NDT Level 2 certification: requirements, steps and exams

Training and experience by method

ASNT's program page publishes these requirements:

• Magnetic particle testing (MT): 3 training days; 40 days in the method; 76 days total NDT experience.
• Liquid penetrant testing (PT): 2 training days; 30 days in the method; 58 days total NDT experience.
• Radiographic testing (RT): 12 training days; 120 days in the method; 229 days total NDT experience.
• Ultrasonic testing (UT): 12 training days; 120 days in the method; 229 days total NDT experience.
• Visual testing (VT): 4 training days; 30 days in the method; 58 days total NDT experience.

ASNT defines a day as at least 7 hours, which may be accumulated. At that minimum, the training amounts convert to 21 hours for MT, 14 for PT, 84 for RT, 84 for UT and 28 for VT. Experience must be in NDT, under qualified supervision and in the methods sought.

Track method experience and total experience in separate columns. A classroom attendance record and an inspection work log serve different purposes.

Step 1: Choose your route

Two routes cover most technicians. Under ASNT NDT Level II, ASNT approves your application and runs the General and Specific written exams. Under SNT-TC-1A, your employer's written practice sets the requirements and your employer issues the certification. A training certificate alone does not make you certified under either route. Ask your employer which route it accepts before you spend money. The ASNT vs employer comparison covers the differences. The steps below follow the ASNT route, and your employer's table may differ.

Step 2: Find your hours for your method

Open the table above and note the training days, method days and total NDT days for your method. Employer tables set their own numbers, so check yours if you are on that route.

Step 3: Complete training and log experience

Take classroom training that supports your method, and log supervised work in NDT as you go. Keep the two records apart, as the evidence section below explains. Choosing a class? Ultrasonic testing classes: what to expect lists what to ask a provider.

Step 4: Apply and pay

Per ASNT's examinations page, you apply and pay first (ASNT's exam fees, retakes and refunds are in how much NDT Level II certification costs), then wait for notice that you are authorized to schedule. You cannot book a date before that approval.

Step 5: Book your exams

Once approved, you book through your MyCert account or with Pearson VUE. Booking, the two IDs, the calculator and the change rules are in ASNT Level II exam day.

Step 6: Sit the exams

You take a General exam and a Specific exam for your method. Your employer handles visual acuity, practical and any job-specific examinations under its written practice. Not sure how to prepare? Start with the ASNT Level 2 study guide.

Step 7: Hold and renew the certificate

ASNT's examinations page says ASNT NDT Level II certifications must be renewed every five years, with the renewal application and payment submitted before the expiry date on the certificate. An employer or client can verify an ASNT Level 2 certificate online in ASNT's public certificate-holder search.

How long does it take?

ASNT counts a day as at least 7 hours, so the day counts in the table convert to hours. Experience is the long part. The method days are included in the total, so you do not add them together.

These are our conversions of ASNT's day counts at the 7-hour minimum. As an example, at 40 working hours a week, 532 hours is about 14 weeks and 1,603 hours is about 40 weeks. Your pace will differ, since hours must be in NDT, under qualified supervision and in the methods you are seeking. After ASNT approves your application, everything you applied for must be scheduled and completed within one year of the Letter of Approval. If you do not pass an exam, ASNT lists a 30-day wait before a retake.

What does it cost?

ASNT publishes these fees on its program page, and our MT and PT exam guides record the same figures (read in October 2026):

• General and Specific exams for one method: $740 for ASNT members, $820 for nonmembers.
• An extra industry sector: $370 for members, $410 for nonmembers.
• Retaking a failed exam: $370 for members, $410 for nonmembers.

Fees change, so confirm them on ASNT's page before you pay. Training, employer-paid costs and renewal fees are separate and not listed here. See the study options comparison for the study side.

Weighing those fees against the work? The NDT Level II pay guide sets BLS wages beside posted ranges, NDT Level 2 jobs shows who hires Level II technicians, and what an NDT Level 2 technician does day to day describes the job itself.

Prepare evidence before choosing a test date

ASNT accepts training certificates as training evidence, not as experience evidence. For experience, its program page lists employer-signed records, including inspection logbooks and reports.

For your own preparation, make an evidence folder with course titles, completion dates, method names, hours and supporting documents. In a separate work-history file, record assignments and the person who can verify them. Resolve missing signatures or unclear method descriptions while the supervisor and records are still accessible.

Ask your training provider which program and method its completion document supports, and keep that answer with the course outline.

Exams and employer responsibilities

The ASNT examinations page lists a 50-item General exam and a 40-item Specific exam, with 2 hours for each. Specific exams cover general industry or pressure equipment sectors. The employer remains responsible for visual acuity, practical and any required job-specific examinations under its written practice. For booking, ID, the on-screen calculator and retake rules, see ASNT Level II exam day.

For employer certification under SNT-TC-1A, ASNT's advisory says the employer issues certification. A training institute can provide examinations for an employer when the requirements are met; a course certificate alone does not settle certification status.

Frequently asked questions

How long is NDT Level 2 certification valid? ASNT says its NDT Level II certifications must be renewed every five years.

Is a training certificate the same as certification? No. ASNT's SNT-TC-1A advisory says the employer issues certification, and a course certificate alone does not settle certification status.

What do the exams look like? ASNT lists a 50-item General exam and a 40-item Specific exam, with 2 hours for each.

Can I retake an exam? Yes, after a 30-day wait. You apply and pay again and receive a new approval letter before you book.

Which exam does Angle Beam cover? The ASNT General written exam. See the UT General guide for the topics.

Plan study around your actual exam

Read the UT General guide for the topics, and check the UT outline transition against your appointment. Preparing for MT? See the MT Level II outline change guide and the MT amperage calculator. Keep eligibility, practical work and written-exam prep as three separate tasks in your plan. The NDT study plan builder fills in the written-exam task week by week from your exam date.

Booking a UT class to cover those training hours? Ultrasonic testing classes: what to expect lists what a Level II course covers and what to ask a provider.

Find your weak topics free

Take the free 10-question check for UT General now. It needs no signup, every answer is explained, and it shows which topics to drill first. The full course adds timed practice exams, a lesson for each published topic and a study plan built from your exam date. Start the free 10-question check.

Sources

Show the list

• ASNT NDT Level II Certification, ASNT Certification Services.
• ASNT NDT Level II Examinations, ASNT Certification Services.
• Advisory on SNT-TC-1A Certification Practices and Use of ASNT Credentials, American Society for Nondestructive Testing, published 11 June 2026.