NDT Level II
An NDT Level II is qualified to set up and calibrate equipment, conduct examinations to procedures, interpret and evaluate results against acceptance criteria, and report results — the standard certification level for production inspectors.
Definition
Level II is the production-inspector certification level. Most working NDT inspectors hold Level II certifications in one or more methods. Recertification is typically every 5 years (ISO 9712) or per employer written practice (SNT-TC-1A).
How the scheme works
The working qualification level: sets up and calibrates equipment, performs examinations, interprets and evaluates results against the applicable code, and writes the report. The level most contracts actually specify.
In practice
Progression to Level II is training hours plus documented experience hours per method — the experience log matters as much as the course certificate, and thin logs are where certifications fail verification.
Related schemes and standards
SNT-TC-1A / CP-189 employer-based; ISO 9712 central; method-specific hour requirements differ between them.
The common misunderstanding
Assuming a Level II in one method or sector carries into another. Certification is per method — a UT Level II interpreting RT film is operating outside certification, however experienced.
Where NDT Level II fits in an inspection programme
A term is only useful when it connects to a decision. NDT Level II appears in written procedures, in technique sheets, and in the records an owner or accreditation body reviews afterwards — which means the way it is defined in your documentation has to match the way it is applied on site. Where the two drift apart, audits find it. Atlantis writes and reviews procedures against the governing codes, trains inspection personnel to apply them, and builds the record-keeping that makes the evidence retrievable years later. Procedure development and code consulting · NDT training and certification · Ask us about your programme.
Related terms
- NDT Level I — An NDT Level I is qualified to perform specific calibrations, conduct specific NDT examinations following written procedures, and record results, but is not authorized to set up tests, interpret results for accept/reject, or report results without Level II/III
- NDT Level III — An NDT Level III is qualified to develop and approve procedures, establish techniques, interpret codes and specifications, designate methods to be used, train and examine Level I and II personnel, and assume technical responsibility for the NDT facility.
- Recertification — Recertification is the periodic re-examination of NDT personnel required by certification standards (typically every 5 years for Level II under ISO 9712, or per written practice for SNT-TC-1A) to maintain valid qualification.
- SNT-TC-1A — ASNT SNT-TC-1A is the recommended practice for personnel qualification and certification in nondestructive testing, defining an employer-based certification model in which the employer issues a written practice and qualifies its own personnel using ASNT-recomm
Further reading
ut level ii certification exam preparation
More certification terms
Central Certification Body · Employer-Based Certification · Qualification vs. Certification · Written Practice · Sensory Acuity Examination · Near-Vision Test · Color-Vision Test · Jaeger J1 · Jaeger J2
Where this comes up in practice
Terms like this one appear in three places that matter commercially: the written practice that governs how your personnel are qualified, the procedures and technique sheets that define how an examination is actually performed, and the evidence an auditor or client asks for when they want to know why an inspection was accepted. Getting the terminology right is the easy part; being able to produce the qualification record, the calibration traceability and the procedure revision that applied on the day of the inspection is the part that decides audits.
Atlantis NDT provides NDT training and certification against ASNT SNT-TC-1A and ISO 9712, ASNT Level III consulting for written practices and procedure approval, inspection management software that holds qualification, calibration and procedure-revision evidence in recoverable form, and an asset integrity platform that binds inspection results to the asset they describe. Browse the full NDT glossary or ask a Level III directly.