- What This Cheat Sheet Covers
- The Exam at a Glance
- Five Domains and Their Weights
- Eligibility Math: Credits, Hours, and Documents
- Codes, Standards, and What You May Bring
- Fees and Scheduling Mechanics
- Domain-by-Domain Quick Review
- A Domain-Ordered Study Sequence
- After You Pass: Three-Year Renewal Facts
- Known Source Conflicts to Watch
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The ESIP exam has 70 multiple-choice questions: 60 scored, 10 unidentified pilot items, four choices each, four hours total.
- Installation (30%) and Design (25%) together make up 55% of the exam; study them first and deepest.
- Eligibility requires six project credits, OSHA 30 Construction, and 58 hours of advanced energy-storage training within five years.
- Only the NEC is an approved exam reference; NFPA 855 and UL 9540 are study materials, not exam-day aids.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This page condenses the Energy Storage Installation Professional (ESIP) credential, issued by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), into a single scannable review. It is built from NABCEP's published Job Task Analysis, the 2025 Certification Handbook, and the issuer's fee, scheduling, and FAQ pages. If you are still orienting yourself, start with What Is ESIP Certification? or the shorter explainer What Does ESIP Stand For?, then come back here for the numbers.
Think of this as the page you reread the night before a study session, not a replacement for training. For a full preparation plan, pair it with the ESIP Study Guide, and when you want to test recall under realistic conditions, use the ESIP practice tests.
The Exam at a Glance
| Item | Verified Fact |
|---|---|
| Format | 70 multiple-choice questions, four answer choices each |
| Scored items | 60 scored questions |
| Pilot items | 10 unidentified pilot questions mixed into the exam |
| Time limit | Four hours |
| Scoring | Criterion-referenced; scores scaled from 0 to 99 |
| Testing provider | Meazure Learning (computer testing centers or live remote proctoring) |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
| Code basis | 2020 NEC, per NABCEP's FAQ |
Two details deserve emphasis. First, because pilot questions are unidentified, you cannot skip a hard item on the assumption that it does not count. Treat all 70 as real. Second, the exam uses a criterion-referenced standard rather than grading on a curve, which means your result reflects whether you met the competency standard, not how you ranked against other candidates.
At four hours for 70 questions, you have roughly three minutes per item on average, which is generous. The time pressure on this exam is rarely the clock. It is the code lookups and multi-step calculations that consume minutes, so practice navigating the electronic NEC quickly. For a realistic sense of difficulty, see How Hard Is the ESIP Exam?
Five Domains and Their Weights
The exam objectives come from the ESIP Job Task Analysis (v12.23, December 2023). There are five official weighted domains:
| Domain | Weight | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 1: Development | 15% | Moderate |
| Domain 2: Design | 25% | High |
| Domain 3: Installation | 30% | Highest |
| Domain 4: Commissioning | 17% | Moderate-high |
| Domain 5: Operations, Maintenance, and Decommissioning | 13% | Moderate |
Installation and Design together account for 55% of the exam. Commissioning adds another 17%, which means the three hands-on-leaning domains cover 72% of your result. Development and Operations, Maintenance, and Decommissioning are smaller but still combine for 28%, far too much to ignore. For a deeper walk through each area, read the ESIP exam domains guide.
Eligibility Math: Credits, Hours, and Documents
ESIP is an experience-gated credential, so the application itself requires planning. The core requirements from the 2025 Handbook:
- Age and ethics: 18 or older, with compliance with NABCEP's ethics requirements.
- Safety training: OSHA 30 Construction or an accepted government equivalent.
- Advanced training: 58 hours of advanced energy-storage training completed within five calendar years. Of these, 40 hours must come from accredited providers; the remaining 18 may come from eligible non-accredited sources.
- Project experience: a documented decision-making role on completed installations from the preceding two calendar years, totaling at least six project credits.
How Project Credits Are Calculated
| System Size | Credits Earned |
|---|---|
| 1 to 80 kWh | 1 credit |
| 81 to 999 kWh | 2 credits |
| 1 MWh or larger | 3 credits |
A candidate could reach six credits with six small residential batteries, three mid-sized commercial systems, two utility-scale projects, or a mix. Because larger systems earn more credits, someone with fewer but bigger projects can qualify just as readily as someone with many small installs.
