NABCEP Credentials
NABCEP PV Design Specialist (PVDS) Certification
The NABCEP PV Design Specialist (PVDS) Board Certification recognizes the advanced experience and skill of PV system designers. This Board Certification demonstrates your proven ability to configure the mechanical and electrical design components of PV systems.
Training for this credential
Qualifying for the Examination
Each applicant must:
- Complete a minimum of 10 hours of OSHA Outreach Training Program for the Construction Industry training (or provincial equivalent)
- Complete at least 24 hours of advanced training, including:
- 18 hours covering the NABCEP PV Design Specialist Job Task Analysis (PVDS JTA)
- 6 hours of the National Electric Code (NEC)
- Our NABCEP PV Design Specialist (PVDS) Certification Prep bundle saves you money and time in getting all of the hours and knowledge you need to pass the exam.
- Complete designs for installations equaling at least 12 Project Credits
- System size of 1 – 999kW = 2 Project Credits
- System size of 1MW and up = 3 Project Credits
Documenting Training
Upon completion of HeatSpring courses approved for advanced hours for the PVDS exam, learners can download a certificate of completion to submit with their NABCEP application.
Applicants must also submit proof of completing OSHA 10.
Documenting Experience
For each design, applicants must submit the following:
- System summary
- Location
- Date project completed
- PV array size of system
- Name and phone number of project installation contractor, the contractor listed on the permit or inspection, and the Applicant's supervisor
- Design documentation
- System location
- Contractor name and phone number
- Applicant's name listed under "Designed by" or "Drawn by"
- System size in kW
- Modules used
- Inverters used
- Max. string size (if string inverters)
- Max. branch size (if micro inverters)
- Plot plan
- Single line
- Structural details showing racking type and mounting
- Electrical and/or building permits
- Final approved inspection records
See the NABCEP Handbook for more details.
PVDS Exam Fees
Between the PVDS application and exam fees, NABCEP charges $500 to sit for the PVDS exam. In the event you need to retake the exam, the re-exam fee is $275. All NABCEP fees are listed here.
PVDS Content Domains Covered on the Exam
The main content areas covered are:
- Review customer expectations (12%)
- Review project criteria (12%)
- Assess project site (15%)
- Configure mechanical design (13%)
- Configure electrical design (17%)
- Configure system monitoring, control, and communications design (7%)
- Prepare project documentation (8%)
- Secure permits and approvals (8%)
- Adapt system design (8%)
Exam Details
The PVDS exam can be taken in a Meazure Learning test site or at any location via live remote proctoring. The exam must be scheduled and taken within one year of NABCEP approving your application.
Candidates get up to 4 hours to complete the exam. Everyone will have access to an electronic copy of the 2017 NEC as well as a calculator.
The PVDS exam consists of 70 equally weighted multiple choice questions, with 4 choices per question. 60 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 70 is required to pass the PVDS exam.
All of your exam paperwork must match your valid government-issued identification, so make sure to not use nicknames or abbreviated names during the application process.
Keep your PVDS Certification - Continuing Education (CEU) Requirements
A total of 30 advanced PV training hours are required to maintain your PVDS certification and documentation must be submitted to NABCEP every 3 years for your certification renewal. These hours must fulfill specific sub-categories including:
- 6 National Electrical Code (NEC) Hours
- 12 PVDS Job Task Analysis (JTA) Hours
- 2 Building and Fire Code Hours
- 10 Renewable Energy (RE) Elective Hours
All NABCEP-approved HeatSpring courses will have a chart at the bottom of the course landing page which summarizes approved hours by exam and sub-categories.
Practice Exam
We offer NABCEP PV Design Specialist (PVDS) 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 Design Specialist (PVDS) Certification CEU renewal:
| A NABCEP Approved Course | Advanced Hours for Exam |
Recertification CEU Hours
|
NEC | JTA | RE Elective | Building or Fire Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | 48 | 13 | 58 | 30 | 8 | ||
| 24 | 30 | 6 | 30 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 46 | 48 | 34 | 38 | 52 | 6 | ||
| 40 | 30 | 8 | 40 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 40 | 30 | 8 | 40 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 30 | 30 | 16 | 30 | 24 | 4 | ||
| 40 | 30 | 8 | 40 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 6 | 30 | 28 | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 0 | 20 | 5 | 12 | 0 | |||
| 24 | 30 | 6 | 30 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 6 | 30 | 28 | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 30 | 30 | 6 | 14 | 12 | 2 | ||
| 58 | 48 | 14 | 58 | 24 | 8 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |||
| 28 | 30 | 28 | 20 | 40 | 4 | ||
| 18 | 18 | 5 | 18 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 0 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | ||
| 42 | 65 | 15 | 48 | 53 | 6 | ||
| 0 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | ||
| 0 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 36 | 58.5 | 15 | 36 | 52.5 | 6 | ||
| 0 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 0.5 | ||
| 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
| 24 | 30 | 6 | 30 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 0 | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 0 | ||
| 6.5 | 8.5 | 0 | 6.5 | 8.5 | 0 | ||
| 17 | 24 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 22 | 24 | 22 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| 18 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 2 | ||
| 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 10 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 1 | ||
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 42 | 48 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 4 | ||
| 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 5.5 | 0 | 0 | 5.5 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 20 | 5 | 12 | 0 | |||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 18 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 12 | 2 | ||
| 26 | 32 | 6 | 32 | 20 | 2 | ||
| 24 | 47 | 10 | 30 | 35 | 4 | ||
| 24 | 36.5 | 6 | 30 | 24.5 | 2 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 1 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||
| 8 | 32 | 28 | 2 | 32 | 2 | ||
| 40 | 30 | 8 | 40 | 12 | 6 | ||
| 0 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0 | ||
| 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 24 | 30 | 6 | 18 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 8.5 | 8.5 | 0 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |