CWI testing centers and locations: where to take Parts A, B and C

Not sure which part to start on? The CWI exam at a glance maps all three, and how to become a CWI walks the route from application to results.

Where each part is taken

AWS lists more than 450 Prometric centers worldwide, so Parts A and C are usually the easy ones to place near home. Part B is the one that sets your calendar, because it only runs on the dates of AWS events.

How to find a CWI testing center near you

You need two testing centers, not one: an AWS test site for Part B and a Prometric center for Parts A and C.

1. Your Part B test site. Browse upcoming Part B events by state and city with the CWI exam dates finder, then confirm the listing on the AWS seminar and exam schedule. Pick the nearest site whose exam date and application deadline both work for you.
2. Your Prometric center for Parts A and C. Search the Prometric AWS page for a center near you. You can see dates and book only once your Part B confirmation letter gives you the eligibility code.
3. Outside the US. Your local AWS agent has the Part B sites and dates.

A college in Idaho shares the CWI initials, so searching "CWI testing center" often turns it up. It has nothing to do with the AWS welding inspector exam.

How to book, in order

1. Pick a Part B event. Part B is scheduled on your initial application. Each event has a site code on the AWS website, a code made of a state abbreviation and numbers. Note the exam date and the application deadline separately from any seminar dates. Browse upcoming listings with the CWI exam dates finder, then confirm on AWS before you commit.
2. Apply and wait for your Part B confirmation letter. It gives your exam location, group number, date and time. It also carries the eligibility codes for Parts A and C. AWS advises waiting for it before you book travel.
3. Book Parts A and C at Prometric. You cannot schedule them until the letter arrives, and the eligibility code is required to get dates and locations. AWS recommends booking at least 30 days ahead because seats fill fast. Search centers on the Prometric AWS page.
4. Print your confirmation. Print the AWS letter for Part B and the Prometric appointment confirmation for Parts A and C. Bring them with your ID.

Build your calendar around the Part B date and leave study time before it. The CWI study plan builder turns your exam date into a week-by-week schedule.

Part B exam day

Part B runs three times a day at each site, in groups.

Your letter tells you which group you are in. AWS asks you to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before the start, and doors close promptly when check-in ends. Arrive late and you can't join another group's session, so plan to be early, not on time.

Bring: a current government-issued ID, your printed AWS confirmation letter, number 2 pencils, and an acceptable calculator (four-function, construction or non-programmable scientific; calculators are inspected at check-in).

Leave out: scratch pads and notebooks, phones, recording devices, wearable electronics, bulky or hooded jackets, hats and sunglasses unless religious apparel, and food, drink and gum. Arrange to store bags and other belongings before you arrive, because they can't come into the room and AWS isn't responsible for them.

Supplied on the day: the Book of Specifications, the exhibits booklet, the four-piece replica set and the inspection tool kit. The Part B guide shows what each one is and gives a timed plan for the 120 minutes. The Book of Specifications is a free PDF from AWS, so read it before the day.

Parts A and C exam day at Prometric

Arrive 30 minutes early with a valid government-issued ID. The name on your Prometric appointment must match your ID exactly, or you can be turned away. If your ID has no signature, bring a second ID that does. The Part A guide and the Part C D1.1 guide take you through check-in, what is allowed, and the day step by step. For Part C, your appointment details tell you whether your code book is a printed copy you bring or an on-screen PDF.

Dates, cost and travel

• Dates: Part B dates are fixed to AWS events. Use the CWI exam dates finder to see the next ones in your state, and check the application deadline.
• Changes: Domestic candidates change or cancel a Part B site with AWS's form. Prometric appointments are moved on the Prometric website or by phone. Do it well before the date, or fees are forfeited.
• Cost: Prometric seat fees are already in the exam prices, so you don't pay them again. Travel to the Part B site is the cost most people forget, so add it in the CWI exam cost calculator. The exam cost guide lists every 2026 fee.
• Outside the US: Contact your local AWS agent for Part B dates and sites. Part B tool kits outside the US and Canada use metric units.

FAQ

Can I take the whole CWI exam at a Prometric center?

No. Parts A and C are at Prometric, but Part B is at an AWS-approved site on the date of an AWS event, and it has to be done before the other two.

Do I have to take a seminar to take Part B?

Training is not required for the initial exam. Part B events are tied to seminar locations, and you can register for exam-only listings. See CWI seminars, courses and practice tests compared if you're weighing one.

How do I find a CWI testing center near me?

Find two places. For Part B, pick an AWS test site from the CWI exam dates finder or the AWS seminar and exam schedule. For Parts A and C, search the Prometric AWS page for a center near you once your Part B letter gives you the eligibility code.

I booked Part B. When can I book Part A and Part C?

When your Part B confirmation letter arrives, because it holds the eligibility codes Prometric needs. Then book at least 30 days ahead.

Start with Part B, the part that comes first

Part B is first on the calendar, so get ready for it first. Take the free 10-question check for Part B. It's scored by domain and takes no signup, so you see which domains to fix before your site date. The Fillet Gauge course then gives you a lesson for every exam subject, specification drills for finding the right clause in the Book of Specifications, two full-length timed practice exams per part and a worked explanation with every answer.

Sources

Show the list

• CWI Examination User Guide, American Welding Society, revision 09.04.2026, pages 4 and 10 to 14. Retrieved 24 Oct 2026.
• AWS Certified Welding Inspector page, American Welding Society. Retrieved 24 Oct 2026.
• AWS seminar and exam schedule and the Prometric AWS page.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the American Welding Society (AWS) or Prometric.