The PVIP Shortcut
Active NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) holders receive 18 non-accredited hours toward the 58-hour training requirement. That covers exactly the non-accredited portion, so PVIP holders still need the 40 accredited hours. Full details on prerequisites live in our ESIP requirements guide, and training options are covered in ESIP training.
Codes, Standards, and What You May Bring
This is the section where candidates most often confuse study materials with exam-day materials. Keep the two lists separate.
Allowed During the Exam
Only the NEC is an approved examination reference.
- An electronic copy of the NEC is supplied in the exam environment.
- Eligible softbound or spiral physical codebooks may be used, with highlighting permitted but no handwritten notes or tabs.
- An onscreen scientific calculator is provided; personal calculators are prohibited.
- The FAQ identifies the 2020 NEC as the code basis for the ESIP exam.
Study References (Not Exam Aids)
NABCEP's preparation list includes these documents, but being on the list does not authorize them for use during the exam.
- NFPA 70E (2020)
- NFPA 855 (2020)
- UL 9540
- 2021 International Building, Fire, and Residential Codes
The practical implication: you must know the content of NFPA 855, UL 9540, and the International Codes well enough to answer from memory, while the NEC you can look up. That asymmetry should shape your preparation. Spend lookup-practice time on the NEC and memorization-oriented time on installation siting, separation, fire protection, and listing concepts from the other documents.
Fees and Scheduling Mechanics
| Fee | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Application | $125 |
| Exam | $375 |
| Re-exam | $275 |
| Recertification | $390 |
| Meazure Learning surcharge for testing outside the U.S. and Canada | $75 |
For a first attempt, the initial application plus exam fees total $500 before training costs, which usually dwarf the exam fees themselves. A complete budget, including the 58 training hours, appears in the ESIP certification cost breakdown.
Scheduling Windows
After your application is approved, you receive a Notice to Schedule. The 2025 Handbook and the FAQ describe a one-year eligibility window to schedule and sit for the exam, while one NABCEP scheduling page also mentions six months. Because these sources disagree, follow the instructions printed on your own Notice to Schedule rather than any secondhand summary. You can test at a computer testing center or via live remote proctoring, both through Meazure Learning. More timing detail is in ESIP exam dates and scheduling.
Domain-by-Domain Quick Review
Below are the topic clusters to master in each domain. They are framed around what an installer making decisions on completed energy storage projects needs to know, which is the professional profile the exam targets.
Domain 1: Development (15%)
Early-stage project work before design is finalized.
- Customer needs, load profiles, and use cases (backup, self-consumption, demand management)
- Site assessment: location constraints, structural and environmental conditions
- Interconnection, permitting pathways, and authority-having-jurisdiction engagement
- Technology selection tradeoffs and project scoping
Domain 2: Design (25%)
Translating requirements into a compliant, buildable system.
- System sizing: energy (kWh) versus power (kW) and how they differ
- Conductor and overcurrent protection selection under the NEC
- AC-coupled versus DC-coupled architectures and their implications
- Disconnects, labeling, and rapid-shutdown-related considerations
- Code-driven siting and separation requirements drawn from NFPA 855 and the International Codes
- Equipment listing requirements, including UL 9540 concepts
Domain 3: Installation (30%)
The largest slice; expect scenario-style questions about doing the work correctly and safely.
- Safe handling, lifting, and mounting of battery equipment
- Wiring methods, terminations, torque practices, and grounding and bonding
- Electrical safety practices, including arc-flash awareness tied to NFPA 70E
- Ventilation, clearances, and environmental protection at the installation location
- Following manufacturer instructions in tandem with code requirements
- Coordination with inspectors and other trades on site
Domain 4: Commissioning (17%)
Proving the system works as designed before handover.
- Pre-energization inspection and verification steps
- Functional testing of protection, controls, and communications
- Configuration of operating modes and settings
- Documentation, as-built records, and customer handover
- Final inspection and permission-to-operate processes
Domain 5: Operations, Maintenance, and Decommissioning (13%)
The system lifecycle after commissioning.
