NABCEP Credentials

NABCEP PV Associate (PVA) Credential

The NABCEP PV Associate (PVA) program recognizes individuals who have demonstrated knowledge of the fundamental principles of the application, design, installation, and operation of photovoltaic energy systems. HeatSpring is the official PVA provider for the 2026 NABCEP Conference.

Training for this credential

Solar Energy Storage NABCEP Solar + Storage Design and Installation Batteries and Storage Certification Prep

Solar PV Boot Camp + NABCEP PV Associate Exam Prep

Pass the NABCEP PV Associate Exam guaranteed. Over 88% of our students pass, if you don't then retake the course and exam for free. Introductory training for contractors, electricians, and business professionals who want to enter the solar PV industry.
4.7
4274
18 - 24 hours
CEUs
Sean White
$895
Continuing education

Qualifying for the Examination

There are two pathways to obtaining a NABCEP Associate credential:

  • Education Pathway - Successfully complete a training course with a NABCEP Associate Registered Training Provider (like HeatSpring). Click here to enroll in our PVA prep class.
  • Experience Pathway - Document at least 6 months of full-time solar work experience. To begin your Experience Pathway PVA application, head over to NABCEP’s Apply Now page.

Taking the PVA Exam

If you are completing the Education Pathway, follow these steps and HeatSpring will register you to take the exam – you do not submit an application to NABCEP. 

There is a $150 exam fee to schedule your PVA exam.

If you are completing the Experience Pathway, you apply directly with NABCEP

PVA Content Domains Covered on the Exam

The PVA Job Task Analysis provides a blueprint for the exam.

The main content areas covered are:

  • Application (15%)
  • Sales and Economics (13%)
  • Design (25%)
  • Installation (29%)
  • Operation and Maintenance (18%)

Exam Details

The PVA exam can be taken in a Meazure Learning test site or at any location via live remote proctoring. Candidates get up to 2 hours to complete the PVA exam. 

The PVA exam consists of 70 multiple choice questions, with 4 choices per question. Sixty of the questions are scored and 10 of the questions are un-scored pilot questions. A total scaled score is used to determine if a candidate passed or failed and ranges from 0-99. A scaled score of 65 is required to pass the PVA exam. 

All of your exam paperwork must match your valid government-issued identification, so make sure to not use nicknames or abbreviated names.

Keep your PVA Credential - Continuing Education (CEU) Requirements

A total of 12 advanced PV training hours are required to maintain your PVA credential and documentation must be submitted to NABCEP every 3 years for your credential renewal. 

HeatSpring certificates of completion can be used as documentation with NABCEP.

Practice Exam

We offer NABCEP PV Associate (PVA) Practice Exam. By taking the practice exam, you will have the opportunity to become comfortable with the format of the exam.

Approved NABCEP CEU Hours

These NABCEP Advanced Credit Hours are approved for NABCEP PV Associate (PVA) Credential CEU renewal:

