The MT General outline change for exams after 15 December 2026

This page shows which list applies, how the old headings line up with the new domains, and which tasks are new enough to need their own study time. For the eligibility side, read NDT Level II requirements by method. UT has its own dated change, covered in the UT General outline change.

Which outline applies to your exam date

The headings on ASNT's examinations page split the MT General topics by exam date. ASNT's 9712 Level II examinations page carries the same date and the same two MT lists, so the two pages agree on this point. That page belongs to the separate ASNT 9712 program.

Unresolved in ASNT's published headings: an appointment on 15 December 2026 itself. One list says "prior to" and the other says "after", so neither covers that day in words. If your seat falls on that date, ask ASNT which outline your exam will follow when you book.

ASNT does not publish a percentage weight or item count for any MT topic or domain on either list.

Booking rules that matter near the date

These rules come from the examinations page. They decide which side of 15 December you land on if plans change.

• Retakes: a failed exam can be retaken after a 30-day wait, and you apply and pay again through MyCert and get a new approval letter before scheduling. The retake fee is $370 for members and $410 for nonmembers, per the program page.
• Reschedules: changes must be made at least 48 hours before the appointment, or the exam fee is lost.
• Booking window: all applied-for exams must be scheduled and completed within one year of the Letter of Approval.
• Delivery: computer-based, in person at Pearson VUE or an ASNT Authorized Exam Center, with no walk-ins. Exams are in English, with an online translation dictionary of NDT terms.

ID, check-in and on-screen calculator details are in ASNT Level II exam day.

Two consequences follow from the dates. First, a failed attempt taken after 15 November 2026 cannot be retaken until after 15 December, so the retake would sit under the later heading. Second, moving an appointment from early December into January moves you from one list to the other. If either case is likely, study the new domains now rather than in the gap between attempts.

The old topics mapped to the new domains

The table below maps each old heading to the new task statements, so you can re-file your notes. Most old headings spread across more than one new domain.

Read the other way, the five new domains break down like this. The task counts are from ASNT's list after 15 December 2026.

What is new enough to need its own study time

Some task statements have no obvious home under the old headings. If your notes are organized by the 10 earlier topics, these are the gaps to fill first.

Domain 5 is the biggest change in kind. The earlier list read like a theory syllabus. The later one asks about working from a written procedure: choosing it, turning it into work instructions, applying its calculations and making the accept or reject call it sets out. Study with a real MT procedure from your employer beside you, and cite codes and standards by section number in your notes rather than copying their text.

How to update your study plan

1. Confirm the date. Write your appointment date at the top of your plan and note which heading it falls under. If it is 15 December 2026, get ASNT's answer.
2. Re-file your notes. Take each section of your existing notes and tag it with the new domain from the mapping table. Anything filed under two domains is fine; theory notes often support both Domain 1 and Domain 3.
3. Fill the gap list. Work through the "new task area" table. For each one, write a short explanation in your own words: what the check or task is for, when it is done, and what you do when it fails.
4. Practice from a procedure. For Domains 4 and 5, take a sample part and walk through technique choice, the procedure's acceptance criteria and a written report. A supervisor or Level III can check your reasoning.
5. Do not drop old material. A heading that disappeared is usually folded into a task statement, not removed. Theory on flux fields and current types still supports the technique and equipment tasks. To practice the coil, head-shot and prod current arithmetic, use the MT amperage calculator, and for explained questions that name both the old topic and the new domain, try the magnetic particle testing quiz.
6. Re-read before the exam. Check the examinations page again in the week before your appointment and after any reschedule.

Keep certification steps separate

ASNT gives the computer-based General and Specific exams; the employer handles visual acuity, practical and any job-specific exams under its written practice, according to the program page. The outline change affects the MT General topic list only. It does not change the MT training and experience figures on the program page (3 training days, 40 days in the method, 76 days total NDT experience, with a day defined as at least 7 hours). If you are unsure which route your employer uses, read the certification-route comparison.

Find your weak topics free

Take the free 10-question check for MT General now. It follows the 10-topic list that applies to exams before 15 Dec 2026. It needs no signup, every answer is explained, and it shows which topics to drill first. The full course adds timed practice exams, a lesson for each published topic and a study plan built from your exam date. Start the free 10-question check.

Sources

Show the list

• ASNT NDT Level II Examinations, ASNT Certification Services.
• ASNT NDT Level II Certification, ASNT Certification Services.
• ASNT 9712 Level II Examinations, ASNT Certification Services.