- Which PV2 This Cheat Sheet Covers
- The Exam Numbers on One Screen
- Eligibility Checklist at a Glance
- Registration and Testing Mechanics
- The 15 Competency Areas, Condensed
- Design and Sizing Facts to Memorize
- Field, Safety, and Commissioning Reminders
- Renewal: The Conflict You Need to Resolve
- A PV2-Specific Review Sequence
- Quick Answers (FAQ)
- PV2 here means ETA International's Photovoltaic Installer/Designer: 100 questions, two hours, 75% to pass, $155 exam fee.
- Eligibility requires 60 training hours, OSHA 10 (or equivalent), ETA CSS certification, and 150 attested experience points.
- Documented experience must include at least three PV systems of 2 kW or larger.
- ETA publishes 15 unweighted competency headings, not a percentage blueprint, so study every area rather than guessing at weights.
Which PV2 This Cheat Sheet Covers
"PV2" is a shared acronym, and several unrelated credentials use it. This page covers exactly one: the Photovoltaic Installer/Designer (PV2) certification from ETA International (ETA). Every fact below applies to that credential only. If you need background on the name itself, see our explainer on what PV2 stands for or the broader overview of PV2 certification.
Think of this article as the single page you print and tape above your desk. For depth on any section, follow the links to the deeper guides, and when you are ready to test yourself, use the PV2 practice test.
The Exam Numbers on One Screen
These figures come from ETA's current Renewable Energy Certifications listing. Memorize them so nothing about the test day format surprises you.
| Item | PV2 Fact |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | ETA International |
| Exam fee | $155 |
| Number of questions | 100 |
| Time limit | Two hours (written exam) |
| Passing score | 75% |
| Certification term | Four years |
| Retake policy | One free retake within one year of the first examination |
| Separate hands-on exam | None listed in the overview |
Do the arithmetic once so it sticks: 75% of 100 questions means you need 75 correct answers, and two hours across 100 questions averages out to roughly 72 seconds per question. That pacing leaves little room to stall on a single wiring calculation, which is why understanding the passing score matters before you sit down. For a candid look at how demanding that pace feels, read how hard the PV2 exam really is.
Eligibility Checklist at a Glance
According to ETA's PV2 Certification Process and Experience Checklist, a candidate must satisfy every item below before earning the credential:
- Age: at least 18 years old.
- Training: 60 contact hours of ETA-approved or equivalent photovoltaic training.
- Safety course: OSHA 10 construction safety, or an equivalent jurisdictional course.
- Customer service credential: ETA Customer Service Specialist (CSS) certification.
- Experience points: at least 150 attested points, covering every compulsory task, with at least two reference contacts.
- Installation minimum: at least three systems of 2 kW or larger within the compulsory experience.
- Conduct: agreement to ETA's Code of Conduct.
- Exam: a passing score on the written examination.
One useful shortcut: current PVI1 certification credits 40 of the 60 training hours. If you already hold PVI1, you are looking at roughly 20 additional hours of qualifying training rather than a full 60. Our PV2 requirements guide walks through qualifying step by step, and the PV2 training page covers how to fill the hour requirement.
Registration and Testing Mechanics
ETA does not run a walk-in testing center model. Testing is arranged through an ETA Certification Administrator, using either Trapeza online testing or paper. The practical sequence looks like this:
- Confirm you meet the checklist items and gather your documentation.
- Contact an ETA Certification Administrator to arrange the session.
- Pay the $155 exam fee as directed.
- Test via Trapeza online or on paper, depending on the arrangement.
ETA's general testing FAQ permits a nonprogrammable calculator. That FAQ is general policy, not a PV2-specific rulebook, so do not assume anything about reference materials or open-book allowances; ask your administrator before test day. For scheduling logistics, see PV2 exam dates and scheduling, and for the full money picture, the PV2 certification cost breakdown shows how the exam fee fits alongside training and prerequisites.
The 15 Competency Areas, Condensed
ETA's PV2 competency document lists 15 numbered headings. These are unweighted official objectives, not a published percentage blueprint, so no area is officially "worth" more than another. ETA states that exam questions derive from the certification competencies. The headings, in ETA's order:
- History and Background of Photovoltaics (PV)
- Additional PV Project Safety (ETA's source spells it "ADDITONAL")
- How the Grid Works
- Determining Customer Needs
- Codes and Standards
- Conducting a Site Survey
- Components Selection
- Array Sizing
- Wiring the System
- Energy Storage Systems
- PV Mounting Systems
- Project Management
- Testing and Troubleshooting
- Commissioning the System
- Maintaining the System
PV2 supplements PVI1-level knowledge, so expect the prerequisite fundamentals to remain fair game even though the 15 headings focus on the installer/designer layer. The headings alone also do not guarantee exhaustive coverage. For a deeper walk through each area, see the complete guide to all 15 PV2 content areas.
Design and Sizing Facts to Memorize
The designer half of "Installer/Designer" shows up in the middle of the competency list. These are the areas where a calculator and clear process matter most.
Determining Customer Needs and Array Sizing
Design starts with the customer, not the module datasheet. Expect to connect usage, goals, and site limits to a properly sized array.
- Translate utility usage and customer goals into a target system size.
- Account for shading, orientation, tilt, and available area when sizing.
