The NAEC Qualified Elevator Inspector (QEI) exam is a computer-based, open-book test you take over eight hours under two proctors. The applicant handbook describes 160 multiple-choice questions with a raw passing score of 123, weighted heavily toward ASME A17.1/CSA B44, A17.2 and A17.3. You must apply, document experience or education, and be approved by NAEC's Certification Board before scheduling. This guide walks through eligibility, format, the content outline, test-day rules, fees and retakes, and closes with a study plan built around the outline's weights.
What the QEI credential covers
QEI is NAEC's certification for elevator inspectors. It verifies that you can confirm elevators, escalators and other conveyances are code-compliant and operating safely.
The National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) describes the Qualified Elevator Inspector certification as ensuring inspectors have the skills, knowledge and education to safeguard the public by confirming that conveyances are code compliant and operating safely. It is an inspection credential, not a construction or maintenance license.
Do not confuse QEI with NAEC's other programs. The Certified Elevator Technician (CET) and Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician (CAT) credentials are technician-oriented, with different experience requirements, exam lengths and references. NAEC states that its CET and QEI programs are accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification - National Association of Elevator Contractors — QEI Certification Overview: eligibility options, program structure, fees; Certification Hub - National Association of Elevator Contractors — Certification process timeline; FAQs on exam length, retakes, renewal and transfer policy
Which eligibility option fits your background
NAEC offers three eligibility routes based on documented industry education and experience, related college coursework, or documented inspector training. Each includes at least one year of specified inspection or test-witnessing experience.
Option A requires four years of documented education and experience in the mechanical or electrical aspects of the elevator industry. You must meet the A17.1 Code definition of elevator personnel, and you need at least one year performing inspections or witnessing tests as specified in A17.1 Sections 8.10 or 8.11 and A18.1. That year can overlap with the four.
Option B replaces the four years with two years of college courses in an elevator-related engineering field, plus the same one year of inspection or test-witnessing experience. Option C applies if you meet the A17.1 definition of an elevator inspector and have documented training, with at least one year of inspection or test-witnessing experience in roles such as inspector, inspector trainee, or licensed inspector working under an enforcing authority's jurisdiction.
Whichever route you use, expect to document it. NAEC asks for supporting materials such as transcripts, licenses, degrees, prior QEI certifications and a completed Verification of Experience form. Incomplete applications are returned, and applications not completed within 90 days are archived.
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification - National Association of Elevator Contractors — QEI Certification Overview: eligibility options, program structure, fees
Exam format, scoring, and one conflicting number
The applicant handbook describes a computer-based, open-book exam of 160 multiple-choice questions over eight hours, scored on a raw basis with 123 required to pass. NAEC's certification hub FAQ states 130 questions for the same eight-hour exam.
NAEC uses raw scoring, which means every question counts toward the pass/fail result with no scaled adjustment described in the handbook. You need a score of 123 or above. The exam is offered in English only, and candidates with disabilities can request accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act by submitting a written explanation with medical documentation alongside the application.
The QEI Applicant Handbook specifies 160 scored multiple-choice questions. NAEC's certification hub FAQ instead states 130 questions for the same eight-hour exam. Use the handbook as your study baseline and confirm the format assigned to your sitting with certification@naec.org or 770-760-9660 before setting a pacing target.
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification Hub - National Association of Elevator Contractors — Certification process timeline; FAQs on exam length, retakes, renewal and transfer policy
The content outline and which references to bring
Three ASME code references account for roughly three-quarters of the exam: A17.1/CSA B44 at 28.75%, A17.2 at 27% and A17.3 at 17.5%. NFPA 70 adds 6%, and a group of additional documents makes up the remaining 20.75%.
The handbook assigns 28.75% to A17.1/CSA B44, 27% to A17.2, 17.5% to A17.3, 6% to NFPA 70 and 20.75% to additional documents. These percentages describe the content outline. Its sample failing diagnostic report illustrates feedback to a candidate; its item counts are not a guarantee of the distribution on your examination.
