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100+ Free API TES Practice Questions

Pass your API TES Tank Entry Supervisor exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Recommissioning a storage tank under API Std 653 generally requires:

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: API TES Exam

135

Total Questions

120 scored + 15 pretest

3h 15m

Exam Time

Closed-book CBT

~$850

2026 Exam Fee

API ICP schedules & fees

1-5+ years

Experience Pathways

Depends on education; all within last 10 years

1 year

Minimum Supervisor Experience

Confined-space-related activities

3 years

Certification Term

API ICP recertification cycle

As of May 2026, the API TES exam is a 135-question, 3-hour-15-minute, fully closed-book computer-based test offered through API ICP authorized testing centers and remote proctoring. Of 135 questions, 120 are scored and 15 are unscored pretest items; API ICP reports a scaled passing score rather than a fixed raw percentage. The 2026 exam fee is approximately $850 USD and certification is valid for 3 years before recertification is required. Primary references are API Std 2015 (Safe Entry and Cleaning of Petroleum Storage Tanks), API RP 2016 (Guidelines and Procedures for Entering and Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks), OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 (Permit-Required Confined Spaces), 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout), and 1910.120 (HAZWOPER). API publishes the body of knowledge but does not publish a public percentage-by-domain blueprint, so percentages below are practice weights based on the BOK emphasis.

Sample API TES Practice Questions

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

1Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146, which characteristic alone is enough to make a confined space a permit-required confined space (PRCS)?
A.Limited means of entry or egress
B.Not designed for continuous occupancy
C.Contains or has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere
D.Is located at an aboveground petroleum storage tank facility
Explanation: 1910.146(b) defines a permit-required confined space as one that meets the confined space definition AND has one or more additional hazards, including a hazardous atmosphere, engulfment material, inwardly converging walls, or any other recognized serious safety or health hazard. Limited entry/egress and not being designed for continuous occupancy are part of the basic confined space definition, but they alone do not make a space a PRCS.
2An atmospheric test inside a cleaned petroleum storage tank reads 19.0% oxygen by volume. Per OSHA 1910.146 and API 2015 guidance, what action should the Tank Entry Supervisor take?
A.Permit entry because the reading is close to 19.5%
B.Treat the atmosphere as oxygen deficient and ventilate before entry
C.Allow entry with a half-face air-purifying respirator
D.Continue with entry but require continuous monitoring only
Explanation: OSHA 1910.146(b) defines a hazardous atmosphere to include oxygen below 19.5% (oxygen-deficient) or above 23.5% (oxygen-enriched). A reading of 19.0% is below the floor, so entry is prohibited until ventilation restores acceptable oxygen levels. APRs do not protect against oxygen deficiency; only supplied-air or SCBA does.
3Per OSHA 1910.146, what is the maximum acceptable concentration of a flammable gas or vapor inside a permit-required confined space before entry is allowed?
A.Less than 5% of the LEL
B.Less than 10% of the LEL
C.Less than 25% of the LEL
D.Less than 50% of the LEL
Explanation: 1910.146(b) defines a hazardous atmosphere to include a flammable gas, vapor, or mist in excess of 10% of its lower explosive limit (LEL). Entry into a PRCS requires the atmosphere to be below 10% LEL. Some host facilities apply tighter limits, but 10% LEL is the regulatory ceiling.
4Who is responsible for terminating entry and canceling the entry permit when entry operations are completed under OSHA 1910.146(d)?
A.The authorized entrant
B.The attendant
C.The entry supervisor
D.The plant safety manager
Explanation: 1910.146(d)(9) and (e)(5) make the entry supervisor responsible for terminating entry and canceling the permit. The attendant orders entrants out when conditions change, but only the entry supervisor formally closes out the permit and authorizes that entry conditions are no longer present.
5An attendant outside a tank entry notices the SCBA-equipped entrants stop responding on the radio for over 60 seconds. According to OSHA 1910.146(i) attendant duties, what is the correct first action?
A.Enter the tank to physically check on the entrants
B.Order an evacuation and summon rescue services without entering the space
C.Wait another two minutes before doing anything
D.Call the entry supervisor and continue normal monitoring
Explanation: 1910.146(i)(6) requires the attendant to order evacuation when entrants may be in danger and to summon rescue. 1910.146(i)(9) prohibits the attendant from entering the space to perform rescue unless they have been relieved by another attendant. The attendant must never become a victim, so non-entry rescue procedures and trained rescue services are activated first.
6API Std 2015 and API RP 2016 both require that lines connecting a tank being cleaned to other process equipment be:
A.Closed using only block valves locked in the closed position
B.Physically isolated, typically by blinding, double block and bleed, or line removal
C.Drained but left connected so vapors can disperse
D.Closed and tagged with a single chain attached to the valve handwheel
Explanation: API 2015 and API RP 2016 require positive isolation of a tank from sources of liquid or vapor before entry, using methods such as blinds/spectacle blanks, physical line disconnection, or double block and bleed where allowed. A single closed valve, even when locked, is not considered positive isolation for tank entry work.
7Per OSHA 1910.147, the energy control program must be reviewed at least:
A.Monthly
B.Quarterly
C.Annually
D.Every three years
Explanation: 1910.147(c)(6) requires a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure the procedure and the requirements of the standard are being followed. The inspection must be performed by an authorized employee other than the one using the procedure being inspected.
8When testing the atmosphere of a vertical tank from the top manway before entry, OSHA 1910.146(d)(5) and API 2015 require the supervisor to:
A.Sample only at the breathing zone height
B.Sample only near the floor where heavier hydrocarbons settle
C.Sample at multiple elevations from top to bottom because hazardous atmospheres can stratify
D.Trust a single grab sample taken at the manway opening
Explanation: Hazardous atmospheres can stratify by density: heavier-than-air hydrocarbons and H2S settle low, while lighter gases collect at the top. 1910.146(d)(5)(ii) and API 2015 both require pre-entry testing at multiple elevations, in the order oxygen, combustibles, then toxics, to characterize the entire space.
9Which OSHA standard establishes the requirements for HAZWOPER training tiers including First Responder Awareness, Operations, Technician, Specialist, and Incident Commander?
A.29 CFR 1910.120
B.29 CFR 1910.132
C.29 CFR 1910.146
D.29 CFR 1910.1200
Explanation: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.120 (HAZWOPER) establishes hazardous waste operations and emergency response training, including the five emergency-response training tiers: Awareness, Operations, Technician, Specialist, and Incident Commander. 1910.132 covers PPE, 1910.146 covers PRCS, and 1910.1200 covers hazard communication.
10Per OSHA 1910.1028 and current ACGIH guidance often cited in API tank-cleaning work, what is the OSHA 8-hour time-weighted average permissible exposure limit (PEL) for benzene?
A.0.1 ppm
B.1 ppm
C.5 ppm
D.25 ppm
Explanation: OSHA 1910.1028 sets the benzene 8-hour TWA PEL at 1 ppm, with a short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 5 ppm over 15 minutes and an action level of 0.5 ppm. Petroleum storage tank entries frequently encounter benzene because it is a normal component of gasoline and crude oil residues.

