- How the 15 Competency Areas Work
- Exam Format and Registration Mechanics
- Foundation Domains: History, Safety, Grid, Customer Needs, Codes
- Design Domains: Site Survey, Components, Array Sizing, Wiring
- Storage, Mounting, and Project Management
- Field Domains: Testing, Commissioning, Maintenance
- Sequencing Your Study Across the 15 Areas
- Eligibility and Renewal Details to Verify
- Where the PV2 Fits in the Workforce
- Frequently Asked Questions
- ETA's PV2 competency document lists 15 numbered areas, from PV history through maintaining the system.
- The exam is 100 questions in two hours, with a 75% passing score.
- ETA publishes these areas as unweighted objectives, so no domain percentages exist to plan around.
- The $155 fee includes one free retake within one year of your first examination.
How the 15 Competency Areas Work
The Photovoltaic Installer/Designer (PV2) credential from ETA International is built on a published competency document, and that document is the real syllabus for the exam. It lists 15 numbered headings, running from the history of photovoltaics through to maintaining a finished system. ETA states that examination questions derive from the certification competencies, so these headings are the best map you have of what the test can touch.
Two caveats matter before you plan anything. First, ETA presents these as unweighted official competency objectives, not a percentage-weighted exam blueprint. You will not find a figure saying a given area makes up some share of the 100 questions, and any site that quotes one for this credential is guessing. Second, the PV2 builds on knowledge from the entry-level PVI1 certification, so the 15 headings cover the added design and project-level material rather than every prerequisite topic. Having a heading does not guarantee exhaustive coverage of everything beneath it, which is why broad understanding beats memorizing a narrow list.
For a broader view of what the credential is and who it is for, see What Is PV2 Certification?. If you want a difficulty read before diving into the domains, How Hard Is the PV2 Exam? covers that angle.
Exam Format and Registration Mechanics
The current ETA Renewable Energy Certifications listing specifies the following for the PV2 written exam:
| Item | PV2 Detail |
|---|---|
| Examination fee | $155 |
| Number of questions | 100 |
| Time limit | Two hours |
| Passing score | 75% |
| Certification term | Four years |
| Retake policy | One free retake within one year of the first examination |
| Delivery | Arranged through an ETA Certification Administrator, using Trapeza online testing or paper |
Mathematically, 75% of 100 questions means you need 75 correct answers. At two hours for 100 questions you have roughly 72 seconds per question on average, which is comfortable for recall items but tight for questions that require a multi-step calculation. That pacing is a good reason to practice the sizing and wiring math in advance rather than learning it on the fly.
ETA's general testing FAQ permits a nonprogrammable calculator. It does not establish PV2-specific rules about reference books, so do not assume any materials are allowed in the room. Confirm the details with your Certification Administrator when you schedule. For scheduling logistics, see PV2 Exam Dates, and for the full money picture, PV2 Certification Cost. The exact threshold is covered in PV2 Passing Score.
Foundation Domains: History, Safety, Grid, Customer Needs, Codes
The first five areas set the context for everything that follows. They are easy to underestimate because they feel less hands-on than wiring or array sizing, but they supply the vocabulary and the safety and regulatory framework that later questions assume.
Domain 1: History and Background of Photovoltaics (PV)
This area establishes where PV technology came from and how it reached its current role. Expect conceptual questions rather than calculations.
- How the photovoltaic effect is used to convert sunlight to electricity
- Major milestones in cell technology and the growth of the installed base
- How the industry has shifted from off-grid niche uses toward grid-connected systems
Domain 2: Additonal PV Project Safety
Note that ETA's source document spells this heading "ADDITONAL," and this article reproduces that spelling only when quoting the heading. The word signals that this safety material supplements what a candidate already learned at the PVI1 level and in OSHA 10 construction safety training.
- Hazards specific to energized DC conductors that cannot simply be switched off in daylight
- Fall protection and roof-access practices on pitched and low-slope roofs
- Lockout and safe work practices around inverters, combiners, and disconnects
Domain 3: How the Grid Works
A designer who does not understand the utility side of the meter will struggle with interconnection. This area covers how electricity is generated, transmitted, and distributed, and where a PV system fits in.
- Grid-tied versus stand-alone operation and what each demands of the design
- Utility interconnection concepts and why inverters must respond to grid conditions
- How loads, generation, and net metering concepts interact at the service point
Domain 4: Determining Customer Needs
PV2 holders are expected to work with customers, which is also why ETA requires Customer Service Specialist (CSS) certification as part of eligibility. This domain turns a customer's goals into design inputs.