- Monitoring, performance verification, and troubleshooting
- Preventive maintenance routines and safe service procedures
- Warranty and end-of-life considerations
- Safe de-energization, removal, and responsible disposal or recycling
Key Takeaway
Code-based design and safe installation practice are the two skills that touch the most questions. If time is short, prioritize NEC fluency for Domain 2 and installation safety judgment for Domain 3 before polishing the smaller domains.
A Domain-Ordered Study Sequence
The only structured plan this page offers is a sequence keyed to the domain weights, so your hours track where the points are. Adjust the pace to your own timeline.
Development and Design Foundations
- Review Domain 1 scoping and site assessment concepts
- Start Domain 2 with kWh versus kW sizing and system architectures
- Practice locating NEC articles in the electronic copy
Design Depth
- Conductor and overcurrent protection calculations using the onscreen calculator
- NFPA 855 and UL 9540 siting and listing concepts, memorized rather than looked up
Installation (the 30% domain)
- Wiring methods, grounding, bonding, and clearances
- NFPA 70E safety practices and scenario-based judgment
Commissioning, Operations, and Full Review
- Commissioning verification and documentation flow
- Maintenance, troubleshooting, and decommissioning
- Timed practice sets on the practice test site to rehearse the four-hour pacing
Schedule Installation before Commissioning because commissioning questions assume you already understand how the system was built. Start with Design early because its calculations improve with repetition and the NEC navigation habit takes time to form.
After You Pass: Three-Year Renewal Facts
ESIP certification lasts three years. Renewal requires:
- 30 continuing-education hours: six NEC hours, 12 ESIP JTA hours, and 12 renewable-energy hours (which must include two building/fire-code hours).
- An application and the renewal fee (currently $390).
- Documented industry involvement: a decision-making role on at least three completed installations during the cycle, or the qualifying teaching or leadership alternatives under handbook section 8.8.2.
Because the renewal cycle also expects ongoing installation work, the credential tends to suit practitioners who remain active in the field. If you are weighing the long-term value, read Is the ESIP Certification Worth It?, review ESIP salary considerations, or browse the kinds of employers and roles on the ESIP jobs page. Typical hirers include solar-plus-storage installers, electrical contractors, and commercial and industrial storage integrators, since a credentialed installer strengthens bids and permitting credibility.
Known Source Conflicts to Watch
NABCEP's own materials do not always agree, and a few discrepancies come up repeatedly. Here is how to resolve them:
| Topic | Conflict | What to Follow |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling window | One page says six months, later text and the 2025 Handbook describe one year | Your issued Notice to Schedule |
| Handbook version | Older footer-linked 2023 Handbook versus the ESIP-linked 2025 Handbook | The 2025 Handbook |
| Renewal JTA hours | A course catalog lists 18 ESIP JTA hours; the credential page and handbook specify 12 | 12 hours, the credential-specific requirement |
| Language availability | Older materials say English only | English and Spanish, per the current ESIP page and the 2026 Spanish announcement |
When in doubt, trust the ESIP-specific page or the most recent handbook over general-purpose or archived NABCEP pages, and confirm anything high-stakes with NABCEP directly before paying fees or booking a seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam has 70 multiple-choice questions with four answer choices each, and you have four hours. Sixty questions are scored and 10 are unidentified pilot items, so you should answer every question carefully.
Installation is the largest at 30%, followed by Design at 25%, Commissioning at 17%, Development at 15%, and Operations, Maintenance, and Decommissioning at 13%. Details on each are in the domains guide.
No. Only the NEC is an approved examination reference. NFPA 855, UL 9540, NFPA 70E, and the International Codes appear on NABCEP's preparation list, but you must know that material without looking it up.
You must be 18 or older, comply with the ethics requirements, hold OSHA 30 Construction or an accepted equivalent, complete 58 hours of advanced energy-storage training within five years, and document at least six project credits from completed installations. See the requirements guide for the full breakdown.
Scores are scaled from 0 to 99 using a criterion-referenced standard, but no numeric ESIP passing threshold was verified in NABCEP's reviewed official sources. Focus on mastering all five domains rather than chasing a rumored cut score.
Use this cheat sheet as your anchor, then deepen each section with the full study guide and test your recall with realistic questions at ESIP Exam Prep. Verify any fee, window, or policy against NABCEP's current pages before you commit, since the issuer can update these details.