspection roles across structural, pipeline, and pressure-vessel fabrication list CWI as a named requirement or strong preference, usually paired with a specific code (D1.1, API 1104, ASME Section IX).