A NABCEP Approved Course Advanced Hours for Exam
Recertification CEU Hours
 NEC JTA RE Elective Building or Fire Code
NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Certification Prep
0 24 0 0 0 0
Solar PV Boot Camp + NABCEP PV Associate Exam Prep
18 0 0 0 0 0
NABCEP Energy Storage Installation Professional (ESIP) Certification Prep
0 24 0 0 0 0
40-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Certification Training and CEUs
0 12 0 0 0 0
30-Hour 2023 NEC PV, Energy Storage, Building and Fire Codes
0 12 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Design Specialist (PVDS) Certification Prep
0 12 0 0 0 0
Solar PV and BESS Operations & Maintenance Tech 1 Training
0 12 0 0 0 0
Solar PV Ground-fault Troubleshooting: Theory, Tools, and Field Application
0 7 0 0 0 0
Solar Finance Professional Masters Series
0 12 0 0 0 0
30-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Certification Training and CEUs
0 12 0 0 0 0
Foundations of Battery Energy Storage Systems
0 3.5 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialist (PVCMS) Certification Prep
0 12 0 0 0 0
40-Hour NABCEP Advanced Energy Storage Certification Training
0 12 0 0 0 0
Understanding Utility-Scale Solar Construction Drawings
0 2.5 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV System Inspector (PVSI) Certification Prep
0 12 0 0 0 0
Megawatt Design
0 12 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Technical Sales (PVTS) Certification Prep: C&I + Energy Storage Focus
0 36 0 0 0 0
18-hour Solar PV Boot Camp
0 12 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Associate (PVA) Continuing Education
0 12 0 0 0 0
6-Hour NFPA 70E Electrical Safety Training
0 6.5 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV System Inspector Certification Prep Course
0 12 0 0 0 0
20-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Systems and the 2017 NEC
0 12 0 0 0 0
10-Hour Energy Storage 2020 NEC Class
0 10 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Installer Specialist (PVIS) Certification Prep
0 12 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Solar Construction & Project Management
0 3 0 0 0 0
30-Hour Advanced Energy Storage and Code Training + CEUs
0 24 0 0 0 0
Drone Pilot Boot Camp
0 2 0 0 0 0
Quality Management in Utility-Scale Solar Construction
0 1 0 0 0 0
NFPA 70B: A New Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance
0 6 0 0 0 0
Understanding IEEE 1547-2018 – Interconnection Standard for DER on Distribution
0 10 0 0 0 0
58-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Certification Training + Energy Storage Associate
0 24 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Technical Sales (PVTS) Certification Prep: Codes & Standards Focus
0 36 0 0 0 0
2026 National Electrical Code (NEC®) Changes: PV, ESS, EVs, PCS, and More
0 3 0 0 0 0
Solar PV and BESS O&M Tech 1 Training - Accelerated
0 12 0 0 0 0
Identifying Issues on PV Systems Using Thermal Imagery
0 1 0 0 0 0
NEC 2020 and 2023 Requirements for PV Systems (Parts 1-3)
0 9 0 0 0 0
Energy Storage Associate Boot Camp
0 12 0 0 0 0
3-Hour Energy Storage Building and Fire Codes
0 3 0 0 0 0
2-Hour Advanced Solar Building & Fire Codes
0 2 0 0 0 0
NFPA Certified Electrical Safety Technician (CEST) Exam Prep
0 6.5 0 0 0 0
Solar Construction Management & Safety Essentials Bundle
0 9 0 0 0 0
Interconnection of Utility-Scale Solar PV to Distribution
0 12 0 0 0 0
Residential Field Operations & Maintenance
0 6.5 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Solar PV Design Applications
0 6 0 0 0 0
Microgrid Essentials
0 2.5 0 0 0 0
2023 NFPA 855 and Fire Codes for Energy Storage Systems
0 3 0 0 0 0
Avoiding Main Panel Upgrades
0 4 0 0 0 0
10-Hour PV and the 2020 NEC
0 10 0 0 0 0
Solar Building Codes, Fire Codes, Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage Systems
0 2 0 0 0 0
NEC 2020 and 2023 Requirements for PV Systems Part 2
0 3 0 0 0 0
NEC 2020 and 2023 Energy Storage Requirements
0 3 0 0 0 0
NEC 2017 and 2020 Energy Storage Requirements
0 2 0 0 0 0
2026 NEC Updates for PV Systems
0 1 0 0 0 0
2026 NEC Updates for Energy Storage Systems
0 1 0 0 0 0
Energy Management with Power Control Systems and UL 3141
0 1 0 0 0 0
Design Considerations for Energy Storage Systems
0 1 0 0 0 0
BUNDLE: 2017 and 2020 Electrical and Fire Codes for Energy Storage Systems
0 4 0 0 0 0
Solar Construction Drawings Bundle
0 2.5 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Solar Essentials
0 8.5 0 0 0 0
Electric Transmission and Solar PV Interconnection Bundle
0 20 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Solar Engineering
0 7.5 0 0 0 0
Residential Grid-Tied Solar Design
0 10 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV System Inspector + FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot Exam Prep
0 14 0 0 0 0
An Introduction to Microgrid Systems
0 1.5 0 0 0 0
BUNDLE: 2023 Electrical and Fire Codes for Energy Storage Systems
0 6 0 0 0 0
The Clean Energy Transition | Career Launch Pack
18 6.5 0 0 0 0
PV Interconnection and the 2023 NEC
0 1.5 0 0 0 0
Transformer Specification & Applications for Inverter-Based Resources
0 2 0 0 0 0
UL 3741 Product Compliance and Design Requirements
0 1 0 0 0 0
Solar & Storage Interconnection Survival Guide
0 1 0 0 0 0
2020 NFPA 855 and Fire Code Requirements for Energy Storage Systems
0 2 0 0 0 0
NEC 2020 and 2023 Requirements for PV Systems Part 1
0 3 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Technical Sales (PVTS) Certification Prep: PV Associate Exam Pathway
18 24 0 0 0 0
Comprehensive Solar Plus Storage
0 12 0 0 0 0
58-Hour NABCEP Advanced PV Certification Training + PV Associate Exam Prep
18 12 0 0 0 0
2020 NEC PV, Energy Storage, Building and Fire Codes
0 12 0 0 0 0
Designing Utility-Scale Solar Systems with PVcase Ground Mount
0 1.5 0 0 0 0
NABCEP PV Technical Sales (PVTS) Intensive Exam Prep
0 12 0 0 0 0
Photovoltaics and the 2020 NEC for NABCEP Credit
0 2 0 0 0 0
Introduction to Electric Transmission
0 10 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Commercial & Industrial Solar and Storage 101
0 12 0 0 0 0
Solar Construction Safety
0 6 0 0 0 0
NABCEP Solar PV Associate Prep Course - in Italian
18 0 0 0 0 0
UL Photovoltaic System Installer Certification Prep
0 12 0 0 0 0
Solar Executive MBA Training
0 12 0 0 0 0
NABCEP Commissioning & Maintenance (PVCMS) + FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot Exam Prep
0 14 0 0 0 0
NEC 2020 and 2023 Requirements for PV Systems Part 3
0 3 0 0 0 0
NABCEP Solar PV Associate + FAA Part 107 Drone Pilot Exam Prep
18 2 0 0 0 0
Introduction to Utility-Scale Solar Operations & Maintenance
0 2 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Commercial & Industrial Solar and Storage 201
0 12 0 0 0 0
Customer Contracts and Agreements
0 10 0 0 0 0
HeatSpring CORE: Comprehensive Construction Training Program
0 9 0 0 0 0
Sean White & Wes Kennedy Solar Plus Storage Bundle
0 24 0 0 0 0
Interconnection of Utility-Scale Solar PV to Transmission
0 10 0 0 0 0
Residential Solar Service Technician Training Package
0 18.5 0 0 0 0
Utility-Scale Commercial & Industrial Solar and Storage Series
0 24 0 0 0 0
The Psychology of Solar Sales - How to Win Deals and Influence the Future
0 26 0 0 0 0
Introduction to Solar PV Design, Installation and Code
0 1 0 0 0 0
Introduction to Ethics in Solar Sales
0 1 0 0 0 0
How We Got Here: A (Riveting!) History of DER Interconnection in the U.S.
0 1 0 0 0 0
SOMAH Academy: Comprehensive Solar Study
0 1 0 0 0 0
Free Onboarding Bundle for New Residential Solar Installers
0 1 0 0 0 0

View All NABCEP Credentials

NABCEP Credentials