Most ASNT UT Level II candidates plan for the exam and forget that ASNT only runs part of the certification. The employer runs the rest, and that is where timelines slip.
ASNT UT II — The ASNT Level II ultrasonic exam in sixty seconds. Watch on YouTube · CertCrafter What does the ASNT UT Level II exam format look like?
Two exams, both computer-based, both multiple choice. The General exam covers the fundamentals and principles of ultrasonic testing, 50 items in 2 hours. The Specific exam covers applied knowledge for general industry or pressure equipment sectors, 40 items in 2 hours. Both are closed book.
That gives you about two and a half minutes per General item and three per Specific item. Nobody runs out of time on the reading. People run out on a calculation they never practiced without a prompt.
Our channel has the ASNT Level II ultrasonic exam in sixty seconds if you want the shape before the detail.
Who runs which part of the certification?
Both the General and Specific exams are set and scored by ASNT, which does not give the rest. According to its pages, the employer carries out the visual acuity exam, the practical exam and any job-specific exam its written practice requires to finish the certification.
On a plant, this is the part that matters. A technician who passes both ASNT exams in March still has no certificate if the employer’s practical sits in June and the Level III is on leave. Ask your Level III for the practical date before you book the computer exams, and write both dates down together.
How is the ASNT UT exam scored?
There is no fixed pass percentage. The cut score is criterion-referenced, which means your result is judged against a standard of competence, not against the other candidates.
Forum posts will give you a number anyway. Treat it as somebody’s guess. The 70, 70 and 80 rule people quote is the employer SNT-TC-1A recommendation, with at least 70 percent on each exam and an 80 percent composite, and it is garbled in most retellings. It does not describe the ASNT central exams.
On the exam, the trap is studying to a percentage. You cannot bank easy items and skip hard ones. Learn the method until a scattered question feels like a familiar procedure.
When can you sit the exam, and what does it cost?
You apply, wait for approval, then book a slot yourself.
- Apply online through MyCert, with fees paid in full, then allow 2 to 4 weeks for review.
- Wait for the letter of approval by email.
- Schedule through MyCert at Pearson VUE or at an authorized exam center. There are no walk-in tests.
- Finish every exam you applied for within one year of the letter.
Reschedule or cancel at least 48 hours ahead, or you lose your exam fees. Fees for the UT method are below.
| Fee | ASNT member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|
| Initial UT exam (General and Specific) | $740 | $820 |
| Industry sector add-on | $370 | $410 |
| Retake of a failed exam | $370 | $410 |
What do you need before you can apply?
For ultrasonic testing, ASNT’s table asks for 120 days of experience in the method and 229 days of total NDT experience, plus 12 days of training. A day is at least seven hours, which can be one sitting or hours added up. Work must be in NDT, under qualified supervision, in the method you apply for.
Evidence matters as much as the days. Employer-signed logbooks, inspection reports or a signed statement from a Level III count. Training certificates alone do not count as experience, and neither do Level I certificates.
Worked example: what one failed exam costs
Say you pass the General exam and fail the Specific.
- Initial UT application: $820 nonmember, $740 member.
- You wait 30 days, reapply in MyCert and pay for the retake: $410 nonmember, $370 member.
- Put the two lines side by side for your own case: a nonmember pays $820 and then $410, a member pays $740 and then $370.
- Weigh that gap against what ASNT membership costs you today, a figure to read off ASNT’s own page when you decide.
The retake also needs a new approval letter, so the wait is longer than 30 days in practice. The ASNT UT Level II practice tests are there to work these items under timed conditions before you pay for a second attempt.
What changes on February 5, 2027?
The exam page lists two UT General outlines. The old one, headed “prior to 5 February 2027”, runs through ultrasonic techniques, product forms, weldments, bonded structures, discontinuity detection and general evaluation. The new one, headed “after 5 February 2027”, is written as tasks: calibrate, set up, scan plans, data quality, evaluate against acceptance criteria.
The practical advice is to check which outline your booking date falls under, then study that one. The full comparison of the two outlines goes group by group.
What goes wrong on exam day?
The traps are mostly logistics. You need two original, current IDs, a primary government-issued one with name and signature and a second with name and signature or photo. The name must match your application and MyASNT record. If it does not, write to ASNT at least 72 hours before the exam.
Arrive at least 30 minutes early, plan at least half a day, and expect a photo at the center. All exams are in English.
What to do next
Write four dates on one sheet: the practical, the application, the booking and the outline cutover. Then read the common mistakes post and try the free ten-question sample to see where you stand. The certification guide and the UT guides hub hold the rest.
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