About the API TES Exam

API TES is the American Petroleum Institute's individual certification for Tank Entry Supervisors who plan and oversee the safe entry, cleaning, and recommissioning of aboveground petroleum storage tanks. The exam tests OSHA confined-space and lockout/tagout rules, API 2015 and API RP 2016 tank entry procedures, atmospheric testing, PPE and respiratory protection, emergency response, and entry permitting.

Assessment

135 multiple-choice questions (120 scored + 15 pretest), entirely closed book

Time Limit

3 hours 15 minutes

Passing Score

Scaled passing score (API ICP)

Exam Fee

~$850 (API ICP)

API TES Exam Content Outline

30% practice weight

OSHA Confined Space and LOTO

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 permit-required confined space rules (definitions, hazardous atmosphere criteria, alternate procedures), entry permit elements, the entry supervisor/attendant/entrant duties, host/contractor coordination, and 29 CFR 1910.147 lockout/tagout including the energy-control sequence, group lockout, and annual procedure review.

25% practice weight

API 2015 / 2016 Tank Entry Procedures

Isolation methods (blinds, line removal, double block and bleed), product removal and water displacement, opening practices and non-sparking tools, mechanical and natural ventilation, pyrophoric iron sulfide and product-specific residue hazards, floating-roof and pontoon entries, no-man-entry cleaning systems, and recommissioning under API Std 653.

15% practice weight

Atmospheric Testing and Monitoring

Oxygen 19.5-23.5%, LEL below 10%, H2S below 10 ppm, benzene below 1 ppm 8-hr TWA, the required O2-then-combustibles-then-toxics test sequence, multi-elevation sampling, daily bump testing, instrument calibration, and continuous monitoring during work.

