The Solar Heating Installer (SHI) exam from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners is taken by installers who want board certification for solar heating work. This page lists our free practice sets by topic, explains the exam format and retake rules from the official sources, and shows worked explanations and a study plan.
The SHI has 70 questions and takes about 4 hours[1] (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, verified Oct 27, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 70 multiple-choice questions (60 scored, 10 unscored pilot questions)[1] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit | 4 hours[1] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $375 per re-exam[2] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Up to 4 retakes within 1 year; 2-week wait between attempts[3] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Validity | 3 years[3] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | Computer-based testing (CBT) at Meazure Learning test centers or live remote proctoring (LRP)[4] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Eligibility | 18+ years of age, 1 year solar heating installation experience (including 2 installs in DMR role), plus qualifying category[1] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Score release | Approximately 3–5 business days[3] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Registration opens | Continuous registration (no deadlines)[3] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Testing window | Any time within 1 year of application approval[4] | North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, “Each certification examination (except System Inspector exams) consists of seventy (70) equally weighted multiple-choice questions, with four (4) choices per question. Sixty (60) of the questions are scored and ten (10) of the questions are un-scored pilot questions.”[1]
The SHI exam is run by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). It is meant for people who install solar heating systems and want to show that they meet a recognised standard.
The exam has 70 multiple-choice questions. Of these, 60 are scored and 10 are unscored pilot questions, and you will not know which are which. The time limit is 4 hours. You can sit it by computer-based testing at a Meazure Learning test center, or by live remote proctoring from your own location. Score reports are normally uploaded to your account approximately 3-5 business days after the exam.
To apply you must be 18 or older and have 1 year of solar heating installation experience, including 2 installs in the DMR role. You also need a qualifying category of education or training. The exact categories are in the NABCEP handbook, so read it before you apply. Registration is continuous, with no deadlines, and you can test at any time within 1 year of your application being approved.
If you do not pass, you can retake the exam up to 4 times within that year, with a 2-week wait between attempts. Each re-exam costs $375. A certification is valid for 3 years. Fees and rules can change, so check the NABCEP website for the current version. The handbook is also where to look for the passing score.
The content areas below are copied from the official SHI content outline published by North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Commission the system[5] | 14% | SHI Codes Compliance & Performance Testing Practise the checks, performance tests and code requirements that confirm a finished system works and is safe to hand over. |
| Evaluate the site[5] | 13% | SHI Site Assessment & Solar Resource Evalu... Practise judging solar access, shading, roof or ground conditions and other site factors before a design is chosen. |
| Install the system[5] | 30% | SHI Installation Techniques & Safety Proce... Practise correct installation methods, piping and mounting practice, and the safety procedures that apply on the job. |
| Plan system installation[5] | 19% | SHI Solar Thermal System Design & Components Practise how collectors, storage, pumps, controls and other components fit together in a design and how they are sequenced. |
| Prepare for project[5] | 12% | SHI Risk Assessment & Mitigation Practise identifying hazards and project risks early and deciding on controls before work begins. |
| Service and maintain the system[5] | 12% | SHI System Maintenance & Troubleshooting Practise routine upkeep, fault finding and the reasoning used to trace a symptom back to its cause. |
Prepare for the SHI - Solar Heating Installer Certification exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
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.
Question: How do SHI professionals integrate compliance into daily practice?
Answer: B. By embedding compliance requirements into standard operating procedures
Explanation:
The correct answer is that compliance is embedded into standard operating procedures. When the required checks are written into the routine steps of a job, they happen every time without anyone having to remember them separately.
Memorizing regulations verbatim is wrong because recall alone does not change what people do on site, and rules change over time. Hiring a separate compliance officer is wrong because it moves responsibility away from the people doing the work, so installers may treat compliance as someone else's task. Checking only during annual audits is wrong because problems are found long after the work is done, when fixing them is costly.
The rule to remember: compliance works best as part of the normal workflow, not as a separate activity or an after-the-fact inspection.
Question: Why is code compliance important for solar thermal systems?
Answer: C. To meet safety and regulatory standards
Explanation:
The correct answer is that code compliance is needed to meet safety and regulatory standards. Codes set minimum requirements that protect installers, occupants and property, covering things like leaks, electrical hazards and structural loads.
Increasing installation time is wrong because that is at most a side effect, never the purpose. Avoiding performance testing is wrong because compliance and testing support each other; a compliant system is still expected to be tested and shown to work. Reducing material quality is wrong because codes usually require approved, suitable materials, so they push quality up, not down.
The rule to remember: when a question asks why codes matter, look for the answer about safety, legality and reliable operation, and reject options that describe shortcuts.
Question: What is a risk register used for in Solar Heating Installer Certification practice?
Answer: B. Tracking identified risks with their status, controls, and owners
Explanation:
The correct answer is that a risk register tracks identified risks with their status, controls and owners. It is a living record: each risk is listed, assessed, given a response, assigned to a named person and updated as the project moves forward.
Recording employee attendance is wrong because that is a timekeeping or HR record and says nothing about project hazards. Filing regulatory complaints is wrong because a register is an internal management tool, not a submission to an authority. Managing project budgets is wrong because cost tracking belongs in a budget document, although a risk entry may mention cost impact.
The rule to remember: a risk register answers what could go wrong, how serious it is, what is being done about it and who is responsible.
Start by reading the NABCEP handbook and the official content outline so you know what the exam covers and what the eligibility and retake rules are. Then take the full practice test on this page once, without notes, to see where you stand.
Use the result to decide your order of work. Open the topic sets that match the areas where you missed the most questions, and work through them in short sessions. Install the system carries the most weight in the official outline, so give installation techniques and safety extra time. For each wrong answer, read the explanation and write down the rule behind it in your own words, not just the correct letter.
Spend time on the sets for site assessment, system design and maintenance as well, since they map directly to the official areas. The professional-practice sets, such as compliance, communication and risk, help you read scenario questions carefully.
Pair the practice with your own field experience and manufacturer or code documents. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find weak spots, not to predict the test. In the last days, retake the full practice test and review only the notes you have written. Plan to sit the exam inside your eligibility window.
The exam has 70 multiple-choice questions, of which 60 are scored and 10 are unscored pilot questions. You have 4 hours to finish. The unscored questions are not marked as such, so treat every question as if it counts.
You must be at least 18 years old and have 1 year of solar heating installation experience, including 2 installs in the DMR role. A qualifying education or training category is also required. The NABCEP handbook lists the details, so check it before applying.
You can test by computer at a Meazure Learning test center or through live remote proctoring. Registration is continuous with no deadlines. Once your application is approved, you can take the exam at any time within 1 year.
You can retake it up to 4 times within your 1 year eligibility period, waiting 2 weeks between attempts. Each re-exam costs $375. Use the score report and our topic sets to find the areas that need more practice before booking again.
Score reports are uploaded to your NABCEP account approximately 3-5 business days after the exam. The passing score is not listed on this page, so check the NABCEP handbook or website for the current requirement.
NABCEP Board Certifications are valid for 3 years from the date of issuance. Renewal requirements are set by NABCEP and can change, so check the official site for the current steps well before your certification ends.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.