NDT Level II requirements: classroom training, experience and exams by method

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. These are arithmetic conversions of the published days. Experience must be in NDT, under qualified supervision and in the methods sought.

Keep method experience and total experience in separate fields in your planning notes. Ask the application reviewer how your records satisfy both columns rather than adding the published columns together as consecutive waiting periods. A classroom attendance record and an inspection work log serve different purposes.

Prepare evidence before choosing a test date

ASNT accepts training certificates as training evidence, but does not accept them as experience evidence. Its program page lists employer-signed records, including inspection logbooks and reports, among the supporting documents for experience. Check the current documentation instructions against the records you actually hold.

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 a training provider to identify the program and method its completion document supports. Keep that answer with the course outline. If you are comparing classroom, remote or blended options, have the responsible reviewer check the proposed training before relying on it for eligibility. This guide does not determine whether an individual course will be accepted.

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 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.

Plan study around your actual exam

Return to the site overview and UT General guide for our current preparation scope. Check the UT outline transition against your appointment. Then use the UT diagnostic to identify revision priorities. Keep eligibility review, practical development and written-exam preparation as separate tasks in your plan.

Sources

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• ASNT NDT Level II Certification, ASNT Certification Services. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• ASNT NDT Level II Examinations, ASNT Certification Services. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
• Advisory on SNT-TC-1A Certification Practices and Use of ASNT Credentials, American Society for Nondestructive Testing, published 11 June 2026. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.