API SIFE Exam: Who Can Apply, Format and Fees
API SIFE in brief: who can apply (no experience minimum), the 110-question closed-book format, remote or test-centre delivery, and the exam fee.
Written by Syed HasanReviewed by Nilanjan Sen
Published 22 Oct 2026Reviewed 16 Oct 20262 min read
API SIFE is one of the easiest API certifications to get into: there is no experience minimum and no prerequisite certification. The exam itself is a different matter. Here is who can apply, what the exam looks like, and what it costs, from API's own pages, checked against API's own pages on 16 October 2026.
Short answer: anyone with experience in the petroleum and petrochemical industries can apply, including people new to the industry. The exam is 110 closed-book questions (100 scored) in 3 hours 15 minutes, at a Prometric centre or by remote proctoring. The fee is US$380 for API members and US$500 for non-members, rising to US$390 and US$515 in 2027.
Who can apply
API SIFE is open to applicants with any experience in the petroleum and petrochemical industries, including people seeking to gain industry experience for the first time. There is no minimum number of years, no education band and no certification you must hold first. That makes it unusual among API certifications: API 510, 570 and 653 all need documented, equipment-matched experience.
Open eligibility does not make it an entry-level exam. The questions assume you understand how fixed equipment is fabricated, welded, tested and documented.
The exam format
- 110 multiple-choice questions, of which 100 are scored; 10 are unscored pretest items.
- 3 hours 15 minutes, about 1 minute 45 seconds a question.
- Closed-book: no reference material.
- At a Prometric centre or by remote proctoring, which makes it easier to schedule than exams limited to test centres.
- Scope: fixed equipment at the supplier's works: vessels, columns and towers, heat exchangers, piping, valves, pressure relief devices, tubulars and structural fabrications.
- The certificate is valid for 3 years.
The fee
| API member | Non-member | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee (2026) | US$380 | US$500 |
| Exam fee (2027) | US$390 | US$515 |
| Reschedule | US$200 | US$200 |
| Late application | US$200 | US$200 |
For the full cost, including recertification fees, codes and preparation, read what an API certification really costs.
Exam windows and deadlines are on API's schedule and fees page; check the SIFE row for the window you want.
Next step
To see what the job involves, read what an API SIFE source inspector does. To prepare, use the API SIFE study plan, and if you are choosing between the two source inspector exams, read API SIFE vs SIRE. Exam details and sample questions are in our API SIFE certification guide.
