UT Level II General exam changes after 5 February 2027

What did not change

Both versions of the UT General exam are 50 items in 2 hours. ASNT lists no topic weights on either one, so you cannot skip a heading and hope it is small. The exam is still computer-based and multiple choice, and employers still run practical and visual acuity exams separately.

What changed

The old outline is six headings: review of ultrasonic techniques, evaluation of base material product forms, evaluation of weldments, evaluation of bonded structures, discontinuity detection and general evaluation.

The new outline has four headings:

1. UT principles and techniques. Calibrating systems, setting up and standardizing equipment, choosing a technique and equipment per a procedure, and applying theory to specific test situations.
2. Examination of materials and product forms. Writing scan plans, assessing and mitigating component conditions such as coatings, geometry and temperature, taking thickness measurements and examining for inherent, manufacturing and in-service discontinuities.
3. UT data collection, interpretation and reporting. Identifying irregularities, checking data quality, deciding whether an indication is relevant, characterizing it as planar or volumetric, evaluating against acceptance criteria and preparing documentation.
4. UT training, certification and safety. Maintaining certification, complying with safety requirements, giving on-the-job training and administering tests.

The old list is organized by what you are testing (welds, bonds, product forms). The new list is organized by what you do (set up, plan, collect, interpret, report, train). Many bullets read as tasks.

How the old topics map to the new ones

This table is our reading, not an ASNT crosswalk.

The new list adds things the old one did not spell out: scan plans, component conditions, communicating examination challenges, data quality, documentation and training others. That is where a candidate who studied only the old headings has gaps.

The core physics is still in play

The new headings sit on top of the same physics. Calibration, technique selection and thickness work still need beam geometry, velocity and decibel math. Interpreting and characterizing indications still needs an understanding of reflection, impedance and beam behavior. So keep your basics: the formulas guide, skip distance and decibel rules are as useful as they were.

Which outline are you on?

• Exam before 5 February 2027: ASNT's heading says "prior to", so use the old list.
• Exam after 5 February 2027: use the new list.
• Exam on 5 February 2027 itself: ASNT's headings do not say which list applies. Ask ASNT when you book, and keep the answer.
• Rescheduling: if a move crosses the date, switch outlines and re-check your notes.

Our free check and practice questions follow the outline for exams before 5 February 2027. If you test after it, keep using them for the shared physics and math, and add the task topics below.

A study plan for a test after 5 February 2027

1. Start with the physics. Refraction, skip distance, near field, attenuation and decibels. These are not outline-specific.
2. Rewrite your notes by task. Make one page each for setup and calibration, scan planning, data quality, interpretation and reporting. Put the physics you need under each.
3. Practice the unfamiliar ones aloud. Explain how a coating, a curved surface or a hot part changes your scan plan, and what you would tell the supervisor.
4. Read the procedure side. The new list leans on procedure and acceptance criteria. Your employer's procedure or the code your work uses is the reference, so study with your own copy.
5. Time yourself. Run fifty items in two hours at least twice. The pacing guide shows how.

If you are weighing the same change for another method, ASNT also lists new MT General topics for exams after 15 December 2026, covered in the MT outline guide.

Start with the part that does not change

Take the free 10-question UT check to see which physics topics need work. It needs no signup and explains every answer. The course adds timed practice exams, a lesson for each published topic and a study plan built from your exam date, and Echo, the study assistant, can explain a miss and suggest what to drill next. See the plans.

FAQ

When does the new UT General outline start?

ASNT lists a separate outline for exams after 5 February 2027. Exams before that date use the earlier list. ASNT's headings do not say which applies on 5 February itself, so ask ASNT if your appointment falls on that day.

Is the new UT General exam longer?

ASNT lists 50 items and 2 hours for both versions.

Do I need to relearn everything?

No. The physics and math behind UT are the same. What is new is the emphasis on setup, planning, data quality, interpretation, reporting and training, so add those to your notes.

Does the new outline change the Specific exam?

The Specific exam is a separate exam. This article covers the General exam only, so read ASNT's Specific topics for your sector on its page.

Sources

• ASNT NDT Level II Examinations, ASNT Certification Services: UT General topics for exams before and after 5 February 2027, item counts and time, read 26 October 2026.