Search for a welding certifications list and you mostly get pages listing codes with no explanation of which one applies to your work — or worse, pages that treat “AWS certified” as if it were a single thing you either have or do not.
This page lists the codes and qualifications that actually appear on American job postings, what each one governs, and how to write yours so a welding QC can read them at a glance.
First: a certification is a combination, not a title
There is no such thing as being “AWS certified” in general. A welding qualification is a specific combination of six variables, and changing any one of them can put you outside what you are qualified for:
| Variable | Examples |
|---|---|
| Code or standard | AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX, API 1104 |
| Process | SMAW (stick), GMAW (MIG), FCAW (flux-core), GTAW (TIG), SAW (sub-arc) |
| Position | 1G–4G plate, 5G/6G pipe, 1F–4F fillet |
| Material | Carbon steel, 304/316 stainless, aluminium, P11/P22 chrome-moly, Inconel |
| Thickness or diameter | Plate thickness range; pipe diameter and schedule range |
| Currency | Qualifications typically lapse after about six months without welding in that process |
The codes you will actually see on postings
AWS D1.1 — Structural Welding Code, Steel
The default for structural steel: buildings, bridges, industrial frames. If a posting says “D1.1 3G and 4G”, it means plate welding in vertical and overhead. This is the most common code in US structural work.
AWS D1.2, D1.3, D1.5, D1.6
The same family for other materials and applications — D1.2 aluminium, D1.3 sheet steel, D1.5 bridges, D1.6 stainless. Name the specific one; they are not interchangeable.
ASME Section IX
Governs qualification for pressure piping and pressure vessels. This is the code behind most refinery, petrochemical and power work. A 6G qualification under Section IX is the one that opens the highest-paying pipe jobs.
ASME B31.1 and B31.3
Not welder qualifications themselves but the piping codes the work is built to — B31.1 power piping, B31.3 process piping. Worth naming if you have worked to them, because it tells a reader what kind of plant you have been in.
API 1104
Pipeline welding. Cross-country transmission lines and distribution. Different world to refinery pipe work, and postings are specific about which they want.
AWS D17.1, D15.1, D14.x
Aerospace, railroad and machinery respectively. Niche, but if you hold one, name it — very few applicants do.
Certified Welder versus a shop qualification
Two different things, and the distinction matters:
- AWS Certified Welder — tested at an AWS Accredited Test Facility, recorded in the AWS national registry, and portable between employers as long as you maintain continuity
- Employer or shop qualification — you passed a test to a WPS at that employer, under their procedure. Perfectly legitimate, and most welders hold these, but it belongs to that employer’s procedure rather than to you
Write which you have. “AWS D1.1 3G/4G, tested at [employer], 2025” is honest and readable; claiming a national certification you do not hold is the kind of thing that surfaces when someone checks the registry.
Positions, plainly
| Position | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1G / 1F | Flat. The easiest, and rarely what a posting is after |
| 2G / 2F | Horizontal |
| 3G / 3F | Vertical — the common structural requirement alongside 4G |
| 4G / 4F | Overhead |
| 5G | Pipe, horizontal fixed — you weld around a pipe that does not rotate |
| 6G | Pipe fixed at 45 degrees. The hardest, and the one that qualifies you for the widest range of pipe work |
| 6GR | 6G with a restriction ring. Structural pipe connections |
A 6G qualification generally covers the positions below it for that process and material, which is why it is the one people chase.
The other cards that gate welding work
- OSHA 10 or 30 — Construction or General Industry depending on the site. See OSHA 10 vs OSHA 30
- TWIC card — refineries, ports, petrochemical. No card, no gate
- Confined space entry, and rescue if you have it
- Hot work permit training
- Respirator fit test and medical clearance — “current” here means you can start Monday rather than after a week of paperwork
- Rigging and signal person, if you also rig
How to write them on a resume
CERTIFICATIONS AWS D1.1 - SMAW, 3G and 4G, carbon steel, 1/4"-1-1/2" - current AWS D1.1 - FCAW, 3G and 4G, carbon steel - current ASME Section IX - 6G, GTAW root + SMAW fill/cap, carbon steel - current ASME Section IX - 6G, GTAW, 304/316 stainless - current API 1104 - SMAW, 5G and 6G, carbon steel - lapsed 2025, ready to retest Six variables, every time: code . process . position . material . thickness/diameter . currency
The lapsed line is deliberate. Writing a lapsed qualification honestly, with “ready to retest”, is stronger than omitting it — it proves you passed that test once, and every employer knows certifications lapse when work is slow. More on this in how to list certifications on a resume.
Continuity: the rule that catches people out
Welder qualifications are generally maintained by continuity — you have to have welded with that process within a defined period, commonly six months, and your employer is expected to keep records confirming it. Stop using a process and the qualification lapses even though the paper certificate still exists.
Requirements differ between codes and are periodically revised, so confirm the current rule for your code with the issuing body or your QC department rather than relying on a general article. The American Welding Society publishes current requirements for its own programmes.
Which certification is worth getting next?
- Shop or production welder — D1.1 in 3G and 4G opens structural work and is the standard next step
- Structural welder wanting more — add FCAW if you only have SMAW, or vice versa. Two processes is worth more than one
- Anyone eyeing pipe money — ASME Section IX 6G, GTAW root with SMAW fill and cap. It is the hardest test and the biggest pay step
- Already 6G on carbon — add stainless, then chrome-moly. Material range is what turnaround contractors are short of
Frequently asked questions
How long does a welding certification last?
The certificate does not expire on a date, but the qualification lapses without continuity in that process — commonly six months. Check the specific code.
Does a 6G cover 3G and 4G?
Generally a 6G qualifies you for the positions below it for that process and material, but the specifics depend on the code and the WPS. Do not assume across different codes.
Do I need AWS certification to get hired?
Often not — most employers run their own weld test regardless of what you hold. What matters is demonstrating you can pass one, which is why listing positions and recent test dates is so useful.
Is a welding school certificate the same as a certification?
No. A school certificate says you completed training; a qualification says you passed a test to a code in a specific configuration. List both, labelled accurately.
Related guides
Three complete welder resumes showing these written out: welder resume sample. Blank structure with the certification block on top: welder resume template. General certification formatting across all trades: how to list certifications on a resume.
If you would rather not write it yourself
Nobody can write your certification lines for you. They come straight off your test papers, and the six variables above are the whole job.
Do it yourself. A resume builder handles the single-column formatting that application software wants, which is the fiddly part. Take the sample above, replace the content with your own numbers, and you are done in under an hour.
Pay someone to write it. Worth it mainly if you are moving off the tools into CWI inspection, QC or welding supervision, where the resume has to argue about defect rates and procedure qualification. If you go that route, Resumeble is a US-based writing service – where the writer sits matters on trades work, because someone unfamiliar with the trade flattens your specifics into generic phrasing. If you do, the code HARDHAT10 takes 10% off. Expect to be asked for your numbers either way, so do that homework first regardless of which route you take.
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