Coating inspector certifications, levels and renewal
Which certificate, in which order, and how to keep it. Each section links to a guide with the sources.
AMPP Coating Inspector Program (CIP)
| Level 1 — Basic Coatings Inspector | Level 2 — Certified Coatings Inspector | |
|---|---|---|
| Before you sit it | No prerequisites for the course | Active Level 1 and two years of verifiable coatings-related work |
| Theory exam | 120 questions (20 unscored), 11 domains | 120 questions (20 unscored), 10 domains (July 2026 guide) |
| Practical exam | 8 stations, up to 10 minutes each | 8 stations, up to 8 minutes each |
| Renewal | Every 3 years, with 1.5 years of coating inspection work | Every 3 years, with 18 months of coatings-related work and 24 PDHs |
Both levels also require ethics training: AMPP's Ethics for the Corrosion Professional course or an approved equivalent. Details: CIP Level 1 vs Level 2 · how to get CIP Level 1 · the 2026 Level 2 change.
FROSIO
FROSIO is the Norwegian certification scheme for surface-treatment inspectors, accredited to ISO/IEC 17024. You take an approved 80-hour course, then one exam in two parts: a four-hour written theory paper and a four-hour practical, each passed with two thirds of the marks. Your level (I, II or III) depends on documented experience, and the certificate is valid for five years. Details: what is the FROSIO exam? · FROSIO vs AMPP CIP.
Keeping your certificate
- AMPP CIP renews every 3 years through AMPP's portal: work experience, professional development hours from at least two categories, and proof of ethics training. Renewal opens 90 days before expiry, with a 90-day grace period after it.
- FROSIO renews every 5 years with an updated CV and a signed employer letter; Level III also needs documented inspection practice. A certificate not renewed within 6 months of expiry is invalid.
Full rules and sources: renewing your CIP or FROSIO certificate.
Where certificates are asked for
- Shipbuilding ballast tanks: the IMO Performance Standard for Protective Coatings (resolution MSC.215(82)) calls for coating inspections by inspectors certified to NACE Coating Inspector Level 2, FROSIO Inspector Level III or an equivalent qualification verified by the Administration.
- Integrity inspection: API 510, 570 and 653 certify pressure-equipment inspectors, not coating inspectors: API vs AMPP CIP.
Preparing for one of these exams? The free readiness check finds your weak domains in about 8 minutes.
Take the free readiness checkSources
- IMO resolution MSC.215(82), Performance Standard for Protective Coatings
- AMPP and FROSIO facts: the sources listed in each linked guide.
Checked on 4 October 2026.