It’s one of the questions we hear most from welders preparing for the AWS Certified Welding Inspector exam: “Do I have to buy my own copy of API 1104?” Fair question. The standard isn’t cheap, and exam fees already add up (see our CWI requirements guide for the 2026 fees).
The short answer: you don’t strictly need a printed copy to take the exam, but you really need access to the code to study for it. Here’s why, and what AWS currently allows.
What AWS Gives You at the Exam
If you pick API 1104 as your Part C code, you take Part C on a computer at a Prometric test center. According to AWS’s API 1104 exam description and its Exam References and Editions Guide:
- A PDF of API 1104, 22nd Edition is provided on screen during the exam.
- That on-screen PDF isn’t searchable. AWS’s reference guide marks the provided digital reference as “not searchable,” and Prometric may turn off some normal PDF features. AWS recommends learning to navigate with the PDF bookmarks.
- You may also bring a printed copy. AWS says it has to be the original or a permanently bound printed copy (stitched or glued), or held in its cover by fasteners that go through every page. Loose sheets aren’t allowed. The Test Center Administrator reviews your printed codebook before Part C.
- Tabs and highlighting are allowed. The current CWI Examination User Guide says you may tab or highlight your codebook before the exam, and margin notes are allowed. Publisher errata are fine if they’re securely bound in. Loose errata sheets aren’t.
Rules can change. The latest AWS User Guide says printed codebooks aren’t permitted for certain Prometric exams. In the AWS reference guide we checked, API 1104 is marked “physical reference permitted.” Check again before your test date.
The Part C API 1104 Exam at a Glance
| Detail | API 1104 Part C |
|---|---|
| Edition | API 1104, 22nd Edition |
| Questions | 60 scored + 5 unscored pretest (English exam) |
| Time to answer | 135 minutes (150 minutes total seat time) |
| Format | Open book, computer-based, at Prometric |
| Passing score | 72% |
| Content | At least 25% each on Qualification, Fabrication and Inspection, plus Reports and Records and Materials and Design |
If you fail Part C, AWS requires you to retest using the same code within the three-year retest period. That makes choosing your code a real decision.
So Should You Buy API 1104?
For the exam itself, buying a copy is optional. For studying, you’ll want your own copy (print or electronic), and here’s why:
- Part C is a navigation test. Most answers are in the code. What decides your score is how fast you find the right clause, table or figure, and you only get fast by practicing in the actual document.
- The exam PDF isn’t searchable. If you’ve always relied on Ctrl+F, practice moving through the code by its structure: the contents, clause numbers, bookmarks, tables and figures.
- A tabbed print copy can be a backup on the desk next to the screen, as long as it meets the binding rules.
- You’ll use it on the job if you work in pipeline construction or inspection.
API 1104 is sold by API and authorized standards resellers.
Which edition?
Use the 22nd Edition. It’s the edition AWS lists for the exam. AWS warns that if you use an edition that isn’t listed, you do so at your own risk. API has since published Errata 1 (2023) and Addendum 1 (September 2026) to the 22nd Edition. AWS’s exam documents list only the 22nd Edition, so if you plan to bring a copy that includes the addendum, confirm with AWS before test day.
How to Choose Your Part C Codebook
AWS offers several Part C codes, including AWS D1.1 (structural steel), API 1104 (pipelines), D1.2, D1.5, D15.1, D17.1, ASME Section IX/B31.1/B31.3 and ISO. Ask yourself:
- What do you work with now, or want to next? Pipeline, gas distribution, compressor or pump station work points to API 1104. Structural fabrication usually points to D1.1.
- What do local employers ask for? Check inspector job postings near you.
- Which document can you navigate best? Spend an hour in each one.
- Remember the retest rule. A Part C retest uses the same code.
AWS allows codebook changes only until a set cutoff, and never after you’ve taken Part B, so decide early. Part B comes first, and our CWI Part B guide explains how it works.
How Our Part C Course Helps
Lone Star CWI is a registered AWS Educational Institute. Our CWI Prep – Part C API 1104 Codebook course is built around the 22nd Edition and the skill Part C really tests: finding the answer in the code, fast.
- Seven modules that walk you through the layout of API 1104: scope and key terms, procedure qualification, welder qualification, production welding and inspection, NDT acceptance standards, repair and removal of defects, and special topics and annexes.
- Four sets of flashcards with timed quizzes to build navigation speed through clauses, tables and figures.
- A final mock exam that shuffles questions from a question bank, so each attempt is different.
- About 25 hours of self-paced content for $399.99, with a course Q&A when you get stuck.
You’ll need your own copy of API 1104 for the course, because every drill has you working in the book.
Studying for all three parts? The Full CWI Bundle includes Part A, Part B and Part C for $1,000. Studying from home? See how our online CWI training works anywhere in the U.S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is API 1104 provided at the CWI exam?
Yes. AWS provides an on-screen PDF of API 1104, 22nd Edition, for the Part C exam at Prometric. It isn’t searchable.
Can I bring my own API 1104 book to the CWI exam?
Per AWS’s current guidance, yes. It has to be an original or a permanently bound printed copy, with no loose pages. Check the latest AWS Exam References guide before test day.
Can I tab and highlight my API 1104 for the exam?
The current AWS CWI Examination User Guide says tabbing, highlighting and margin notes are allowed. Bound errata are allowed, but loose sheets aren’t.
Which edition of API 1104 is on the CWI exam?
The 22nd Edition, Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities.
How many questions are on the API 1104 Part C exam?
There are 60 scored multiple-choice questions plus 5 unscored pretest questions. You have 135 minutes to answer them, and you need 72% to pass.
Should I choose API 1104 or D1.1 for Part C?
Pick the code that matches your work and the jobs you want. API 1104 suits pipeline work; D1.1 suits structural steel. If you retest, you’ll have to use the same code.
Want to walk into Part C knowing exactly where to turn? Enroll in our Part C API 1104 course and start drilling today, or contact us with questions.