API 571 exam guide: format, scope and fees
API 571 Corrosion and Materials certification is for inspectors and engineers who need to name a damage mechanism, say where it shows up and how it looks, and know how to prevent and find it. Many candidates already hold API 510, 570 or 653 and add API 571 to them. The exam is closed book, so everything comes from memory.
- Questions
- 110
- Time
- 195 minutes
- Where
- In person at test centers or through remote proctoring
The exam in brief
- Format: 110 multiple-choice questions in 3.25 hours. API's pages differ on how many of the 110 are scored, so we do not state a scored count. Prepare for all 110.
- Closed book: paper and reference materials are not allowed into the exam.
- Where you test: in person at a test center or by remote proctoring, during set exam windows.
- Passing: a scaled score of 400 on a 200 to 500 scale. Unanswered questions are marked wrong.
- Fees: API's 2027 fee table lists $390 for members and $450 for non-members, and its 2026 table lists $380 and $440.
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Question 1 of the free 10-question check on API 571. No signup. Then ask Patch, the AI study assistant, why the answer is right and the others are wrong.
Terms, definitions and acronyms
A repair record notes cracking in the HAZ next to a weld. What does HAZ stand for?
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What the exam covers
The Body of Knowledge is the whole of API RP 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry, 3rd edition. API publishes no weights. It lists:
- Terms, definitions and acronyms.
- Damage mechanisms, studied by attribute: the description, affected materials and critical factors; the units and equipment affected; the appearance or morphology of the damage; prevention and mitigation; and inspection and monitoring.
A useful way to study is one attribute across many mechanisms at a time, for example the materials each mechanism needs, rather than one mechanism at a time. Choosing between API 571 and API 580? Read API 571 vs API 580.
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The API 571 course
Available now · instant accessLearn each family of damage mechanisms, then prove it on closed-book timed exams.
- 6modules of lessonsEvery task on the outline
- 2full-length timed exams110 questions in 195 minutes each
- 249practice questionsEach one explained
- 1week-by-week study planSet to your exam date
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Who can apply
Holders of a current API 510, 570 or 653 certification qualify automatically. Others qualify by education and petrochemical industry experience gained in the last 10 years: one year with an engineering or technology degree, two years with a two-year degree or certificate, three years with a high school diploma, or five or more years with no formal education.
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Sources
Show the list
- API 571 certification page, American Petroleum Institute, read 21 October 2026.
- API 571 Body of Knowledge, American Petroleum Institute, read 21 October 2026.
- Schedules and fees, American Petroleum Institute, read 7 November 2026.
Exam facts
| Questions | 110 |
| Time | 195 minutes |
| Book | Closed book: paper and reference materials are not allowed into the exam |
| Calculator | Calculator on screen; a handheld calculator on request at an in-person center; scratch paper and pencil at the center; digital calculator and digital scratch paper on screen for remote exams. Calculator type not stated |
| Passing | Scaled score 400 on a 200-500 scale. Unanswered questions are marked incorrect; no partial credit on multiple-response or matching questions |
| Where you test | In person at test centers or through remote proctoring |
| Code edition | API Recommended Practice 571, Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the Refining Industry, 3rd edition, March 2020. The Body of Knowledge is the entire RP 571, so the 15 paragraphs the API 570 effectivity sheet lists (Section 2 and 3.3, 3.8, 3.9, 3.14, 3.15, 3.17, 3.22, 3.27, 3.31, 3.37, 3.43, 3.45, 3.57, 3.58, 3.61) are examples, not the exam's scope |
| Eligibility | Holders of a current API 510, 570 or 653 certification qualify automatically. Others qualify by education and experience gained in the last 10 years, any experience in the petrochemical industry: BS or higher in engineering or technology = 1 year; 2-year degree or certificate in engineering or technology = 2 years; high school diploma or equivalent = 3 years; no formal education = 5 or more years |
| Renewal | Every 3 years by application, with no exam. Apply up to 90 days before expiry; a 90-day grace period with late fees follows, after which a new application, fees and a full examination are needed. Employment verification is not required to recertify |
Fee details
Initial: 2026 Fees tab $380 member / $440 non-member; 2027 Fees tab $390 / $450. Recertification: 2026 $265 / $320; 2027 $270 / $330. Late application $200. Reschedule (new window) $200
What the exam covers
| Terms, definitions and acronyms | not published by American Petroleum Institute |
| Damage mechanisms: description, affected materials and critical factors | not published by American Petroleum Institute |
| Damage mechanisms: affected units and equipment | not published by American Petroleum Institute |
| Damage mechanisms: appearance or morphology of damage | not published by American Petroleum Institute |
| Damage mechanisms: prevention and mitigation | not published by American Petroleum Institute |
| Damage mechanisms: inspection and monitoring | not published by American Petroleum Institute |
American Petroleum Institute lists these sections but publishes no weights, so treat them as equally important until you know otherwise.
Sources
Show the 4 sources
- api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/certifications/api571 (checked 2026-10-21)
- api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedules-and-fees (checked 2026-11-07)
- api.org/-/media/Files/Certification/ICP/ICP-Certification-Programs/571_577_580/571_BOK_202 (checked 2026-10-21)
- api.org/products-and-services/individual-certification-programs/schedule-exams (checked 2026-11-07)
Facts come from American Petroleum Institute's own documents (sources above); the latest source retrieval was . If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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