The Certified Radiographic Interpreter (CRI) credential from the American Welding Society is for people who read weld radiographs against codes and standards. This page gives you free practice sets for each part of the exam, worked explanations of sample questions, a plain summary of the AWS fees, scoring and retest rules, and a study plan you can follow before test day. Practice with the free Certified Radiographic Interpreter practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (9 questions with answer explanations).

Free Certified Radiographic Interpreter Study Tools

Interactive Certified Radiographic Interpreter resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• CRI Welding Processes & Techniques 1 — 9 questions with answer explanations
• Certified Radiographic Interpreter flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• Certified Radiographic Interpreter study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• Certified Radiographic Interpreter cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CRI Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Oct 21, 2026 against American Welding Society. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

What the CRI is and how it works

According to American Welding Society, “Code Knowledge Exam – 3 hours, 78 open-book multiple-choice questions focused on interpreting radiographs according to AWS, API, ASME, and ASTM standards.”^[3]

The CRI exam checks whether you can interpret radiographs of welds and judge them against the applicable code. AWS gives it on paper, the day after the seminar, in 3 parts:

• General Knowledge Exam: 70 multiple-choice questions on welding, metallurgy, radiography theory, mathematics and film selection, 3 hours.
• Code Knowledge Exam: 78 open-book multiple-choice questions on interpreting radiographs under AWS, API, ASME and ASTM standards, 3 hours.
• Practical (Film Interpretation) Exam: 40 questions in which you interpret at least 10 radiographs against specific codes or standards, 3 hours.

Scoring. You need at least 70% on each part and an average of 80% across all 3. A strong score on one part does not make up for a part below 70%.

Fees. The exam alone costs $1,005 for AWS members and $1,270 for non-members. The initial seminar plus exam costs $2,195 for members and $2,460 for non-members. A retest costs $385 per part or $745 for all parts.

Retakes and renewal. You may retest up to 3 times within 3 years of your original test date. The certification is valid for 3 years and can be renewed at the 3-year and 6-year marks. Renewal requires the Practical exam, a vision test and proof of ongoing radiographic interpretation work.

Eligibility requirements, application steps and seminar dates are set by AWS and can change. Check the AWS CRI certification page and the AWS program price list before you apply.

CRI content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CRI content outline published by American Welding Society. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CRI questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What distinguishes a storage phosphor plate used in CR from a conventional intensifying screen?

1. The storage phosphor emits light immediately upon X-ray exposure for direct film exposure
2. The storage phosphor traps energy in metastable electron states that are released by laser stimulation during readout
3. The storage phosphor is a direct conversion semiconductor material
4. The storage phosphor has a single-use design that must be discarded after each patient

Answer: B. The storage phosphor traps energy in metastable electron states that are released by laser stimulation during readout

Explanation:

B is correct. A storage phosphor plate in computed radiography (CR) holds a latent image. X-ray energy lifts electrons into metastable traps, often called F-centers, and they stay there until a laser scans the plate during readout. The laser releases them, and the plate gives off the light that becomes the digital image.

• A describes a conventional intensifying screen, which emits light at once to expose film.
• C describes direct conversion detectors, which turn X-rays straight into charge, with no phosphor step.
• D is wrong because CR plates are erased and reused. They are not single-use.

Rule to remember: intensifying screens give off light right away, CR plates store the image and release it under a laser, and direct digital detectors convert X-rays straight to charge.

Example 2

Question: Which type of porosity is characterized by a cluster of small rounded dark indications grouped in a limited area of the weld?

1. Linear porosity
2. Cluster porosity
3. Piping porosity
4. Uniformly distributed porosity

Answer: B. Cluster porosity

Explanation:

B is correct. Cluster porosity is a group of small, rounded dark indications packed into a limited area of the weld. It often shows up where conditions changed briefly, such as at an arc start or stop.

• A, linear porosity, means pores lined up in a row, usually along a weld pass or the root, not grouped in a patch.
• C, piping porosity, means elongated gas cavities that look like tails or wormholes, not small round dots.
• D, uniformly distributed porosity, means pores scattered fairly evenly through the weld, not concentrated in one spot.

Rule to remember: sort porosity by pattern. A tight group is cluster, a row is linear, spread out is uniform, and elongated shapes are piping. Codes often judge these patterns differently, so naming the pattern correctly comes before applying the acceptance limits.

Example 3

Question: Which discontinuity type is generally considered MOST detrimental to weld structural integrity under cyclic loading?

1. Cracks
2. Porosity
3. Slag inclusions
4. Undercut

Answer: A. Cracks

Explanation:

A is correct. Cracks are planar and have sharp tips. Under cyclic loading, stress concentrates at those tips and the crack grows with each cycle until the part fails by fatigue. For this reason most welding codes reject cracks whatever their size.

• B, porosity, is made of rounded voids. Rounded shapes concentrate stress far less, so codes usually allow some porosity within set limits.
• C, slag inclusions, have blunter edges than cracks. They reduce the load-bearing area but are less likely to start fatigue growth.
• D, undercut, is a surface notch at the weld toe. It can matter in fatigue, but codes often accept it within depth limits.

Rule to remember: the sharper and more planar a discontinuity is, the more it threatens fatigue life. Cracks are the worst case.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the AWS CRI page and step-by-step guide so you know the format: 70 General Knowledge questions, 78 open-book Code Knowledge questions and 40 Practical questions on at least 10 radiographs, with 3 hours for each part. Get copies of the code documents you will use in the open-book part and learn how they are laid out.

Build general knowledge. Work through the welding processes, material properties, contrast and exposure, and radiation safety sets. When you miss a question, read the explanation and write the rule in a short note in your own words.

Practise code lookups against the clock. Use the acceptance criteria, IQI selection and pipe and pressure vessel sets with your code books open. Time how long each lookup takes. Tab the sections you keep returning to.

Train your eye for the Practical. Use the film interpretation, welding defects and image quality sets. For every indication, name the discontinuity first, then decide accept or reject under the stated code.

Before test day, take mixed sets under timed conditions and check that no area is falling below 70%, because every part must reach that score on its own.