PVI1 Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts

Confirm You Are Studying the Right PVI1

This one-page review covers a single credential: Photovoltaic Installer - Level 1 (PVI1), issued by ETA International (Electronics Technicians Association, International). It is not the separate Photovoltaic Installer/Designer (PV2) credential, and it is not the NABCEP PV Associate or any other certification that happens to share an acronym. If a study resource mentions requirements such as CSS, OSHA 10, or a 60-hour verified training minimum, that is PV2 material and does not apply here.

If you are brand new to the credential, start with What Is PVI1 Certification? for the background, then return to this sheet for the facts you need to retain. When you are ready to test your recall, the PVI1 practice test site offers original, competency-aligned questions.

The Exam at a Glance

These are the figures most candidates need on a single card. Every number below comes from ETA's published PVI1 information and its posted certification catalog.

Two caveats matter. First, ETA does not disclose how many of the 75 questions are scored versus unscored, so do not assume a number. Second, ETA's current materials do not spell out a question-style breakdown, an adaptive-delivery rule, or a practical scoring rubric. Treat any site that claims a precise item mix as unverified. For a deeper look at the cut score, see PVI1 Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.

Eligibility and Hands-On Snapshot

PVI1 is built around the idea that an installer must show skills, not just recall facts. ETA's current page requires hands-on training from an ETA-approved trainer or school. The competency PDF indicates that practical skills are demonstrated before you sit the knowledge examination. It also allows ETA to review proof of prior job experience in lieu of trainer-taught skills, but that is a discretionary review by the issuer, not an automatic experience waiver.

What is not required

• No CETa prerequisite. PVI1 is a Stand-Alone certification under ETA's general rule, so the Associate CETa is not required.
• No universal training-hour minimum. Partner courses advertise 40, 45, 46, or 60 hours, but those are provider-specific course lengths, not issuer-wide requirements.
• No verified universal degree, age, or reference-count rule in current issuer material.

An older Florida Department of Education funding record describes a 12-month on-the-job route, but that is historical wording and should not be treated as a current universal rule. For the full qualification picture, read PVI1 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify, and for the training side, see PVI1 Training.

The Money Sheet: Fees and Price Conflicts

The exam fee is the anchor number: $155. ETA publishes no member versus non-member split for the exam. Training and study materials are separate unless a particular provider bundles them.

For the complete budget view, including how to plan around the free retake, see PVI1 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.

The Eight Competency Categories in One Page

ETA's PVI1 Competency Requirements document lists eight numbered categories, and ETA states that certification examination questions are derived from the corresponding competencies. No percentage weights are published, so there is no officially "largest" domain. The list below uses the exact category names. For a longer treatment of each one, see PVI1 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 8 Content Areas.

Formulas and Calculation Habits to Memorize

ETA's published formula-sheet authorization names other exams, not PVI1, and open-book permission is not verified. Plan to carry the core relationships in your head. The fundamentals that underpin Domains 5, 6, and 7 are standard electrical relationships rather than anything unique to ETA:

• Power = voltage x current. The relationship behind nearly every sizing question.
• Series strings add voltage; parallel connections add current. Know which quantity stays constant in each arrangement.
• Energy = power x time. This is the bridge between a module's rating and a household's monthly usage.
• Unit discipline: watts versus kilowatts, watt-hours versus kilowatt-hours. Many wrong answers come from a unit slip, not a concept gap.

Because ETA says nothing about question weighting, avoid the temptation to over-invest in math at the expense of Domain 3 and Domain 4. For a candid read on how demanding the content feels, see How Hard Is the PVI1 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.

Test-Day Rules and Remote-Testing Caution

ETA's general administration rules apply. Bring photo identification. Scratch paper may be provided and surrendered afterward. A non-programmable or scientific calculator is permitted, and programmable calculators may need to be reset. Phones and other electronic devices are prohibited.

ETA's general system offers Trapeza online testing and paper-and-pencil delivery, administered through ETA Certification Administrators. No Pearson VUE, PSI, or Prometric provider was identified for PVI1.

For scheduling mechanics and timing, see PVI1 Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.

Four-Year Term and Maintenance

PVI1 carries a four-year term with maintenance required. Because PVI1 involves hands-on skills, use ETA's Maintenance with Hands-On track:

• Six continuing-education hours per year (24 hours across four years)
• A supervisor-signed Employer Verification Form
• A Certification Maintenance Form
• $25 per year, or $100 over the four-year cycle

Do not substitute the non-hands-on alternative of ten education hours or employer verification; that track does not apply to this credential. Keep records of your hours and employer signatures as you go, because the supervisor verification is easiest to collect while your project work is fresh.

Pay Context and the NABCEP Comparison

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 median pay of $53,140 per year ($25.55 per hour) for solar photovoltaic installers. This is occupation-wide pay. It is not PVI1-certified earnings, starting pay, or a measured certification premium, and no source here supports a specific raise from holding PVI1. For a fuller treatment, read PVI1 Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis and Is the PVI1 Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026. If you are scanning openings, PVI1 Jobs covers where the credential shows up.

When comparing credentials, keep the scope precise. The NABCEP comparison in this article series concerns the PV Associate program specifically, not NABCEP's PV Installation Professional credential. The two programs are run by different bodies with different eligibility, so do not carry one's requirements over to the other. PVI1's own gate is ETA-approved hands-on training plus the 75-question knowledge exam.

A Domain-Ordered Review Schedule

With no published domain weights, the sensible approach is to build vocabulary first, then safety and codes, then calculations, so each layer supports the next. Here is one ordering tied to the eight categories. For a broader plan, see the PVI1 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.

Cheat Sheet FAQ

That is the full sheet: one exam, eight categories, $155, 75 questions, two hours, and 75% to pass, backed by hands-on skills and a four-year maintenance cycle. For definitions and background, see What Does PVI1 Stand For? and revisit the PVI1 Cheat Sheet before exam week as a final check.