Candidates:
A candidate is any technician or individual who is preparing for certification and will take the NATE test for either certification or recertification.

Anyone can take a NATE test; however, as NATE tests are tests of applied knowledge we suggest that:

• No technician with less than one year’s experience take an installation series test
• No technician with less than two year’s experience take a service series test.

Once a candidate passes the required NATE tests, he or she is a NATE-certified technician. To be certified a candidate must pass:

• A 50-question multiple-choice NATE CORE installation or service test
• A 100-question multiple-choice NATE SPECIALTY installation or service test

Training:
NATE offers no training because it is a conflict of interest and invalidates our third party status. We can test or train, but not both. NATE tests, and our partners create training, using the KATEs as a guideline.

Most jobs have elements we do daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or at odd times during the year. We are most familiar with the daily, weekly and monthly skills, and less familiar with those which are quarterly or only done irregularly throughout the year. It is that way with any HVACR job.

When the knowledge base that forms the KATEs was created, the 80-80 rule was used. When trying to decide what elements were part of a job, the rule of thumb was “The NATE test will test what 80% of technicians have an 80% chance of encountering at least once a year.” Some technicians may do some jobs daily, others infrequently, and their knowledge of these jobs will reflect it. Many training facilities offer refresher or review classes for the NATE test.

These courses can cover basics up through targeted specific learning. Some classes are more suitable as preparation for the CORE and SPECIALTY tests, while others are more suitable for recertification.

NATE Recognized Classes:
Technicians who choose to recertify with continuing education must show at least 60 hours of training that directly relates to the knowledge area for the certification a technician holds. Some trainers and education providers have had their classes NATE recognized.

NATE Recognition means the training providers have completed the alignment process which shows the relationship between elements of knowledge in the course they teach and knowledge elements of a specific Knowledge Area of Technician Expertise or KATE (see KATEs). By doing so and submitting this alignment document, they have earned NATE-Recognition. NATE Recognition lasts for two years, and then the provider must re-submit the course to retain NATE recognition.

Classes Which Have Not Earned NATE Recognition:
Technicians using continuing education may use NATE recognized classes, or may use courses which have not been NATE recognized. This does not mean a NATE-recognized course is better than one which is not NATE recognized.

A NATE Recognized course means the training provider has done the paperwork and has shown the relevance of the course to the NATE knowledge base. This means that you can look at the list of Recognized Providers and see what classes they have submitted and how many hours credit you can claim for each one.

If a course is not NATE Recognized, the burden of proof for showing that the course relates to the knowledge elements for the certification the technician holds lies with the technician. The technician may be able to claim credit for a course, but the technician has to prove the releveance of the course.

For courses which have not earned NATE recognition, to claim credit, the technician must submit a course synopsis of 25-50 words showing how the course he or she took relates to the NATE knowledge base (KATEs) for the certification that he wishes to recertify.

Recertification:
Certification lasts five years. To retain certification, a technician must recertify before his certification expires.

There are two ways to recertify:

• Re-taking the specialty course test (not the core) and passing it before the current certification expires
• Verifiable proof of continuing education consisting of a minimum of 60 hours of training which is directly related to the certification specialty and was taken within the five year window during which the certification was valid and submitted before the certification expires. Once proof of course relevance and attendance is established, the candidate recertifies.

Technicians who fail to recertify before their certification expires are no longer certified. Technicians who let their certification lapse or expire and later wish to earn NATE certification must retest to become NATE certified.