NDT Training Requirements Matrix - Atlantis NDT

A complete reference showing minimum training hours (classroom and on-the-job) required for NDT certification across all major schemes: ASNT SNT-TC-1A, ISO 9712, and PCN. Organized by method and certification level with side-by-side comparisons.

The Personnel Certification in Non-Destructive Testing (PCN) scheme is operated by BINDT (British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing). Based on ISO 9712, PCN has additional requirements specific to the UK and international markets.

Experience (OJT) must be documented and verifiable. Under SNT-TC-1A, the employer determines what qualifies as acceptable experience. Under ISO 9712 and PCN, experience must be in the specific NDT method and product sector.

Formal education in science, engineering, or technology can reduce the OJT/experience requirement under certain schemes.

Need this training matrix in an editable Excel format? Contact us for a customizable version with additional schemes (NAVSEA, NAS 410, EN 4179) and calculation tools.

What this page covers

  • 1. ASNT SNT-TC-1A Recommended Training Hours
  • 2. ISO 9712 Required Training Hours
  • 3. PCN Training Requirements
  • 4. Experience Requirements Detail
  • 5. Education Credits
  • 6. Side-by-Side Comparison: ASNT vs ISO 9712 vs PCN
  • 7. Important Notes
  • Get the Editable Version
  • Classroom Training Hours (Minimum Recommended)
  • On-the-Job Training / Experience Hours (Minimum Recommended)
  • Minimum Training Duration (Hours)
  • Minimum Industrial Experience (Months)
  • PCN Training Duration (Hours) -- Minimum

Key points covered

  • Experience hours are recommendations. The employer's Written Practice defines actual requirements. Experience must be under the supervision of a Level II or Level III. Documentation is employer-controlled.
  • Experience must be gained under qualified supervision. At least 50% of experience must be in the product sector(s) for which certification is sought. Experience log must be verified by the employer and countersigned by a Level 3.
  • Experience must be gained performing NDT in the relevant method and sector. A minimum of 10% of total experience must be in the specific product sector applied for. Experience logs must be submitted to BINDT.
  • Employers, clients, and regulatory authorities may require more hours than the minimum specified by any scheme. Some industries (nuclear, aerospace) have significantly higher requirements.
  • Under both ISO 9712 and PCN, candidates may apply directly for Level 2 without first holding Level 1. However, they must complete BOTH Level 1 and Level 2 training hours and the combined experience requirement.
  • ASNT Level III requires passing the ASNT Level III Basic and Method exams (administered by ASNT nationally). ISO 9712 Level 3 requires an additional knowledge of materials science, manufacturing processes, and quality systems. PCN Level 3 includes a demanding practical and oral exam component.
  • Training hours for each method are independent. If certifying in UT and RT, you need the full hours for each method. However, some general/basic topics may overlap.
  • Most schemes require evidence of continuing professional development for recertification. Keep records of training courses, conferences, seminars, and NDT-related professional activities.
  • Advanced techniques (PAUT, TOFD, digital RT) may require additional training beyond the base method hours. Check your certification scheme for specific requirements.

Related: Atlantis NDT ERP · Digital Twin platform · NDT inspection software · NDT reporting software · ASNT Level III consulting · NDT training. Book a free consultation.

Running the matrix as a system

The training matrix earns its keep when it is derived, not decorated: each role's requirements traced to their source — the Written Practice's hours per method and level, client contract clauses, regulatory and site inductions — so that when a source changes, the affected cells are findable. Track three dates per cell (completed, expires, scheduled) and review the horizon monthly; the matrix that only records completion is a history, and histories do not prevent the lapsed-certification finding that suspends a crew.

The matrix also prices decisions: cross-training a Level II into a second method against hiring, sequencing renewals before outage season, spotting the single-point-of-failure technician whose certifications nobody else holds. Those are management questions, and this document is where they become visible.

Where this document sits in the wider system

Templates fail as loose files and work as parts of a system: this document should cross-reference the records that feed it and the decisions it feeds, carry a revision history like any controlled document, and live where the whole team retrieves the CURRENT version — not the copy someone improved privately last year. Companies running their inspection operations on a single system of record generate most of these documents from live data rather than filling them by hand; that is the practical difference between managed records and managed paperwork. Browse all templates and resources, or ask how the generated version works.