API 510 Certification
Pressure Vessel Inspector certification from the American Petroleum Institute for in-service inspection of pressure vessels.
About API 510 Certification
API 510 certifies Authorized Pressure Vessel Inspectors under the American Petroleum Institute’s Individual Certification Program (ICP). Holders are qualified to direct and perform in-service inspection, rating, repair, alteration, and rerating of pressure vessels governed by the API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspection Code — the dominant fixed-equipment integrity code in refineries, petrochemical plants, and chemical facilities. Eligibility is an education-plus-experience matrix: roughly one year of relevant supervision or inspection experience with an engineering degree, scaling up to about five years with a high-school education, and the qualifying experience must have been gained within the previous ten years under an authorized inspection program. The examination is a single 7.5-hour sitting split into a closed-book portion (recall of code requirements and inspection knowledge) and an open-book portion (applying the ASME and API documents to calculation and scenario questions) — 170 questions in total, of which 140 are scored. Certification is valid for three years; recertification requires documenting at least 24 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) and that at least 20% of working time over the cycle was spent on pressure-vessel inspection activities, with an online open-book recertification quiz required every six years.
Certification Levels
Single level - API 510 Authorized Pressure Vessel Inspector. There is no I/II/III tiering; the credential certifies the holder to apply the full API 510 code to in-service vessels.
Requirements
- Education-plus-experience matrix (e.g. ~1 year with a relevant engineering degree up to ~5 years with a high-school diploma)
- Qualifying experience earned within the previous 10 years under an authorized inspection program
- Pass the 7.5-hour closed-book + open-book ICP examination (170 questions, 140 scored)
- Working knowledge of ASME BPVC Section VIII Div 1, ASME Section V (NDE), API 510, API 571 (damage mechanisms), API 572, API 576, API 577, and API 579-1/ASME FFS-1
- Recertify every 3 years (24 CPD hours + ≥20% time on pressure-vessel inspection); online open-book quiz every 6 years
Exam Topics
Applicable NDT Methods
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What is API 510 Certification (API 510)?
API 510 certifies Authorized Pressure Vessel Inspectors under the American Petroleum Institute’s Individual Certification Program (ICP). Holders are qualified to direct and perform in-service inspection, rating, repair, alteration, and rerating of pressure vessels governed by the API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspection Code — the dominant fixed-equipment integrity code in refineries, petrochemical plants, and chemical facilities. Eligibility is an education-plus-experience matrix: roughly one year of relevant supervision or inspection experience with an engineering degree, scaling up to about five years with a high-school education, and the qualifying experience must have been gained within the previous ten years under an authorized inspection program. The examination is a single 7.5-hour sitting split into a closed-book portion (recall of code requirements and inspection knowledge) and an open-book portion (applying the ASME and API documents to calculation and scenario questions) — 170 questions in total, of which 140 are scored. Certification is valid for three years; recertification requires documenting at least 24 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) and that at least 20% of working time over the cycle was spent on pressure-vessel inspection activities, with an online open-book recertification quiz required every six years.
Who issues the API 510 certification?
API 510 is issued and recognised by American Petroleum Institute.
What are the requirements for API 510?
Key requirements include: Education-plus-experience matrix (e.g. ~1 year with a relevant engineering degree up to ~5 years with a high-school diploma); Qualifying experience earned within the previous 10 years under an authorized inspection program; Pass the 7.5-hour closed-book + open-book ICP examination (170 questions, 140 scored); Working knowledge of ASME BPVC Section VIII Div 1, ASME Section V (NDE), API 510, API 571 (damage mechanisms), API 572, API 576, API 577, and API 579-1/ASME FFS-1; Recertify every 3 years (24 CPD hours + ≥20% time on pressure-vessel inspection); online open-book quiz every 6 years.
What does the API 510 exam cover?
Exam topics include: API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspection Code requirements; ASME BPVC Section VIII Division 1 design and construction basics; ASME Section V nondestructive examination methods; Damage and degradation mechanisms per API 571; Welding, brazing, and post-weld heat treatment for repairs (API 577); Remaining-life, MAWP, and minimum-thickness calculations; Repair, alteration, and rerating rules; fitness-for-service screening (API 579).
How long is API 510 valid?
API 510 certification is valid for 3 years, after which renewal or recertification is required.
Which NDT methods does API 510 apply to?
API 510 applies to: UT, RT, MT, PT, VT.
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