Side by side X1 · CWI vs CAWI
CWI or CAWI: what is the difference?
CAWI and CWI come out of the same three-part AWS exam. The Certified Associate Welding Inspector clears 60% on each part, needs fewer years on the job, works only under a CWI's supervision and can't renew. The CWI needs 72% on each part, inspects on their own authority and renews on a three-year clock.
- Exam
- CWI
- Updated
- October 2026
X1.1One exam, two outcomes
AWS says it plainly: exam structure and content are the same for both credentials. You sit Part B, the practical, then the two computer-based parts at Prometric. What you walk away with depends on two things: your score on each part and the experience you documented on the application (AWS CWI Examination User Guide, September 2026, checked October 2026).
The CWI line is 72% on every part, plus a 72% composite. The CAWI line is 60% on every part (AWS QC1:2016-AMD1, clause 7.1, checked October 2026). Scores get rounded down to the whole percent, so a 71.9 shows as 71. The passing score sheet walks through how the composite works.
Experience is the other gate. With a high school diploma, the CWI asks for five years of welding-related work. The CAWI asks for two. That gap is why the CAWI exists: it lets someone with a couple of years in the shop get onto the inspection ladder now. You'll find the full education table on the CWI requirements page.
X1.2CAWI and CWI side by side
| Point | CAWI | CWI |
|---|---|---|
| Exam | Parts A, B and C, same content | Parts A, B and C, same content |
| Score to earn it | 60% or more on each part | 72% or more on each part, plus a 72% composite |
| Experience with a high school diploma | 2 years | 5 years |
| Experience with 8th grade | 4 years | 9 years |
| Experience below 8th grade | 6 years | 12 years |
| Vision test | Required | Required |
| Inspects on own authority | No, only under active supervision of a CWI or SCWI | Yes |
| Final acceptance | Stays with the supervising CWI or SCWI | Yes |
| Certifies welder qualifications | Not listed among CAWI functions | Yes (QC1 clause 4.3) |
| How long it lasts | Up to 3 years | A 3-year period, renewable |
| Renewal | None; it can't be renewed or recertified | Two renewals, then 9-year recertification |
| Initial exams, member / non-member | $1,255 / $1,520 | $1,255 / $1,520 |
≠ marks a row where the two differ.
Experience rows: AWS CAWI page and AWS CWI page. Functions: AWS QC1:2016-AMD1, clauses 4.2 to 4.4. Prices: AWS CWI page, US and Canada, checked October 2026; the non-member price includes a 3-year AWS membership.
X1.3Moving from CAWI to CWI
Know which case you're in
If your scores already cleared 72% on each part and only the years were short, you can request an upgrade once the experience is met (AWS QC1:2016-AMD1, clause 14.1, checked October 2026). If a part landed below 72%, you reach CWI status through the CWI retest rules, and you can schedule retests any time during the three-year CAWI period (QC1 clause 15.1.1).
Keep logging hours
Experience has to be documented: an employment verification form or employer letters, or two client reference letters if you're self-employed (QC1 clause 5.4).
Apply for the upgrade
It isn't automatic. You send the paperwork to AWS. The upgrade fee is $325 for members and $590 for non-members (AWS CWI page, checked October 2026).
Watch the clock
A CAWI lasts up to three years and doesn't renew. A CWI earned by upgrade runs no longer than the original CAWI period (QC1 clause 14.1.1), so your first CWI renewal can come sooner than you'd expect. The CWI renewal page has the steps.
X1.4CAWI or CWI, asked straight
Can I renew a CAWI when it runs out?
No. AWS lists the CAWI as valid for three years and not renewable or recertifiable (AWS CAWI page, checked October 2026). Plan to reach CWI inside that window.
Do I pay more to sit for the CWI than for the CAWI?
No. AWS prices them as one item: initial CAWI/CWI exams, all three parts, $1,255 for members and $1,520 for non-members, US and Canada (AWS CWI page, checked October 2026). The exam cost sheet lists the other fees.
Is there a rung above CWI?
Yes, the Senior CWI. Since April 1, 2025 it takes four endorsements plus years as a CWI (AWS SCWI page, checked October 2026). See CWI vs SCWI.
What happens if I miss 60% on a part?
Then neither credential comes out of that sitting. Retest limits and training rules sit on the CWI results page.
X1.5Sources
- AWS CAWI page — experience table, validity, no renewal (checked October 2026)
- AWS CWI page — experience table, price table (checked October 2026)
- AWS QC1:2016-AMD1 — clauses 4.2 to 4.4, 5.4, 7.1, 14 and 15 (checked October 2026)
- AWS CWI Examination User Guide, September 2026 — same exam for CAWI and CWI, score rounding (checked October 2026)
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