100+ Free API SIFE Practice Questions

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When witnessing a UT examination of pressure-vessel welds, which of the following is most critical for the source inspector to verify before accepting results?

The technician's certification level, the calibration block used, and the calibration record per the procedure

The lunch schedule

Only that a UT unit is present

That the welder approves the result

to track

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: API SIFE Exam

110

Total Questions

100 scored + 10 pretest

3h 15m

Exam Time

API SIFE exam page

Closed book

Exam Format

API ICP

~$850

2026 Exam Fee

API ICP schedules & fees

3 years

Certification Term

API recertification cycle

Nov 2025 - Jul 2027

Current BOK Cycle

API SIFE effectivity sheet

As of May 12, 2026, the current API SIFE cycle uses the November 2025 to July 2027 Body of Knowledge and Publications Effectivity Sheet. The exam is a closed-book, 3-hour-15-minute computer-based test of 110 questions (100 scored + 10 pretest) administered at testing centers or via remote proctoring. The reported fee is roughly $850; API does not publicly publish a numeric scaled passing score. Practice weighting below reflects the BOK emphasis on API RP 588 source inspection, ASME Section VIII Div. 1, Section V NDE, Section IX welding qualification, API RP 577/578, ASME B31.3, ASME B16.5, AWS D1.1, ASNT SNT-TC-1A, and SSPC surface-preparation/coating standards.

Sample API SIFE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your API SIFE exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which API recommended practice is the primary reference for source inspection and quality surveillance of fixed equipment?

A.API RP 571

B.API RP 577

C.API RP 588

D.API RP 572

Explanation: API RP 588 is the recommended practice that covers source inspection and quality surveillance of fixed equipment at fabricator and supplier facilities. RP 571 covers damage mechanisms, RP 577 covers welding inspection and metallurgy, and RP 572 covers in-service pressure-vessel inspection.

2In API RP 588 terminology, what is the principal difference between quality surveillance and inspection?

A.Surveillance verifies that the supplier's quality system is being executed; inspection physically examines specific items against requirements

B.Surveillance is performed only after delivery; inspection is performed only before fabrication

C.Surveillance applies only to welding; inspection applies only to NDE

D.They are interchangeable terms with no functional difference

Explanation: Quality surveillance is the act of monitoring the supplier's quality system and processes to confirm they are being executed as planned, whereas inspection is the hands-on examination of specific items, weldments, or documents against the purchase-order requirements. SIFE candidates are expected to keep these terms distinct because RP 588 uses them with different intents.

3An Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) for a pressure vessel typically uses witness point (W), hold point (H), monitor (M), and review (R) designations. What is the defining characteristic of a hold point?

A.Work may continue past the activity even if the inspector is not present

B.Work cannot proceed past the activity until the designated party releases it

C.The activity is documented but never inspected

D.Only the manufacturer's QC inspector signs it

Explanation: A hold point requires that fabrication stop at the designated activity and not proceed until the responsible inspection party releases the hold. A witness point requires notification but work may proceed if the inspector does not attend. Confusing W and H is one of the most common SIFE-style ITP mistakes.

4When developing a Quality Plan (QP) for a fabricator, which document set should the source inspector use to define inspection scope?

A.The fabricator's marketing brochure

B.The purchase order, applicable codes, project specifications, and approved drawings

C.Only the latest API RP 588

D.The inspector's prior project from a different owner

Explanation: The source inspector defines inspection scope from the contractual purchase order, governing codes (for example ASME VIII Div. 1, B31.3), owner project specifications, and approved drawings. RP 588 provides the structure, but the actual scope must come from contract documents that bind the fabricator.

5A fabricator's ISO 9001 certificate is current, but several recent shop nonconformance reports are missing root-cause analyses. What is the most appropriate source-inspector response?

A.Ignore the gap because the ISO certificate is still valid

B.Raise the gap with the fabricator and document a finding because the QMS is not being executed as written

C.Cancel the purchase order immediately

D.Re-do every prior inspection performed at the shop

Explanation: ISO 9001 certification means a system exists; it does not guarantee that the system is being followed on every job. When evidence shows the documented QMS procedures are not being executed (for example, missing root-cause closures), the inspector documents a finding so the supplier can correct the system, not just the immediate symptom.

6Which of the following is most clearly the responsibility of the source inspector rather than the fabricator's QC?

A.Performing the manufacturer's first-piece dimensional check

B.Verifying on behalf of the purchaser that contract requirements are being met at the shop

C.Qualifying the fabricator's welders to ASME IX

D.Issuing the manufacturer's Code Data Report

Explanation: The source inspector represents the purchaser and verifies that the contract, codes, and project specifications are being met. Welder qualification, in-house QC checks, and signing the manufacturer's Code Data Report are responsibilities of the fabricator and (for Code stamping) the Authorized Inspector.

