ICP news
- Applications are now made on the TIC Council extranet (since May 2026). New branches register with the branch booking form. Step-by-step instructions are in the Examination Guide.
- Exams suspended until further notice (test centre and online) in Russia, Belarus, the Donetsk, Luhansk, Sevastopol and Crimea regions of Ukraine, and Quebec, Canada.
Questions? Email exams@tic-council.org
IFIA certification is the recognised benchmark of competence for independent petroleum inspectors. Oil companies, traders and terminal operators around the world rely on the programme to ensure the quality of the inspectors who handle their cargoes. Every certified inspector, whatever the size of their company, meets the same global standard. Run by TIC Council (formerly IFIA) since 1998.
Requirements
To be certified, each candidate must:
- be employed by, or contracted to, a TIC Council member or a registered non-member company. The programme is not open to individuals;
- have at least 6 months' experience as a petroleum inspector;
- complete every task on the Training Requirements List, each dated and signed by a trainer or manager. You can use the Training Record Book. Records must be in English;
- have been audited in the field within the 18 months before the exam. A senior manager observes the candidate at work and assesses gauging, sampling, calculations and safety (shore side, vessel/barge or both), as set out in the Field Audit Guide. This applies to every candidate, including renewals;
- pass the certification exam.
Field audit tip: all parts of the audit are required. If a candidate's normal work does not cover them all, they must travel to a suitable site where every competency can be audited.
How to apply
Applications are made by the company, not by the candidate. Choose your situation:
Only submit candidates who will sit the exam within 3 months of approval (1 year in the US and Canada). Every approved candidate is charged, even if no exam takes place. Approved applications cannot be cancelled, but you can nominate a substitute candidate by emailing exams@tic-council.org.
The steps to get your inspectors certified, in under 2 minutes
Get access to the extranet
New branch? Register it once with the branch booking form (one-off fee €30). Within 3–5 business days you receive a branch code and extranet access.
Branch already registered? Log in to the extranet with the branch contact's email address. Not sure if your branch exists, or need the branch contact changed? Email exams@tic-council.org.
Submit your candidates
Submit each candidate on the extranet. Approval normally takes 3–5 business days. The approval email, with the candidate booking form, goes to the branch contact.
Book the exam
The candidate has 3 months from approval to sit the exam (1 year in the US and Canada). Fill in the candidate booking form (Excel) sent with the approval and email it to Pearson VUE at IFIAexams@pearson.com. In the US and Canada you can also book by phone on +1 866-221-6725. How booking works
Invoice
Payment comes after approval, so you can schedule the exam straight away. We invoice the branch €165 per approved candidate (+€25 for an online exam).
Results and certificate
Results and certificates are sent to the branch contact in the first week of the month after the exam. In urgent cases, a certificate can be issued straight after the exam: contact exams@tic-council.org.
Every candidate must meet all the requirements. Members do not send documents with the application: we request the signed training records and the field audit summary for about one in every 50 candidates submitted, so keep them ready to send.
Send your registration application
Email the completed non-member registration form with all supporting documents to exams@tic-council.org. We can only process complete applications, so please include everything listed below.
Documents your company must provide
- Company ownership and registration details, showing at least three years' activity in independent petroleum/petrochemical inspection
- A brief description of your services for bulk cargoes of crude oil and/or petroleum products
- A brief description (about one paragraph) of how staff are trained and audited
- Names and contact details of your safety and training officers
- At least three references from different clients for whom you have provided independent third-party inspection of bulk crude oil or petroleum products. References must be separate companies with no conflict of interest
- A copy of your Code of Ethics and your Health and Safety Policy
Pay the registration fee
Once your application is complete, we send an invoice for €650 (non-refundable).
Committee review (about 3 weeks)
After payment, your application is reviewed by TIC Council's Energy Committee. When it is approved, you receive a confirmation letter. Registration is valid for 5 years.
Register your branch
Register each branch once with the branch booking form (one-off fee €30). You receive a branch code and extranet access within 3–5 business days.
Submit candidates and pay the exam fee
Submit each candidate on the extranet and email to exams@tic-council.org:
- the field audit summary for every candidate (audit within the last 18 months), and
- signed training records for every first-time candidate.
We then invoice €475 per candidate (+€25 for an online exam). Candidates are approved once the invoice is paid and all documents are received.
Book the exam
The candidate has 3 months from approval to sit the exam (1 year in the US and Canada). Fill in the candidate booking form (Excel) sent with the approval and email it to Pearson VUE at IFIAexams@pearson.com. In the US and Canada you can also book by phone on +1 866-221-6725. How booking works
Results and certificate
Successful candidates receive their certificate in the first week of the month after the exam, sent to your branch contact. In urgent cases, a certificate can be issued straight after the exam: contact exams@tic-council.org.
Renewing your registration? Send updated documents (including three references) before your registration expires and the fee is €325. After expiry, you need to register again at €650.
Members and non-members at a glance
| TIC Council member | Registered non-member | |
|---|---|---|
| Company registration | Not needed | €650, valid 5 years, about 3 weeks' review after payment |
| Exam fee per candidate | €165 | €475 |
| When you pay | Invoiced after approval | Before approval |
| Candidate requirements | All requirements apply: experience, training, field audit, exam | All requirements apply: experience, training, field audit, exam |
| Sending signed training records | On request, for about 1 in 50 candidates | For every first-time candidate |
| Sending the field audit summary | On request, for about 1 in 50 candidates | For every candidate |
| Online exam option | Available, +€25 per exam | Available, +€25 per exam |
Taking the exam
The exam has 76 questions taken from the published Test Question Book (1 point each) plus 8 unpublished scenario questions (3 points each). The pass mark is 75%. Choose the exam language (English, French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish) when you apply. It cannot be changed afterwards.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Exam, candidate from a TIC Council member company | €165 |
| Exam, candidate from a registered non-member company (paid before approval) | €475 |
| Online exam (added to the exam fee) | + €25 |
| Branch registration (one-off) | €30 |
| Non-member company registration (non-refundable, valid 5 years) | €650 |
| Non-member renewal (documents submitted before expiry) | €325 |
| Replacement certificate | €50 |
All fees are charged in euros, worldwide. Example: a member candidate taking the exam online pays €165 + €25 = €190.
Documents
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply as an individual?
No. Candidates must be submitted by their employer (or the company they are contracted to), which must be a TIC Council member or a registered non-member company.
When are exams held in my country?
There is no exam schedule. Once approved, the candidate books any available date within 3 months (1 year in the US and Canada), at a test centre or online.
How long does it take to approve a candidate?
Usually 3–5 business days after the candidate is submitted on the extranet. For non-member companies, it follows payment of the exam invoice and receipt of the required documents.
How long does non-member company registration take?
Allow about one month in total: collecting and checking your documents, the €650 invoice, then about 3 weeks of committee review after payment. We can only start once every document has been received.
Our branch is already registered. Do we need to do anything first?
No. Log in to the extranet with your branch contact's email and submit your candidates. If you don't know your login, or the branch contact has changed, email exams@tic-council.org.
Does a renewing inspector need a new field audit?
Yes. Every candidate, including those renewing, needs a field audit carried out within the 18 months before the exam. Previous certification or experience does not replace it.
How do I renew my certificate?
Certificates are valid for 5 years. To renew, your company submits a new application on the extranet, and you need a recent field audit and to re-sit the exam.
All frequently asked questions →
Questions about the programme?
Our exams team will be happy to help.
exams@tic-council.org +32 2880 21 38