- Reading utility bills to understand consumption patterns
- Matching system goals, such as bill offset or backup power, to a workable design
- Setting realistic expectations about production, cost, and timeline
Domain 5: Codes and Standards
Codes govern nearly every design decision downstream. Expect questions on how rules shape conductor sizing, overcurrent protection, disconnects, labeling, and grounding.
- How the electrical code treats PV source and output circuits
- Rapid shutdown, labeling, and disconnect placement concepts
- The role of the local authority having jurisdiction in permitting and inspection
Because code editions and local amendments differ, study the underlying logic of each rule rather than memorizing section numbers in isolation. A question that tests why a requirement exists is easier when you understand the hazard it addresses. For a compact reference of the facts you will want at your fingertips, keep the PV2 Cheat Sheet handy.
Design Domains: Site Survey, Components, Array Sizing, Wiring
Domains 6 through 9 are the technical heart of the credential. This is where a PV2 differs most from an entry-level installer, because the candidate is expected to make design decisions, not just follow a plan.
Domain 6: Conducting a Site Survey
A good design starts with good data from the property. This area covers what you collect and why it matters.
- Shading analysis: understanding how obstructions reduce production across the day and across seasons
- Roof assessment: orientation, tilt, available area, condition, and structural suitability
- Electrical service review: main panel capacity, busbar limits, and where the interconnection will occur
- Ground-mount considerations: soil, trenching routes, and distance to the point of interconnection
Domain 7: Components Selection
Choosing modules, inverters, and balance-of-system parts is a matching exercise. Questions here often test whether you understand how specifications interact.
- Module electrical ratings and how temperature changes voltage and current
- String inverters, microinverters, and power optimizers, and the tradeoffs among them
- Compatibility between module strings and inverter input windows
- Selecting disconnects, combiners, and protective devices appropriate to the circuit
Domain 8: Array Sizing
This is usually the most calculation-heavy area. You should be able to move from a customer's energy target to a defensible array size and then to a string layout.
- Converting annual consumption into a target system size using available sun hours
- Accounting for system losses when estimating production
- Calculating minimum and maximum modules per string using temperature-corrected voltages
- Checking array output against inverter limits
Domain 9: Wiring the System
Wiring ties together safety, codes, and component selection. Expect questions about conductor choice, protection, and grounding.
- Conductor sizing, including derating for temperature and conduit fill
- Overcurrent protection sizing for PV circuits
- Voltage drop and its effect on performance
- Equipment grounding and system grounding concepts
- Connector types and proper termination practices
If you are building a study plan around these four design domains, the PV2 Study Guide walks through a structured approach, and the PV2 practice test lets you check whether your sizing and wiring calculations hold up under timed conditions.
Storage, Mounting, and Project Management
Domains 10 through 12 round out the design and delivery side. They are easy to treat as afterthoughts, but each represents real responsibility on a job.
Domain 10: Energy Storage Systems
Battery-based systems add a layer of design complexity, from sizing to protection to interaction with the grid.
- How batteries are rated and how capacity relates to usable energy
- AC-coupled versus DC-coupled storage architectures
- Backup-load planning and what a storage system can realistically support
- Safety, ventilation, and protection concerns specific to battery installations
Domain 11: PV Mounting Systems
The mounting system holds the array to the structure for decades, so questions focus on loads, attachment, and weatherproofing.
- Roof-mount, ground-mount, and pole-mount approaches
- Wind and snow loading considerations and structural attachment
- Flashing and sealing roof penetrations to prevent leaks
- Rail layout, module clamping, and bonding of mounting hardware
Domain 12: Project Management
A PV2 candidate must show they can run a job, not just wire one. ETA's experience checklist asks for documented installation experience, and this domain reflects the coordination skills behind it.
- Scheduling, sequencing trades, and coordinating inspections
- Permitting and interconnection application workflow
- Documentation, change orders, and communication with the customer
Field Domains: Testing, Commissioning, Maintenance
The final three areas cover what happens once the hardware is in place. They reward candidates with real field exposure, since the details are easiest to remember when you have actually done the work.
Domain 13: Testing and Troubleshooting
This area is about diagnosing a system that is not performing as it should and verifying that a new system is electrically sound.
- Measuring open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current and interpreting the readings
- Insulation resistance and continuity checks
- Isolating faults such as ground faults, failed connections, and underperforming strings
- Using performance data to separate a component failure from a shading or soiling problem
Domain 14: Commissioning the System
Commissioning is the structured process of verifying that a finished installation works safely and as designed before handing it over.