The handbook's Authoritative References List includes ASME A17.1/CSA B44 (2016), A17.2 (2017), NFPA 70 (2017), A17.6 (2010), A17.7 (2007), A18.1 (2017), ANSI/ASSE A10.4 (2016), NFPA 13 (2019), the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook (2015), NFPA 72 (2019), the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code Handbook (2019) and ASME QEI-1 (2018). The list also includes ASME A17.3. Confirm the complete list and approved editions with NAEC before purchasing. The list is a study aid and does not promise that questions are copied from those books.
Practice finding relevant material within the approved references. The additional-documents group carries 20.75%, so include the fire alarm, sprinkler, personnel-hoist and accessibility references in your review schedule. Organizing study by the published weights is a planning choice; NAEC does not prescribe the personal timetable below.
Practice exercise
You have 20 hours for a first review pass. As an original planning exercise, allocate those hours in proportion to the five published outline weights. How much time goes to each group, and which two receive the largest allocations?
Show answer
A17.1/CSA B44: 20 × 0.2875 = 5.75 hours. A17.2: 5.4 hours. A17.3: 3.5 hours. NFPA 70: 1.2 hours. Additional documents: 4.15 hours. The total is 20 hours. A17.1/CSA B44 and A17.2 receive the largest allocations, totaling 11.15 hours.
Multiply the available study hours by each percentage expressed as a decimal. This assumes a first pass with no known personal weaknesses; adjust later using your mistakes. The calculation allocates study time, not examination questions, and is neither an official NAEC study schedule nor a prediction of readiness.
| Testing area | Published weight |
|---|---|
| A17.1/CSA B44 | 28.75% |
| A17.2 | 27% |
| A17.3 | 17.5% |
| NFPA 70 | 6% |
| Additional documents | 20.75% |
Proctoring and test-day rules
You take the QEI exam online under two physically present proctors with a direct line of sight the entire time. One must be an officer of your company; the other must be an unrelated adult who is not your supervisor and not an examinee in the program.
Before you can test, you submit your proctors' names to NAEC, which sends both of you the exam information; the handbook says this happens within 10 business days of receiving the names, and the certification hub notes an exam can be scheduled within about 2 business days after the proctor form arrives. You must show a valid legal photo ID to your proctor before the exam. At the end, both proctors sign and the statement is notarized, and NAEC states certification cannot be issued without the returned proctoring statement and copies of both proctors' driver's licenses.
Use a quiet, well-lit space with little traffic. The exam permits approved reference books, including authorized codebook PDFs stored on a laptop, tablet or other mobile device. That specific permission does not authorize unrelated phone use, internet searching or other programs. Proctors check the materials, close other programs on the testing computer, supply plain paper and pencils, and collect and shred the paper afterward. They may answer administrative questions but cannot coach you on exam content.
The exam is timed at eight hours with one mandatory 30-minute break. Bathroom breaks are permitted one examinee at a time, but the clock keeps running, so build them into your pacing. If a power disruption or computer problem occurs, contact NAEC's Certification Program Administrator at 770-760-9660, and report any testing irregularity within one business day using the incident report in the handbook appendix or on NAEC's certification webpage.
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification Hub - National Association of Elevator Contractors — Certification process timeline; FAQs on exam length, retakes, renewal and transfer policy
Fees, retakes, renewal, and the no-transfer rule
The application fee is $280 for NAEC members and $560 for non-members, and it is non-refundable. Failed candidates wait 30 days between the first three attempts, pay $100 for the third, and reapply after 180 days if all three fail.
You apply online at naec.org with the checklist items: the completed application, signed confidentiality agreement and certification statement, Verification of Experience, signed Code of Ethics, supporting documents, fees and, if applicable, accommodation forms. NAEC processes the application within about two weeks of receipt, and the Certification Board's decision typically follows within two to three weeks. Once approved, you have 365 days to pass the exam, including all retakes.