7A source inspector arrives at a fabricator and is told the ASME Authorized Inspector (AI) will sign the U-1 Data Report at completion. What does this signal about the inspector's role?

A.The source inspector replaces the AI for ASME stamping decisions

B.The source inspector and the AI are the same person by definition

C.The source inspector works on behalf of the purchaser and does not relieve the AI of ASME Code responsibilities

D.The source inspector cannot perform any verification because the AI is present

Explanation: The Authorized Inspector is an ASME-Code-defined function tied to the U-stamp shop, and only the AI signs the Manufacturer's Data Report. The source inspector represents the owner/purchaser and does not replace, override, or duplicate the AI's Code responsibilities; the two roles coexist.

8Which item is normally part of a pre-inspection meeting (kick-off) for a fixed-equipment fabrication order?

A.Walk-down of the operating vessel in the refinery

B.Review of the ITP, applicable specifications, hold/witness points, and notification times

C.Issuance of the final Manufacturer's Data Report

D.Selection of the recertification window

Explanation: A kick-off (pre-inspection) meeting confirms the ITP, applicable specifications and codes, hold/witness points, communication channels, and minimum notification times the fabricator must give the source inspector. Final data-report issuance and in-service inspection happen later and are out of scope here.

9Why are notification times (e.g., 48 or 72 hours) for witness points written into the ITP?

A.To give the source inspector enough lead time to plan travel and arrive before the activity

B.To allow the fabricator to skip the activity if the inspector cannot attend

C.Because ASME requires exactly 48 hours

D.To shorten the project schedule

Explanation: Notification times give the source inspector practical lead time to travel and arrive at the shop before the witness activity occurs. They are negotiated in the purchase order or ITP rather than fixed by code, and missing notification is a finding because it deprives the purchaser of an agreed verification opportunity.

10Which activity is best classified as a review (R) point rather than a witness or hold point in an ITP?

A.Witnessing the hydrostatic test

B.Reviewing the welder performance qualification records before production welding starts

C.Holding final paint until the inspector arrives

D.Observing the radiography exposure

Explanation: Reviewing documentation such as WPSs, PQRs, and welder qualifications is a typical review (R) activity, where the source inspector examines records rather than physically watching the operation. Witness or hold points are tied to physical fabrication or test events the inspector must attend.

About the API SIFE Exam

API SIFE is the API Individual Certification Program for source inspectors of fixed equipment. The exam covers quality surveillance at fabricator and supplier facilities — including pressure vessels, columns/towers, heat exchangers, piping, valves, pressure-relief devices, tubulars, and associated structural fabrications — and tests the candidate's ability to verify materials, welding, NDE, dimensional fabrication, heat treatment, and pressure testing against ASME, API, AWS, ASNT, and SSPC requirements.

Assessment

110 multiple-choice questions on the candidate exam (100 scored + 10 pretest) within a 120-question item pool framework used by API ICP

Time Limit

3 hours 15 minutes

Passing Score

Scaled passing score (API ICP)

Exam Fee

~$850 (API ICP)

API SIFE Exam Content Outline

14% practice weight

Source-Inspection Role, RP 588, and Quality Plans

API RP 588 fundamentals, source-inspector role versus the Authorized Inspector, supplier quality management systems (ISO 9001 awareness), pre-award shop surveys, quality plans, and pre-inspection meetings.

14% practice weight

Inspection and Test Plans, NCRs, and Release for Shipment

ITPs with hold, witness, monitor, and review points; notification times; nonconformance reports; concessions and deviations; final-dossier review; preservation; and release-for-shipment decisions.

10% practice weight

ASME Section VIII Div. 1 Vessel Rules

Key UG and UW paragraphs for source-inspection work, including UG-32 heads, UG-37 opening reinforcement, UG-80 out-of-roundness, UW-11 RT requirements, UW-12 joint efficiency, UW-51/52 RT acceptance, and UG-119 nameplates.

7% practice weight

ASME B31.3 Process Piping and ASME B16.5 Flanges

Normal, Severe Cyclic, and Category M fluid services; B31.3 Table 341.3.2 RT acceptance; required examination percentages; pressure-test rules per B31.3 para 345; and B16.5 pressure-temperature ratings, materials groups, and dimensional checks.

12% practice weight

ASME Section IX Welding Qualification

WPS and PQR rules per QW-200, welder/operator qualification per QW-300, essential, supplementary essential, and nonessential variables, QW-400 variable tables, QW-451 production thickness limits, and welder continuity per QW-322.

