NACE exam preparation guide (EPG) job duties
and experience questions and answers with
solutions 2025
Level 1 ‐ BASIC INSPECTOR ‐ Alternate nomenclature (Inspection Tester) AFTER SUCCESSFUL
COMPLETION OF CIP LEVEL 1, THE BASIC INSPECTOR HAS "ENTRY LEVEL" KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT? ‐
ANSWER ALL REFERENCED COMPETENCIES AND CAN PERFORM BASIC NON‐DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTIONS
OF LIQUID COATINGS APPLIED BY BRUSH, ROLLER OR SPRAY TO STEEL SURFACES UNDER THE
SUPERVISION OF A LEVEL 2 OR 3 INSPECTOR WHEN WORKING IN A SHOP SETTING OR A LEVEL 3
INSPECTOR WHEN WORKING IN A FIELD SETTING.
Level 2 ‐ INTERMEDIATE INSPECTOR ‐ Alternate nomenclature (Inspection Technologist) AFTER
COMPLETING TWO YEARS OF INSPECTION RELATED WORK AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF CIP LEVEL
2, AN INTERMEDIATE INSPECTOR HAS A "WORKING KNOWLEDGE" OF WHAT? ‐ ANSWER ALL
REFERENCED COMPETENCIES IDENTIFIED FOR LEVEL 1 AND 2 AND CAN UNDERTAKE UNSUPERVISED
NON‐ DESTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTIONS OF LIQUID AND NON‐LIQUID COATINGS APPLIED
TO ANY SUBSTRATE WHILE WORKING IN A SHOP SETTING OR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LEVEL 3
CERTIFIED INSPECTOR WHEN WORKING IN A FIELD SETTING.
Level 3 ‐ ADVANCED INSPECTOR ‐ Alternate nomenclature (Inspection Specialist) AFTER COMPLETING
FIVE YEARS OF INSPECTION RELATED WORK AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE CIP LEVEL 3 PEER
REVIEW ORAL EXAM, AN ADVANCED INSPECTOR HAS "EXPERT KNOWLEDGE" OF WHAT? ‐ ANSWER ALL
REFERENCED COMPETENCIES IDENTIFIED FOR LEVEL 1, 2 AND 3 AND CAN UNDERTAKE UNSUPERVISED
NON‐DESTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTIONS OF LIQUID AND NON‐LIQUID COATINGS APPLIED TO
ANY SUBSTRATE. THE ADVANCED INSPECTOR HAS PROVEN THEIR TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE REGARDING PRACTICAL ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE ON SITE AND IS CAPABLE OF
SUPERVISING BASIC AND INTERMEDIATE INSPECTORS.
Candidates for NACE CIP Level 2 Certification must satisfy all of the following educational and work
experience requirements include what? ‐ ANSWER A. Candidate must be Certified as a NACE Level 1
Coating Inspector, PLUS
Candidates for NACE CIP Level 2 Certification must satisfy all of the following educational and work
experience requirements include what? ‐ ANSWER B. The certification candidate has a minimum of TWO
(2) years' work experience in jobs related to industrial coatings and in addition to the time spent in NACE
training, a minimum of TWENTY (20) hours of verifiable and documented experience in the use of non‐
destructive coating inspection instruments, prior to application for certification. For example, work
, experience as an industrial coating applicator, which includes the requisite TWENTY (20) hours of
experience using non‐destructive inspection instruments,
Candidates for NACE CIP Level 2 Certification must satisfy all of the following educational and work
experience requirements include what? ‐ ANSWER The certification candidate has a minimum TWO (2)
years' professional work experience, which includes fieldwork. For example working as a coating
manufacturer's representative, a practicing representative of a facility owner (or his/her designated
agent), or a representative from a licensed professional engineering firm, AND a minimum of TWENTY
(20) hours of verifiable and documented experience in the use of non‐destructive coating inspection
instruments Note 1: Candidates experience including the use of non‐destructive coating inspection
instruments must be documented by the candidate such that it can be verified by NACE. Note 2: As it is
not possible to list all potential types of qualified experience, each submission will be evaluated by NACE
to ensure compliance with the intent of the experience requirements noted above
How are Industrial Coatings defined for NACE Exam Qualifications? ‐ ANSWER Industrial Coatings are
those materials designed for protection of major structures such as Bridges, Ships, Offshore Platforms or
Pipelines, applied to surfaces that are suitably prepared (most often by blast‐cleaning) and applied most
often by airless or conventional airspray systems.
1. How must experience required for taking the NACE CIP2 Exam be documented and verified? ‐
ANSWER All experience referred to herein must be documented and verifiable. It shall be defined in
writing and submitted to NACE on approved forms, and be subject to verification before the Certification
process can be completed.
Is documented and verified work experience required prior to being awarded a CIP Level 2 certification ?
‐ ANSWER Documented and verified work experience is not necessarily required to follow certification at
NACE CIP Level 1, but may be achieved at any time before or after CIP Level 1 certification. It is required
prior to being awarded a CIP Level 2 certification
3. In what areas is time spent in training not counted towards the experience requirements? ‐ ANSWER It
is not possible to list all types of experience that may qualify. It is intended that the work experience
shall be largely of a practical nature. Work at a site location is likely to qualify; work in an office is not
likely to qualify. Work as an applicator (blaster or sprayer) is likely to qualify, work as a sales
representative is not. A list of commonly accepted experience is listed below: a. Site Supervisor for paint
application contractor b. Blaster and/or sprayer of industrial coatings c. Coating Manufacturer's Technical
Service Representative a practicing representative of a Facility Owner (or his/her designated Agent), or a
representative from a licensed professional engineering firm with some site‐based responsibilities, d.
