How the calculator works
- The exam fee is API's own, for the table year and membership you pick. API 510, 570 and 653 share one row on its page, so 510 and 570 cost the same.
- Reschedule applications are $350 each and the late application fee is $200. Both are the same for members and non-members.
- Retakes, books, prep and travel are your numbers. A blank box counts as zero, so nothing is added that you did not enter.
- The total splits API's fees from your own costs, so you can see how much of the budget API sets.
Print a cost estimate for your employer
Press Print this estimate under your totals to get one page with API's exam fee for your table year and membership, any reschedule or late fee, your retakes, books, prep and travel, and the total. It has lines for your name, an approver and the date, and a link that reopens the same numbers. Hand it in with a reimbursement request or save it as a PDF from the print dialog. Copy a link to this estimate sends the same numbers to a supervisor or a coworker.
The fee table behind the numbers
| Exam | 2026 member | 2026 non-member | 2027 member | 2027 non-member |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| API 510 initial certification | $875 | $1,125 | $890 | $1,140 |
| API 570 initial certification | $875 | $1,125 | $890 | $1,140 |
| Recertification (API 510, 570 or 653) | $745 | $855 | $760 | $870 |
Fees as listed by API, read on 26 October 2026. The API 510 schedule and fees guide covers appointment changes and application validity, and the 510, 570 and 653 comparison helps you pick an exam.
Two worked examples
| Candidate | What to budget | Total |
|---|---|---|
| A non-member applying for API 510 on the 2027 table, with nothing else entered | Budget $1,140: $1,140 in API fees, with none of your own costs entered yet. API's fee only. | $1,140 |
| An API member applying for API 570 on the 2026 table, who budgets one retake at $875 and $250 of books | Budget $2,000: $875 in API fees plus $1,125 of your own costs. The $875 retake is the reader's own guess, because API's fee page states no retake price. | $2,000 |
Both come straight from the calculator with those inputs. Change the exam, the table year or membership and the first line moves to the figure in the table above.
What is not priced
- Retakes. API's fee page states no retake price, so check your application.
- Books and references. You buy the editions your exam window lists, and prices vary by seller.
- Prep, travel and time off. Enter your own figures.
- Other charges. Test-center appointment changes are separate; the schedule and fees guide covers them.
Questions candidates ask
How much does the API 510 exam cost?
API's fee page lists $875 for a member and $1,125 for a non-member on the 2026 table, and $890 and $1,140 on the 2027 table. API 570 and 653 share the same row. Books, prep and travel come on top, and you enter those.
How much is an API retake?
API's fee page states no retake price, so the calculator leaves that box blank. Enter the amount from your API application and it adds that amount for each retake, up to 5.
What does recertification cost?
The 2026 table lists $745 for a member and $855 for a non-member, and the 2027 table $760 and $870. The same row covers 510, 570 and 653.
Are there other fees on API's page?
Yes. A reschedule application is $350 and a late application is $200, the same for members and non-members. The calculator adds either only when you choose it.
Next steps
Not sure you qualify yet? The API 510 eligibility checker shows when you appear eligible, and the requirements and cost guide lists what API asks for. Every retake is another cost, so find your weak topics before you book.