8% practice weight

Welding Execution, Preheat, and PWHT

API RP 577 welding inspection and metallurgy, consumable control, preheat and interpass control, AWS D1.1 acceptance for structural welds, PWHT charts per UCS-56 / B31.3 Table 331.1.1, hardness testing, and NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 sour-service limits.

5% practice weight

Inspection Tools and Equipment

Selection, calibration, and traceability of welding inspection gauges, UT thickness meters, hardness testers, coating DFT gauges (SSPC-PA 2), pressure-test instruments, and other shop tools used by the source inspector.

13% practice weight

ASME Section V NDE Methods and SNT-TC-1A

RT Article 2, UT Article 4, PT Article 6, MT Article 7, and VT Article 9 methods and procedure controls; ASNT SNT-TC-1A and CP-189 personnel qualification; and the employer's written NDE practice.

9% practice weight

Material Verification, PMI, and Impact Testing

MTR review against project specifications, heat-number traceability, API RP 578 positive material identification of base and weld metals, casting/forging acceptance, and impact testing for low-temperature service per UCS-66 and UHA-51.

8% practice weight

Pressure Testing, Coatings, and Shipping

Hydrostatic test rules per UG-99 and B31.3 para 345.4, pneumatic-test precautions per UG-100 and B31.3 para 345.5, gauge selection, SSPC surface preparation and SSPC-PA 2 DFT, holiday testing per AMPP SP0188, and shipping preservation.

How to Pass the API SIFE Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Scaled passing score (API ICP)
Assessment: 110 multiple-choice questions on the candidate exam (100 scored + 10 pretest) within a 120-question item pool framework used by API ICP
Time limit: 3 hours 15 minutes
Exam fee: ~$850

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

API SIFE Study Tips from Top Performers

1Anchor your study in API RP 588 because the Basic Source Inspection domain carries the highest practice weight and ties together the other code references.

2Build a one-page cheat sheet of ASME Section V article numbers (RT Art. 2, UT Art. 4, PT Art. 6, MT Art. 7, VT Art. 9) so you can recall them under closed-book conditions.

3Memorize the difference between hold, witness, monitor, and review points, including how missing a witness point differs from missing a hold point in ITP language.

4Practice WPS/PQR review using Section IX QW-200/300/400 and at least one realistic mock PQR; essential variable mistakes are a favorite question style.

5Drill the difference between ASME VIII Div. 1 UW-51/UW-52 RT acceptance and ASME B31.3 Table 341.3.2 RT acceptance because mixing them is one of the most common SIFE-style errors.

6Treat preheat, interpass, PWHT, and hardness testing as a connected workflow; questions often combine them in one scenario about residual stress, brittle fracture, or sour-service hardness limits.

7Run timed mixed sets of 25 to 30 questions in 45 minutes to simulate the 3-hour-15-minute, 110-question pacing the exam demands.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the API SIFE exam?

API states that the API SIFE exam contains 110 multiple-choice questions, but only 100 are scored. The remaining 10 are pretest items used by API for psychometric calibration and do not count toward your result. All questions are closed-book.

How long is the API SIFE exam?

The API SIFE exam is 3 hours 15 minutes long. The exam is delivered as a single closed-book session at API ICP testing centers or via remote proctoring depending on current program policy.

What score do I need to pass API SIFE?

API reports API SIFE results on a scaled score and does not publicly publish the numeric pass mark. Industry guidance suggests roughly 70% correct as a working target, but the safest preparation goal is to be consistently strong across all five domains in the Body of Knowledge rather than chasing a raw percentage.

What references should I study for API SIFE?

Use the current API SIFE Publications Effectivity Sheet. The core references are API RP 588 (source inspection and quality surveillance of fixed equipment), API RP 577 (welding inspection), API RP 578 (PMI), ASME Section II, Section V, Section VIII Division 1, Section IX, ASME B16.5, ASME B31.3, AWS D1.1, ASNT SNT-TC-1A, and SSPC surface-preparation/coating standards.

Is the API SIFE exam open book?

No. API SIFE is a closed-book exam, unlike API 510, 570, and 653 which include open-book portions. SIFE candidates must learn the relevant code references well enough to answer all 110 questions without on-screen PDF access.

Is remote testing available for API SIFE in 2026?

API ICP currently makes source-inspector programs such as API SIFE available at testing centers and through remote proctoring. Confirm the latest delivery options on the official API SIFE exam page before scheduling because API has updated remote-testing policies multiple times in recent program updates.