What is QEI certification and who issues it?
QEI stands for Qualified Elevator Inspector, and it is the credential required almost everywhere in the United States to inspect elevators, escalators and related conveyances. The structure catches people out: the American Society of Mechanical Engineers publishes ASME QEI-1, the Standard for the Qualification of Elevator Inspectors, which sets out the qualification requirements, examination content, ethics obligations and renewal rules — but ASME does not issue individual certificates. Instead, certifying organisations accredited under QEI-1 run the programmes and issue the certification to individuals. Candidates must document elevator industry experience of the type and duration the standard requires before testing, then pass a written examination built on ASME A17.1, the Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators, and A17.2, the Guide for Inspection of Elevators, Escalators and Moving Walks, together with the related standards a jurisdiction adopts. Certification is time-limited and renewed under the certifying organisation's programme with continuing education.
- ASME publishes QEI-1 but does not issue the credential — accredited certifying organisations do.
- Documented elevator industry experience is required before a candidate may sit the examination.
- The examination is built on ASME A17.1 and A17.2 plus the codes a jurisdiction adopts.
- Most states legally require a certified inspector for elevator inspections, and some add their own licence on top.
QEI at a glance
| Cost | Application, examination and renewal fees are set by the accredited certifying organisation you apply through, so they vary — request the current fee schedule from that organisation |
| Duration | A written examination, preceded by the documented experience the standard requires |
| Issued by | Certifying organisations accredited under ASME QEI-1, the standard published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers |
| Format | Written examination on ASME A17.1 and A17.2 and related adopted codes, following an experience and eligibility review |
| Expiry | Time-limited certification renewed under the certifying organisation's programme with continuing education — confirm the cycle with your certifying organisation |
| Who needs it | Elevator inspectors working for jurisdictions, third-party inspection agencies, insurers and elevator contractors performing required inspections and tests |
| Standard | ASME QEI-1, Standard for the Qualification of Elevator Inspectors |
| Exam codes | ASME A17.1 Safety Code and A17.2 Inspection Guide |
Sources: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, official site · ASME QEI-1 Standard for the Qualification of Elevator Inspectors. Reviewed August 2026 by the GlobalCybers team.
Who Certifies, and What the Exam Asks
ASME writes the standard; someone else issues your card
This is the structural fact to get straight before applying. ASME QEI-1 defines who may be certified, what the examination must cover, the ethics requirements and the renewal obligations. Accredited certifying organisations then operate programmes to that standard and issue certification to individuals. Jurisdictions adopting the QEI requirement generally accept certification from an accredited organisation, so the practical first step is choosing one your state's elevator authority recognises.
What the examination is built on
Does QEI certification change what an inspector earns?
The credential is a gate rather than a bonus: jurisdictions and third-party agencies cannot use an uncertified person to perform required elevator inspections, so it determines eligibility for the role itself. BLS reports pay by occupation, not by credential.
GlobalCybers reimburses certification fees after a successful permanent placement through our network.
What the QEI Examination Covers, Inspection Scope
A17.1 and A17.2 Together
One tells you what the equipment must be; the other tells you how to inspect and test it. Working inspectors carry both, and the exam expects fluency in the relationship between them.
Door Systems
Interlocks, restrictors and door protection are among the most safety-critical and most frequently deficient items an inspector encounters in the field.
Safeties & Governors
Overspeed governors, car and counterweight safeties and buffers are tested rather than merely viewed, and the test procedures are set out in the inspection guide.
Firefighters' Service
Phase I recall and Phase II in-car operation are checked on periodic inspections and are a common source of deficiencies in older buildings.
Ethics & Independence
QEI-1 imposes ethics obligations because inspectors frequently work in proximity to the contractors whose work they inspect.
Jurisdictional Adoption
Which edition of A17.1 applies, whether A17.3 is adopted and which certifying organisations are recognised are all state or city decisions.
How do you become a Qualified Elevator Inspector, step by step?
Build the elevator experience the standard requires
ASME QEI-1 sets out qualifying experience in the elevator industry by type and duration. This is not a credential you can approach from outside the trade — most inspectors come from elevator construction, maintenance or engineering backgrounds.
Check what your jurisdiction recognises
State and city elevator safety authorities decide which accredited certifying organisations they accept and what additional state-specific licensing they impose. Confirm this before you spend anything.
Apply to an accredited certifying organisation
The certifying organisation reviews your eligibility and experience documentation against QEI-1 and admits you to examination. Fees are set by that organisation, so they vary — ask for the current schedule.
Prepare on A17.1 and A17.2
The examination is code-based. Working knowledge of the safety code and the inspection guide, in the editions your programme names, is the substance of preparation, alongside any state-adopted amendments.
Pass the examination and maintain the certification
After certification, renewal is handled under your certifying organisation's programme with continuing education. Because jurisdictions verify current certification, keeping it live is a condition of continuing to inspect.
Why QEI Is Legally Required
Elevator safety is regulated at state and city level, and the great majority of US jurisdictions adopt ASME A17.1 as their elevator safety code together with a requirement that inspections be performed by a qualified elevator inspector certified under ASME QEI-1. Some states add their own inspector licensing on top, with separate applications, fees and continuing education. The consequence is direct: an uncertified person cannot perform the periodic and acceptance inspections the law requires, regardless of how much elevator experience they have.
Qualified Elevator Inspector, Frequently Asked Questions
QEI certified? Jurisdictions need you.
State authorities, third-party agencies and insurers hire certified elevator inspectors. Tell us where you are certified.
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