- Keep array sizing consistent with inverter input limits and the site's electrical service.
- Know how to document assumptions so the design can be reviewed and verified.
Components Selection and Wiring the System
This is where design meets code and where careless arithmetic gets exposed.
- Match modules, inverters, and optimizers or microinverters to the array design.
- Work through conductor sizing, overcurrent protection, and voltage drop methodically.
- Apply temperature and configuration factors rather than nameplate numbers alone.
- Understand grounding, disconnects, and labeling as part of the wiring scope.
Energy Storage Systems
Storage is its own competency heading, so treat it as a full study block rather than an afterthought.
- Distinguish how storage integrates with grid-tied PV systems.
- Know the safety considerations specific to batteries and related equipment.
- Understand how storage changes design, wiring, commissioning, and maintenance steps.
Because the exam draws on codes and standards, review Codes and Standards alongside every design topic rather than in isolation. Most wiring and safety questions hinge on knowing which requirement governs a given situation.
Field, Safety, and Commissioning Reminders
Not every question is a calculation. A large share of the competency list covers how the work gets planned, executed, and verified in the field.
Additional PV Project Safety
This heading builds on the OSHA 10 foundation. Expect scenario-style thinking about hazards on real job sites.
- Fall protection and roof work considerations during array installation.
- Electrical hazards unique to energized DC conductors during daylight.
- Safe handling of equipment, including storage components.
Conducting a Site Survey
Surveys feed everything downstream, from sizing to mounting to wiring runs.
- Evaluate roof or ground conditions, access, and structural suitability.
- Identify shading and obstructions that affect production.
- Note existing electrical equipment and interconnection points.
Testing and Troubleshooting, Commissioning, and Maintaining
These three headings form the back end of the project lifecycle and reward step-by-step procedural thinking.
- Know the order of verification checks before energizing a system.
- Recognize common fault symptoms and how to isolate their cause.
- Understand what commissioning documentation the customer and inspector expect.
- Plan routine maintenance so performance problems are caught early.
Key Takeaway
Project Management and Determining Customer Needs are easy to skim because they feel non-technical, but they are official competency headings. Give them real study time instead of assuming the math-heavy areas are the only ones that matter.
Renewal: The Conflict You Need to Resolve
Renewal is the one area where ETA's own materials do not line up cleanly, so this cheat sheet flags the conflict rather than picking a side.
| Source | What It Specifies |
|---|---|
| PV2 checklist | 24 continuing-education hours over four years, plus $25 annual maintenance |
| ETA general policy, standard maintenance | 40 hours over four years, or employer verification; $25 annual maintenance |
| ETA general policy, hands-on maintenance | 24 hours plus employer verification; $25 annual maintenance |
| Overview listing | Hands-on required marked "No" |
The safe move is to contact ETA and confirm which route applies to your PV2 certification before your four-year term runs out. Keep records of every continuing-education hour from day one so you can satisfy whichever requirement ETA confirms. The general maintenance policy is published at ETA's maintenance page.
A PV2-Specific Review Sequence
If you have limited time, sequence your review by how the domains depend on each other rather than reading the list top to bottom. Foundational and code-related areas come first because everything else leans on them.
Foundations and Rules
- History and Background of Photovoltaics, How the Grid Works
- Additional PV Project Safety and Codes and Standards
Front-End Design
- Determining Customer Needs and Conducting a Site Survey
- Components Selection, then Array Sizing with timed calculator drills
Build and Integrate
- Wiring the System, with voltage-drop and conductor-sizing practice
- Energy Storage Systems and PV Mounting Systems
Delivery and Lifecycle
- Project Management, Testing and Troubleshooting
- Commissioning the System and Maintaining the System, then full timed practice exams
Finish with a full 100-question timed run to rehearse the two-hour pace, then revisit your weakest areas. Our PV2 study guide expands this into a complete plan, and you can check where you stand using the free PV2 practice questions. For context on how candidates fare overall, see what the pass-rate data shows.
Why Candidates Pursue It
The credential targets people who both install and design PV systems, which makes it relevant to solar contractors, electrical firms adding renewable work, and installers moving into design responsibilities. Because the experience requirements are documented and attested, employers can read the certification as evidence of real field time, not just test performance. To weigh the investment, review the ROI analysis, browse typical roles on the PV2 jobs page, and see the salary guide for how earnings are discussed. Titles of those articles are editorial framing; they do not promise certification-specific earnings.
Quick Answers (FAQ)
ETA's current listing specifies 100 questions with a two-hour written-exam limit. A score of 75% is required to pass, which means 75 correct answers.
The examination fee is $155. ETA allows one free retake within one year of the first examination. See the cost breakdown guide for training and prerequisite expenses beyond the exam fee.
No. ETA publishes 15 unweighted competency headings. It does not provide a percentage-weighted blueprint, so prepare for every area rather than assuming some count more.
You need both. The checklist requires at least 150 attested experience points, every compulsory task, two reference contacts, and at least three systems of 2 kW or larger, in addition to passing the written exam.
ETA's general testing FAQ permits a nonprogrammable calculator. It does not establish PV2-specific book permissions, so confirm any other allowances with your Certification Administrator before test day.
Keep this sheet handy, verify any detail that affects your registration or renewal directly with ETA, and use the PV2 cheat sheet as your quick reference while you work through the deeper guides.