- Pre-energization checklists and inspection sign-off
- Startup sequence for inverters and verification of grid connection
- Confirming monitoring is working and production matches expectations
- Customer handover, including documentation and basic operating instructions
Domain 15: Maintaining the System
PV systems are low-maintenance but not no-maintenance. This final area covers keeping a system healthy over its service life.
- Routine inspection of modules, wiring, connectors, and mounting hardware
- Cleaning considerations and when soiling meaningfully affects output
- Monitoring data review to catch gradual degradation or failures
- Component replacement planning, especially for inverters and batteries
Key Takeaway
Domains 13, 14, and 15 form a loop: you test during construction, commission at handover, then maintain and troubleshoot for years. Studying them together helps you answer scenario questions, because the same measurements and checks recur in each area.
Sequencing Your Study Across the 15 Areas
Since ETA publishes no weights, spread your effort evenly at first, then shift toward your weak spots after a diagnostic. The sequence below groups the domains so that each week builds on the last. Treat it as a template to adapt around your own experience and your scheduled test date.
Context and rules (Domains 1, 2, 3, 5)
- Read history and grid fundamentals to build vocabulary
- Review PV-specific safety beyond your OSHA 10 baseline
- Start a running list of code concepts you need to understand
Customer and site (Domains 4, 6)
- Practice turning a sample utility bill into design targets
- Walk through a site survey checklist item by item
Components and sizing (Domains 7, 8)
- Work string-sizing problems by hand with temperature correction
- Compare inverter topologies and when each fits
Wiring and storage (Domains 9, 10)
- Drill conductor and overcurrent protection sizing
- Review battery sizing and coupling architectures
Mounting, management, and field work (Domains 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- Review structural attachment and flashing concepts
- Rehearse a full commissioning checklist from start to finish
- Take timed practice sets and revisit your weakest domains
Front-loading the calculation-heavy areas in the middle weeks leaves time to repeat them before test day. Check your work against the PV2 Exam Prep practice questions after each block rather than waiting until the end, and see PV2 Training for how formal coursework can fill gaps that self-study leaves.
Eligibility and Renewal Details to Verify
The exam is only one part of earning the credential. ETA's PV2 checklist sets prerequisites that you must satisfy before certification is granted. Candidates must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Complete 60 contact hours of ETA-approved or equivalent photovoltaic training
- Complete OSHA 10 construction safety or an equivalent jurisdictional course
- Obtain ETA Customer Service Specialist (CSS) certification
- Document at least 150 attested experience points, including every compulsory task and at least two reference contacts
- Agree to ETA's Code of Conduct and pass the written examination
The compulsory installation experience includes at least three systems of 2 kW or larger. Current PVI1 certification credits 40 of the 60 training hours, which can shorten the training requirement for candidates who already hold it. Although the overview lists no separate hands-on exam, that does not waive the documented installation experience the checklist demands. Full detail is in PV2 Requirements.
Where the PV2 Fits in the Workforce
A PV2 credential signals that someone can both install and design systems, which makes it relevant to solar installation contractors, design and engineering support roles, and project coordination positions. Employers who need staff to survey sites, select components, size arrays, and oversee commissioning have a reason to prefer candidates who have demonstrated competence across all 15 areas.
This article does not quote earnings figures, because ETA does not publish credential-specific salary data and the numbers in circulation vary widely by region and employer. For a discussion of the job landscape and compensation considerations, see PV2 Jobs and the PV2 Salary Guide, and weigh the investment using Is the PV2 Certification Worth It?.
ETA's PV2 competency document lists 15 numbered areas, from the history of photovoltaics through maintaining the system. ETA states that exam questions derive from these competencies. The headings supplement PVI1 knowledge rather than listing every prerequisite topic, so they do not guarantee exhaustive coverage of everything you might be asked.
No. ETA publishes them as unweighted official competency objectives, not a percentage-weighted blueprint. Because no weights are given, you should not skip any domain, and any percentages you see attributed to this exam should be treated with caution.
The written exam has 100 questions with a two-hour limit, and the passing score is 75%. That means 75 correct answers. The $155 fee includes one free retake within one year of your first examination.
ETA's general testing FAQ permits a nonprogrammable calculator. It does not establish PV2-specific rules about reference books or other materials, so confirm everything with your ETA Certification Administrator when you schedule your test.
The misspelling comes directly from ETA's published competency document, and this article preserves it only when naming the official heading. The domain covers additional PV project safety beyond what candidates learned in entry-level training and OSHA 10 coursework.
Working through all 15 areas deliberately, rather than favoring the ones you already know, is the most reliable way to prepare for a test that publishes no weights. When you are ready to measure your progress, the PV2 Exam Prep practice test gives you timed practice across these same domains.