Welding inspector with experience of coatings QC in a site environment
and experience questions and answers with
solutions 2025
Level 1 ‐ BASIC INSPECTOR ‐ Alternate nomenclature (Inspection Tester) AFTER SUCCESSFUL
COMPLETION OF CIP LEVEL 1, THE BASIC INSPECTOR HAS "ENTRY LEVEL" KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT? ‐
ANSWER ALL REFERENCED COMPETENCIES AND CAN PERFORM BASIC NON‐DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTIONS
OF LIQUID COATINGS APPLIED BY BRUSH, ROLLER OR SPRAY TO STEEL SURFACES UNDER THE
SUPERVISION OF A LEVEL 2 OR 3 INSPECTOR WHEN WORKING IN A SHOP SETTING OR A LEVEL 3
INSPECTOR WHEN WORKING IN A FIELD SETTING.
Level 2 ‐ INTERMEDIATE INSPECTOR ‐ Alternate nomenclature (Inspection Technologist) AFTER
COMPLETING TWO YEARS OF INSPECTION RELATED WORK AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF CIP LEVEL
2, AN INTERMEDIATE INSPECTOR HAS A "WORKING KNOWLEDGE" OF WHAT? ‐ ANSWER ALL
REFERENCED COMPETENCIES IDENTIFIED FOR LEVEL 1 AND 2 AND CAN UNDERTAKE UNSUPERVISED
NON‐ DESTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTIONS OF LIQUID AND NON‐LIQUID COATINGS APPLIED
TO ANY SUBSTRATE WHILE WORKING IN A SHOP SETTING OR UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LEVEL 3
CERTIFIED INSPECTOR WHEN WORKING IN A FIELD SETTING.
Level 3 ‐ ADVANCED INSPECTOR ‐ Alternate nomenclature (Inspection Specialist) AFTER COMPLETING
FIVE YEARS OF INSPECTION RELATED WORK AND SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE CIP LEVEL 3 PEER
REVIEW ORAL EXAM, AN ADVANCED INSPECTOR HAS "EXPERT KNOWLEDGE" OF WHAT? ‐ ANSWER ALL
REFERENCED COMPETENCIES IDENTIFIED FOR LEVEL 1, 2 AND 3 AND CAN UNDERTAKE UNSUPERVISED
NON‐DESTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTIONS OF LIQUID AND NON‐LIQUID COATINGS APPLIED TO
ANY SUBSTRATE. THE ADVANCED INSPECTOR HAS PROVEN THEIR TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY
TO COMMUNICATE REGARDING PRACTICAL ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE ON SITE AND IS CAPABLE OF
SUPERVISING BASIC AND INTERMEDIATE INSPECTORS.
Candidates for NACE CIP Level 2 Certification must satisfy all of the following educational and work
experience requirements include what? ‐ ANSWER A. Candidate must be Certified as a NACE Level 1
Coating Inspector, PLUS
Candidates for NACE CIP Level 2 Certification must satisfy all of the following educational and work
experience requirements include what? ‐ ANSWER B. The certification candidate has a minimum of TWO
(2) years' work experience in jobs related to industrial coatings and in addition to the time spent in NACE
training, a minimum of TWENTY (20) hours of verifiable and documented experience in the use of non‐
destructive coating inspection instruments, prior to application for certification. For example, work
, experience as an industrial coating applicator, which includes the requisite TWENTY (20) hours of
experience using non‐destructive inspection instruments,
Candidates for NACE CIP Level 2 Certification must satisfy all of the following educational and work
experience requirements include what? ‐ ANSWER The certification candidate has a minimum TWO (2)
years' professional work experience, which includes fieldwork. For example working as a coating
manufacturer's representative, a practicing representative of a facility owner (or his/her designated
agent), or a representative from a licensed professional engineering firm, AND a minimum of TWENTY
(20) hours of verifiable and documented experience in the use of non‐destructive coating inspection
instruments Note 1: Candidates experience including the use of non‐destructive coating inspection
instruments must be documented by the candidate such that it can be verified by NACE. Note 2: As it is
not possible to list all potential types of qualified experience, each submission will be evaluated by NACE
to ensure compliance with the intent of the experience requirements noted above
How are Industrial Coatings defined for NACE Exam Qualifications? ‐ ANSWER Industrial Coatings are
those materials designed for protection of major structures such as Bridges, Ships, Offshore Platforms or
Pipelines, applied to surfaces that are suitably prepared (most often by blast‐cleaning) and applied most
often by airless or conventional airspray systems.
1. How must experience required for taking the NACE CIP2 Exam be documented and verified? ‐
ANSWER All experience referred to herein must be documented and verifiable. It shall be defined in
writing and submitted to NACE on approved forms, and be subject to verification before the Certification
process can be completed.
Is documented and verified work experience required prior to being awarded a CIP Level 2 certification ?
‐ ANSWER Documented and verified work experience is not necessarily required to follow certification at
NACE CIP Level 1, but may be achieved at any time before or after CIP Level 1 certification. It is required
prior to being awarded a CIP Level 2 certification
3. In what areas is time spent in training not counted towards the experience requirements? ‐ ANSWER It
is not possible to list all types of experience that may qualify. It is intended that the work experience
shall be largely of a practical nature. Work at a site location is likely to qualify; work in an office is not
likely to qualify. Work as an applicator (blaster or sprayer) is likely to qualify, work as a sales
representative is not. A list of commonly accepted experience is listed below: a. Site Supervisor for paint
application contractor b. Blaster and/or sprayer of industrial coatings c. Coating Manufacturer's Technical
Service Representative a practicing representative of a Facility Owner (or his/her designated Agent), or a
representative from a licensed professional engineering firm with some site‐based responsibilities, d.
Welding inspector with experience of coatings QC in a site environment
