NACE coating inspector certification: AMPP CIP Level 1 course, exams, ethics and renewal

What CIP Level 1 is

AMPP describes the credential as one that lets you carry out basic coating inspections on steel substrates using nondestructive testing and instruments. The course behind it covers coating materials, surface preparation, application techniques and inspection testing, with classroom teaching and hands-on exercises.

AMPP lists the skills as dry film thickness measurement, surface preparation, wet and dry abrasive blasting, coating application basics, inspection, quality control, job site specifications and decision-making. It names project managers, supervisors, engineers, QA/QC and maintenance staff, contractors, specification writers, coating manufacturers and sales representatives, fabricators, welders, paint applicators and blasters as the people it is for.

The next step up is CIP Level 2, AMPP's Certified Coatings Inspector Certification.

The course and the two exams

• The course. 5 or 6 days, in person, worth 5.2 continuing education units. AMPP lists no prerequisites to take it, and the length and language can vary by location.
• Exam registration is included. Buying the course includes registration for the certification exam.
• Two exams. A theory (written) exam and a practical exam. The practical is given in person on the final day of the course.
• Where the theory exam runs. AMPP says it is computer-based at a Pearson VUE test center, and you schedule it through AMPP's certification portal.
• Languages. English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, French, Turkish and Korean.

AMPP also sells a CIP Level 1 practice exam. Its practice exams have 50 or 55 multiple-choice questions depending on the test, you get one year from purchase to finish, and they cover the theory exam only, not the hands-on practical.

How long CIP Level 1 lasts

The certification is valid for three years, and you renew it every three years through AMPP.

The ethics requirement

AMPP lists the Ethics for the Corrosion Professional course, or equivalent training, as a prerequisite for CIP Level 1 certification. Since 1 January 2021, AMPP has required it of all new and renewing certification applicants, with some legacy credentials exempt.

You can meet it in two ways:

• Complete AMPP's Ethics for the Corrosion Professional course.
• Submit third-party training that covers at least three of AMPP's five ethics topics: types of unethical behavior seen in corrosion work, factors that lead to unethical decisions, ethical decision-making practices, the impact of unethical decisions, and how to report unethical behavior. You send proof of completion with your application.

The four-year limit

AMPP gives certification candidates four years to finish every requirement. That includes passing the exam and having AMPP approve the application with its work experience and education requirements. Plan the course, the ethics requirement and the exam so they all land inside that window.

CIP Level 1 beside API 510 and API 570

They are separate credentials from separate bodies. CIP Level 1 is AMPP's, and it is earned through AMPP's course with the exams attached. API 510 and API 570 are the American Petroleum Institute's in-service inspector certifications for pressure vessels and piping. Each needs documented experience and one exam of 170 questions taken at a Prometric test center, and API's 2026 initial fee is $875 for members and $1,125 for non-members.

The work overlaps. A pressure vessel inspector checks shells, supports and nozzles for coating failure, and two of the damage mechanisms on the API 510 exam come down to coatings: atmospheric corrosion, which starts where paint breaks down, and corrosion under insulation, which gets worse when the coating under the insulation has aged. API also lists AMPP's Certified Coatings Inspector (CIP Level 2) among the certifications that support some experience routes for API 1169 certification.

If you want the in-service credential, the API 510 certification requirements and cost guide lists API's experience routes, and the API 510 vs 570 vs 653 comparison sets the three API programs side by side.

Long Seam prepares you for API 510 and API 570. It has no AMPP or CIP course.

How to get CIP Level 1 certification in five steps

1. Meet the ethics requirement. Take AMPP's Ethics for the Corrosion Professional course, or line up third-party training that covers three of the five topics.
2. Book a CIP Level 1 course. Find a date and location on AMPP's course schedule. AMPP's CIP Level 1 page shows no price, so check it when you book.
3. Prepare for the theory exam. Use AMPP's exam prep guides and, if you want timed practice, the CIP Level 1 practice exam.
4. Sit both exams. Pass the practical on the last day of the course, and schedule the written theory exam through AMPP's certification portal.
5. Finish inside four years, then renew every three. Get the exam passed and the application approved within AMPP's four-year limit, and track the three-year renewal from there.

FAQ

Is NACE coating inspector certification the same as AMPP CIP?

Yes. NACE and SSPC merged into AMPP, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance, and the coating inspector program now runs under AMPP's name. CIP Level 1 is AMPP's Basic Coatings Inspector Certification.

What does CIP Level 1 involve?

A 5 or 6 day in-person AMPP course, a practical exam on the course's final day and a computer-based theory exam at a Pearson VUE test center. You also meet AMPP's ethics requirement.

Do I need experience to take the CIP Level 1 course?

AMPP lists no prerequisites to take the course. For certification it lists completing the course and the Ethics for the Corrosion Professional course or equivalent training.

How long is AMPP CIP Level 1 valid?

Three years. You renew it every three years through AMPP.

How much does CIP Level 1 cost?

AMPP's CIP Level 1 page shows no price. It says the course purchase includes registration for the certification exam, so check the price on the course you book.

How long do I have to finish CIP Level 1?

Four years to complete every requirement, including passing the exam and getting the application approved.

Does CIP Level 1 replace API 510?

No. They come from different bodies and cover different scopes. CIP Level 1 is a coatings inspection credential from AMPP. API 510 is API's in-service pressure vessel inspector certification, with its own experience routes and exam.

Moving into pressure vessel inspection?

Take the free 10-question API 510 check. It takes a few minutes, needs no signup and shows which Body of Knowledge domains to study first, with every answer explained. The Long Seam course adds a lesson for each domain, timed practice exams and a study plan from your exam date.

Sources

Show the list

• Basic Coatings Inspector Certification (CIP Level 1), AMPP. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• Certification Practice Exams, AMPP. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• Certification Ethics, AMPP. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• Past Presidents and Past Chairs, AMPP. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• nace.org, which redirects to ampp.org. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• API 510 Pressure Vessel Inspector, American Petroleum Institute. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• API 570 Piping Inspector, American Petroleum Institute. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
• ICP Schedules & Fees, American Petroleum Institute. Checked 7 Nov 2026.