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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.

Qualifying for the Examination

Each applicant must:

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 PVDS Job Task Analysis provides a blueprint for 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
46 48 34 38 52 6
30 30 28 30 30 2
24 30 6 30 18 2
36 58.5 15 36 52.5 6
40 30 8 40 12 6
40 30 8 40 12 6
0 6.5 0 0 6.5 6.5
6 30 28 0 30 2
30 30 16 30 24 4
0 20 5 12 0
3 3 3 3 0
40 30 8 40 12 6
24 30 6 30 18 2
24 47 10 30 35 4
58 48 14 58 24 8
6.5 8.5 0 6.5 8.5 0
18 18 6 18 12 2
24 30 6 30 18 2
30 30 6 14 12 2
17 24 0 17 12 0
0 20 5 12 0
28 30 28 20 40 4
0 20 0 0 20 0
42 65 15 48 53 6
18 18 6 18 18 2
0 12 10 0 12 0
0 3.5 0 0 3.5 0.5
18 18 5 18 18 2
42 48 12 36 48 4
9 9 0 9 9 0
10 10 10 10 10 0
2 2 1 2 1 1
10 10 10 10 10 0
6 30 28 0 30 2
2 2 2 2 0
2 2 0 2 2 2
0 2 0 0 2 0
0 10 0 0 10 0
10 10 6 10 10 2
24 30 6 18 30 2
0 5.5 0 0 5.5 0
2.5 2.5 0 2.5 2.5 0
3 3 0 0 3 3
10 10 0 10 10 0
0 10 0 0 10 0
20 20 20 20 20 1
6 6 0 6 6 0
2 2 2 2 2 0
1 1 0 1 1 0
2 2 2 2 2 0
2 2 2 2 0
3 3 3 0 3 0
22 24 22 0 24 2
2.5 2.5 0 2.5 2.5 0
40 30 8 40 12 6
3 3 3 0 3 0
9 9 9 0 9 0
0 6.5 0 0 6.5 0
3 6 3 0 6 3
0 10 0 0 10 0
2 2 0 2 2 2
0 17 4 0 17 2
0 1 0 0 1 0
3 3 3 0 3 0
0 26 0 0 26 0
4 4 2 4 4 2
24 36.5 6 30 24.5 2
0 3 3 0 3 0
1 1 1 1 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 0
0 1 0 1 1 0
0 1 0 0 1 0
0 1 0 0 1 0
0 1 0 0 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 0
1 1 1 1 1 0

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NABCEP Credentials

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