After a pass, NAEC issues a Credly digital badge, and failing candidates receive a diagnostic report showing the number of items per topic, which is useful for targeting a retake. Appeals of eligibility decisions or results must be submitted in writing within 30 days.
Certification runs on an annual cycle: the QEI term is one year, beginning October 1 and expiring September 30. If you certify on or before June 30, you renew by September 30 of the same year; if you certify between July 1 and September 30, you renew by September 30 of the following year. Renewal requires 1.0 CEUs annually, as specified in the current ASME QEI-1 standard, and NAEC accepts continuing education from its approved providers. If your certification lapses for more than one calendar year past the badge's expiration, you must reapply and retake the exam.
One policy catches many candidates: NAEC does not accept transfers of QEI certifications issued by other certification bodies. Citing ANAB accreditation requirements, NAEC explains it cannot verify that another organization's program is equivalent, so you must complete NAEC's own requirements and pass its exam regardless of other QEI credentials you hold.
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification - National Association of Elevator Contractors — QEI Certification Overview: eligibility options, program structure, fees; Certification Hub - National Association of Elevator Contractors — Certification process timeline; FAQs on exam length, retakes, renewal and transfer policy
How to prepare for an eight-hour open-book exam
Start with the published weights, obtain the approved reference editions, and practice explaining your answer while finding its supporting provision. Use timed sessions to identify both knowledge gaps and slow navigation.
Begin with A17.1/CSA B44 and A17.2, the two largest individual outline groups. Follow with A17.3, the additional references and NFPA 70. Keep an error log distinguishing an unfamiliar concept from a lookup that took too long. Practice with the approved editions so you can recognize their organization and wording.
Rehearse the test setup with your proctors. The handbook specifies eight hours and a mandatory 30-minute break, and says bathroom breaks do not stop the clock. Confirm how the scheduled break is handled before calculating a usable answering-time budget. The 480-minute total divided by 160 questions is three minutes per question before any break allowance; it is not a promised working-time allocation. If taking a NAEC regional preparation course, submit your application early enough to arrange the examination afterward.
- Confirm your eligibility option and gather transcripts, licenses or verification forms before starting the online application, which cannot be saved midway
- Purchase the handbook's listed reference editions and tab them by testing area
- Drill timed lookups in A17.1/CSA B44 and A17.2 first; they carry the largest weights
- Rehearse the proctoring setup: two qualified proctors, photo ID, approved references only, and a quiet room
- If you fail, use the diagnostic report's per-topic counts to target your 30-day retake window
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification Hub - National Association of Elevator Contractors — Certification process timeline; FAQs on exam length, retakes, renewal and transfer policy
Final checklist before you apply
Before you submit, confirm the eligibility option you are claiming, assemble every checklist document, budget the fee, and line up two qualified proctors.
Work through this list against the handbook and the certification pages rather than against memory. Anything you cannot check off is a question for NAEC's certification staff, not a guess.
- You meet Option A, B or C for experience and education, including at least one year of inspection or test-witnessing experience
- You have all checklist items: application, confidentiality agreement, certification statement, Verification of Experience, Code of Ethics and supporting documents
- You can pay the non-refundable fee: $280 for members or $560 for non-members
- You have identified one proctor who is a company officer and a second unrelated, non-supervisor adult, with driver's license copies ready
- Your references match the approved list and editions, in print or as authorized codebook PDFs on a permitted device.
- You have confirmed the current question count, form details and any edition updates with NAEC certification staff
Sources: NAEC QEI Applicant Handbook — Application checklist; exam format; content outline; proctoring rules; results and retesting; Certification - National Association of Elevator Contractors — QEI Certification Overview: eligibility options, program structure, fees; Certification Hub - National Association of Elevator Contractors — Certification process timeline; FAQs on exam length, retakes, renewal and transfer policy
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