The CQI (Certified Quality Inspector) certificate
ASQ (American Society for Quality)’s Certified Quality Inspector is a lifetime credential. You sit one exam. You either meet the cut score or you retake. There is no journal, no RU chase, no expiration.
Who it is for
Inspectors, layout technicians, incoming-quality techs, CMM (coordinate measuring machine) operators, and shop-floor people who measure product against drawings and record the result. You work under a quality engineer or supervisor. You are not being tested as a Six Sigma Black Belt. You are being tested as the person who can pick the right micrometer, read a feature control frame, pull a random sample, and know when a gage is out of calibration.
Eligibility
ASQ requires 3 years of full-time, paid on-the-job experience in one or more areas of the CQI Body of Knowledge. Education can waive two of those years (only one waiver):
| Education | Experience waived | Years you still need |
|---|---|---|
| None / high school only | 0 | 3 |
| Technical, military, or trade diploma | 2 | 1 |
| Associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate | 2 | 1 |
Work must be paid and full-time. Internships and unpaid lab time generally do not count. Confirm current rules on asq.org/cert/quality-inspector before you apply — ASQ can update eligibility.
Exam format (current published rules)
| Item | Computer-based (Prometric (ASQ’s computer-based testing contractor)) | Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 110 total (100 scored + 10 pretest) | 100 scored |
| Time | 4 hours 18 minutes exam; 4.5 hour appointment | 4 hours |
| Type | Multiple choice, one best answer, English | |
| Open book? | Yes. Bring your own references and an approved calculator. | |
| Calculation share | About 20% of items require calculation | |
| Scoring | Scaled score. Cut is set by modified Angoff. Commonly reported passing scale is 550. | |
| Pass rate (ASQ published) | 2022: 60% · 2023: 64% · 2024: 60% | |
Fees (published on asq.org; confirm before paying)
Exam fee $460 non-member as published on the CQI page; members save $100 on the first attempt ($360). Retake $260. Changing an appointment at least five days ahead has a $130 fee. No-show loses the exam fee. If ASQ rejects eligibility you get a refund minus a $130 processing fee. You may retake; you generally cannot sit twice in the same testing window. If more than two years pass after a fail, you re-apply at full fee. Confirm live numbers on asq.org/cert/quality-inspector before you pay. Apply at asq.org/cert/apply.
Pass rates published by ASQ: 2022 60% · 2023 64% · 2024 60% (grading FAQ). Scaled passing score is 550 of 750 (exam results FAQ). Handbook: Fourth Edition, ISBN 9781636941646, item H1639. Body of Knowledge PDF: 2025 CQI BoK. Test centers: prometric.com/asq.
2025 Body of Knowledge weights
The 2025 BoK (Body of Knowledge) started with the May 2025 window. Statistics moved into Section I. CAPA (corrective and preventive action) was added. 5S (Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) became 5S/6S (5S plus Safety). One inspection item was dropped; QA gained one.
| Section | Questions | Share of scored exam |
|---|---|---|
| I. Technical Mathematics | 19 | 19% |
| II. Metrology | 26 | 26% |
| III. Inspection and Test | 32 | 32% |
| IV. Quality Assurance and Improvement | 23 | 23% |
Lifetime status
CQI, CQIA (Certified Quality Improvement Associate), CQPA (Certified Quality Process Analyst), CQT (Certified Quality Technician), CSSGB (Certified Six Sigma Green Belt), and CSSYB (Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt) are lifetime ASQ certifications. CQE (Certified Quality Engineer), CQA (Certified Quality Auditor), CRE (Certified Reliability Engineer), and the Black Belts are not — those recertify every three years. Once you pass CQI, the letters stay.
What to buy for the open-book exam
- The ASQ Certified Quality Inspector Handbook, Fourth Edition (ISBN 9781636941646, Quality Press H1639), aligned to the 2025 BoK. Buy from Quality Press. Tab it.
- A non-programmable scientific calculator. TI-30Xa (a common non-programmable scientific calculator) / TI-30XS (a common non-programmable scientific calculator) are the usual shop choices. Know every key before test day.
- The formula sheet and GD&T card, printed and marked up in your own hand. Proctors allow personal notes you bring; they do not allow phones or tablets as references on site exams. Remote-proctored rules are stricter — read the current Prometric / ASQ candidate brochure.