10% practice weight

PPE and Respiratory Protection

Hazard-based PPE selection under 1910.132, respirator program requirements under 1910.134 (medical evaluation, fit testing, training), SCBA and supplied-air requirements for IDLH atmospheres, Grade D breathing air per CGA G-7.1, FRC for flash-fire protection, and applying the engineering-controls-first hierarchy.

10% practice weight

Emergency Response and HAZWOPER

Non-entry rescue with tripod/davit and retrieval line, 1910.146(k) rescue service evaluation and annual practice, attendant evacuation orders, and HAZWOPER training tiers under 1910.120(q): Awareness, Operations, Technician, Specialist, and Incident Commander.

10% practice weight

Permits, Recordkeeping, and Coordination

Entry permit elements and signature authority, hot work permits per API RP 2009, atmospheric requirements for hot work (at or near 0% LEL), benzene exposure monitoring per 1910.1028, retention of canceled permits for at least 1 year, the annual program review, and recommissioning blind-list documentation.

How to Pass the API TES Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Scaled passing score (API ICP)
  • Assessment: 135 multiple-choice questions (120 scored + 15 pretest), entirely closed book
  • 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 TES Study Tips from Top Performers

1Memorize the atmospheric thresholds cold: O2 19.5-23.5%, LEL below 10%, H2S below 10 ppm, benzene below 1 ppm 8-hr TWA, and the O2-then-combustibles-then-toxics test sequence. Almost every atmospheric question turns on these numbers.
2Learn the entry permit elements from OSHA 1910.146(d) and (e) by heart. You will be asked who signs, who terminates, what must be on the permit, and how long it is retained (at least 1 year).
3Distinguish the entry supervisor, attendant, and entrant duties in plain language. Many distractors swap their responsibilities, especially around canceling permits, ordering evacuation, and non-entry rescue.
4Practice the OSHA 1910.147 LOTO sequence: notify, shut down, isolate, lock/tag, release stored energy, verify zero energy. Verification is always last and is a common test point.
5Study API 2015 and API RP 2016 together rather than separately; 2015 sets requirements and 2016 provides the procedures. Pay special attention to isolation, ventilation, pyrophoric residue, and floating-roof entries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the API TES exam?

API reports that the API TES exam contains 135 multiple-choice questions: 120 scored items and 15 unscored pretest items. The exam is entirely closed book. You are tested across OSHA confined space and LOTO rules, API 2015/2016 tank entry procedures, atmospheric testing, PPE/SCBA, emergency response, and permits.

How long is the API TES exam?

The API TES exam is scheduled for 3 hours 15 minutes of testing time. It is delivered as a closed-book computer-based test at API ICP authorized testing centers or via remote proctoring. There is no separate open-book portion.

What score do I need to pass API TES?

API ICP uses a scaled passing score for the TES exam rather than publishing a fixed raw percentage. The safest study target is to be consistently strong across all six topic areas (OSHA confined space, LOTO, API 2015/2016 procedures, atmospheric testing, PPE, emergency response, and permits) rather than chasing a single number.

What experience do I need to sit for API TES?

API uses an education-plus-experience pathway. Candidates with a bachelor's degree need 1 year of relevant industry experience; with a 2-year engineering or technology associate degree, 2 years; with a high school diploma, 4 years; with no formal education, 5+ years. In addition, all candidates must have at least 1 year of experience as a supervisor in confined-space-related activities. All experience must be within the last 10 years.

Is remote testing available for API TES in 2026?

Yes. API TES is currently offered both at API ICP authorized testing centers and through remote proctoring. Remote testing requires meeting the proctor's system, environment, and identity-verification requirements. Confirm current options with API ICP when scheduling.

What references are used for the API TES exam?

Primary references include API Std 2015 (Safe Entry and Cleaning of Petroleum Storage Tanks), API RP 2016 (Guidelines and Procedures for Entering and Cleaning Petroleum Storage Tanks), and supporting documents such as API Std 653 (in-service tank inspection) and API RP 2009 (hot work). Regulatory references include OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 (permit-required confined spaces), 1910.147 (lockout/tagout), 1910.120 (HAZWOPER), 1910.134 (respiratory protection), and 1910.1028 (benzene).