AWS CWI Exam: Complete Study Guide

Part A is a broad, closed-book test of welding fundamentals with no references allowed, so everything must be memorized. It covers welding and cutting processes (SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SAW), basic metallurgy and heat effects, weld discontinuities and their causes, destructive and nondestructive testing methods (VT, PT, MT, RT, UT), welding symbols per AWS A2.4, safety, and inspection math. Because it is closed-book and wide-ranging, Part A rewards broad, disciplined study of the AWS Body of Knowledge.

Part B is the hands-on part and the one most candidates fail. Using an inspection tool kit — calipers, fillet gauges, and other measuring instruments — you measure replica weld specimens and judge them against acceptance criteria in a supplied book of specifications (the BOS), a hypothetical code created for the exam. Success depends on fast, precise measurement and quick, accurate lookups; slow or sloppy tool use is what pushes candidates below the 72% threshold.

Part C is an open-book test on the welding code you select when you register — most commonly AWS D1.1 (Structural Welding Code — Steel), though API 1104, ASME Section IX, and others are options. Questions require you to locate and apply specific code clauses on qualification, acceptance criteria, and inspection requirements. Because it is open-book and timed, tabbing your chosen code book and knowing its organization cold is the difference between passing and running out of time.

Step 1: Treat Part B as Its Own Discipline

Part B is where most candidates fall below 72%, so give it dedicated hands-on practice. Work with calipers, fillet gauges, and the other tools in the inspection kit until measuring replica welds is fast and precise, and practice looking up acceptance criteria in the book of specifications until the lookups are automatic. Speed and accuracy under time pressure are the whole game here.

Step 2: Study the Part A Body of Knowledge Broadly

Part A is closed-book and wide-ranging, so you cannot rely on references. Study the full AWS Body of Knowledge: welding and cutting processes, metallurgy and heat effects, weld discontinuities, destructive and nondestructive testing methods, welding symbols, safety, and inspection math. Broad, even coverage beats going deep on a few favorite topics, because the questions sample the whole domain.

Step 3: Tab Your Chosen Code Book for Part C

Part C is open-book on the code you selected at registration, commonly AWS D1.1. Tab the clauses you will use most — qualification, acceptance criteria, inspection requirements, and the relevant tables and figures — and practice finding them fast. Knowing the code's organization cold is what keeps you from running out of time on an open-book part.

Step 4: Balance Your Prep Across All Three Parts

Because every part must clear 72% in the same sitting, a lopsided study plan is risky: excelling at Part A does nothing if Part B falls short. Track your practice scores per part and pour extra time into whichever is weakest. Do not let a strong part lull you into neglecting a shaky one.

Step 5: Consider a Prep Seminar and Take Timed Practice

Many candidates take the AWS prep seminar bundled with the exam (roughly $2,000–$2,265 combined), which is especially valuable for hands-on Part B coaching. Whether or not you take the seminar, drill full-length timed practice for each part and review every miss until you consistently clear 72% on all three before test week.

Suggested Study Sequence

How many parts are on the AWS CWI exam?

The AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) exam has three parts. Part A (Fundamentals) is a closed-book test of 150 questions on welding processes, metallurgy, destructive and nondestructive testing, welding symbols, and inspection math. Part B (Practical) is open-book and requires you to measure replica weld specimens and look up acceptance criteria using an inspection tool kit and a supplied book of specifications. Part C is open-book questions on the welding code you selected, most commonly AWS D1.1.

What is the passing score for the AWS CWI exam?

You must score at least 72% on each of the three parts, and you must pass all three in the same attempt. A high score on one part cannot rescue a failing score on another — this is the single biggest reason candidates fail. Because the parts are scored independently, a balanced preparation that leaves no weak part is more important than excelling at one.

What is the first-attempt pass rate for the AWS CWI exam?

The first-attempt pass rate for the AWS CWI exam is around 50%, making it one of the toughest trade certifications. Most failures come from Part B (Practical), where candidates fall below 72% because measurement and specification lookups are slow or imprecise under time pressure. The requirement to pass all three parts in one sitting compounds the difficulty.

How much does the AWS CWI exam cost?

The AWS CWI exam fee in 2026 is about $1,255 for AWS members and $1,520 for non-members. A combined prep seminar plus exam package runs roughly $2,000 to $2,265. Retakes of individual failed parts carry additional fees, so passing all three parts on the first attempt is the most cost-effective outcome.

Which parts of the CWI exam are open-book?

Part A (Fundamentals) is closed-book — no references are allowed, so the welding processes, metallurgy, NDT, symbols, and math must be memorized. Part B (Practical) is open-book against a supplied book of specifications and uses an inspection tool kit to measure replica welds. Part C is open-book against the code you selected, commonly AWS D1.1, so tabbing that code book for fast navigation is essential.

How do I pass the AWS CWI exam?

Treat Part B as its own discipline: practice with calipers, fillet gauges, and the specification book until measurement and lookups are fast and error-free, because Part B is where most candidates fall below 72%. For Part A, study the AWS Body of Knowledge broadly across processes, metallurgy, NDT, symbols, and inspection math. For Part C, tab your chosen code book so you can find clauses instantly. Since all three parts must pass together, do not let a weak part sink a strong one.