How the plan builder works
API's Body of Knowledge splits each exam into five sections. The builder reads them for the exam you pick and works inside the window from your start date to the day before the exam:
- Sections for API 510: I. Thickness measurements, inspection intervals and vessel integrity; II. Welding procedure and qualification evaluation; III. Nondestructive examination; IV. Practical knowledge: general; V. Practical knowledge: specific. API publishes no weight for any of them, so each starts at an equal 20% share.
- Weeks = days from start date to exam date ÷ 7, rounded up. A short last week still counts as a week.
- With 3 or more weeks, the last week is a final review across all five sections at the same shares.
- The study weeks before it go to the sections one at a time, in Body of Knowledge order. Each section gets share × study weeks, rounded by the largest-remainder method: everyone gets the whole-number part, then spare weeks go to the largest fractions, and on a tie to the earlier section. Every section gets at least one week.
- With fewer study weeks than sections, neighboring sections share a week.
- Within a section's weeks, its topics are spread in order, so each week has at least one topic. Weeks link a free practice tool where one fits the section.
- If you pick a weakest section, its share is multiplied by 1.5 and the five are rescaled to total 100% before any of the steps above, so it gets more weeks and the others get slightly fewer.
- Each week splits the hours you entered: half on learning new material, three tenths on practice questions and a fifth on reviewing what you missed. The review week is practice and review only. A short week is scaled to its days.
- The free 10-question check opens week 1 and week (weeks ÷ 2, rounded down) + 1.
The plan runs up to 52 weeks and covers the API 510 and API 570 initial exams. Topic labels are our own short descriptions of the work each section asks for; this page does not reproduce any API or ASME text, and you study from your own copies of the documents on the effectivity sheet for your window.
Worked example 1: 10 weeks at 8 hours a week
A candidate starts on Monday 2 November 2026 and sits API 510 on 11 January 2027, studying 8 hours a week, with no weakest section chosen. These dates are an example only.
- Days: 70, so 10 weeks. Week 10 is the final review, leaving 9 study weeks.
- Exact week counts: 9 × 0.2 = 1.8 for each of the five sections. Whole parts give 1 each, which is 5 weeks. The four spare weeks all tie at 0.8, so they go to sections I to IV in order, giving 2, 2, 2, 2 and 1.
- Weeks 1 and 2 are section I, weeks 3 and 4 section II, weeks 5 and 6 section III, weeks 7 and 8 section IV, and week 9 section V.
- Every study week is 8 hours: 4 hours learning, 2 hours 25 minutes of practice questions and 1 hour 35 minutes reviewing misses. The review week is 4 hours 50 minutes of practice and 3 hours 10 minutes of review.
- Share actually given: (2 + 0.2) ÷ 10 = 22% for each of sections I to IV and (1 + 0.2) ÷ 10 = 12% for section V. That is why the free check matters: if section V is where you lose points, pick it as your weakest.
- The free check opens week 1 and week 10 ÷ 2 + 1 = week 6.
Worked example 2: the same 10 weeks with section V as the weakest
The same candidate takes the free check, finds section V weakest and picks it above.
- Section V's share is multiplied by 1.5: 1, 1, 1, 1 and 1.5, which total 5.5. Rescaled, sections I to IV get 1 ÷ 5.5 = 18.2% each and section V gets 1.5 ÷ 5.5 = 27.3%.
- Exact week counts: 9 × 0.182 = 1.64 for sections I to IV and 9 × 0.273 = 2.45 for section V. Whole parts give 1, 1, 1, 1 and 2, which is 6 weeks. The three spare weeks go to the largest fractions, 0.64 for sections I, II and III, so the counts are 2, 2, 2, 1 and 2.
- Weeks 1 to 6 are sections I to III, two weeks each, week 7 is section IV, and weeks 8 and 9 are section V.
- Share actually given: about 21.8% each for sections I to III, 11.8% for section IV and 22.7% for section V.
Using the plan and the checks
The free 10-question check scores you by section. Take it at the start, choose your weakest section above so it gets a larger share, and compare at the midpoint. For the calculation section, work fresh numbers through the corrosion rate calculator and the remaining life calculator each week, and practice finding things in the book with the API 510 lookup drill.
What the planner does not do
It does not say how long anyone should study, and it does not predict a result. The hours are yours; the plan only splits them. An equal starting share does not mean the sections carry equal points or equal difficulty for you, so adjust after each check. API's current Body of Knowledge and effectivity sheet control what the exam covers, and API can change them for each window.
API study plan questions
How many weeks should I study for API 510 or API 570?
That depends on your exam window, the hours you can give each week and how much inspection work you already do, so the builder starts from your dates and your hours instead of a fixed number. Enter both and it spreads your own time across the five Body of Knowledge sections, then ends with a review week.
Why does every section start with the same share?
API lists the five sections for each exam but publishes no weight for any of them, so the builder does not guess one. Every section starts equal. Take the free check, pick your weakest section, and the builder gives it a larger share.
Does this plan cover API 653 or the recertification quiz?
No. It covers the API 510 and API 570 initial exams only. API 653 and the recertification quiz have their own content, and this planner does not build weeks for them.