- You need a raw score of at least 70% to pass the CertTEC BEE-AC performance assessment.
- The exam is a proctored, in-person, hands-on assessment scored through SPI's Examination Management System - not a multiple-choice knowledge test.
- Scoring is tied to correct use of a Nida 130E (or later) trainer, multimeter, function generator, and oscilloscope on two assessment circuit cards.
- Each exam fee is USD 100, so failing to reach 70% means paying again to retest.
The Passing Score: 70% Explained
For BEE-AC - Basic Electricity and Electronics, Alternating Current - the passing score set by CertTEC (a division of SpaceTEC Partners, Inc.) is 70%. That number is the single most important fact a candidate needs before scheduling an exam, because it defines exactly how much margin for error you have across a hands-on assessment, not a stack of multiple-choice questions.
Because BEE-AC is delivered as a proctored, in-person performance assessment through SPI's online Examination Management System, "70%" doesn't map cleanly onto "70 out of 100 questions." Instead, it reflects your accuracy and competence across a defined set of practical tasks - instrument setup, waveform measurement, transformer diagnostics, and circuit troubleshooting - that a proctor scores against a rubric. If you're still getting oriented to what the credential actually covers, the overview of what BEE-AC is and the certification breakdown are good starting points before you dig into scoring mechanics.
How the Performance Assessment Is Scored
Unlike a typical multiple-choice certification exam, BEE-AC scoring is built around demonstrated performance on physical equipment. According to the CertTEC exam specifications (SPI catalog, revised March 1, 2025), candidates work with:
- Two CertTEC assessment circuit cards per discipline
- A Nida 130E or later trainer
- A multimeter
- A function generator
- An oscilloscope
Your score is built from how correctly and consistently you set up, measure, and interpret readings on this equipment while working through the assigned circuit tasks. Because the format is proctored and performance-based, there's no partial credit for "knowing the theory" if you can't demonstrate it on the trainer - and there's no way to skip a weak instrument skill and make it up on an easier section, the way you might on a large multiple-choice bank.
This is precisely why understanding the difficulty profile of the BEE-AC exam matters before you commit to a test date: the 70% threshold is applied to hands-on execution, and execution errors (a miswired probe, a misread waveform, a skipped safety step) cost points just as fast as a knowledge gap does.
Key Takeaway
Practice the physical workflow, not just the concepts. Time yourself setting up a multimeter and oscilloscope on a live circuit - speed and correctness under proctored conditions is part of what's being scored.
Which Domains Carry the Most Risk
CertTEC's published AC competency topics span twelve domains. While CertTEC does not publish a percentage weighting for each domain, the practical focus areas named in the exam specifications - instrument setup, waveform measurements, transformer winding faults, and RC/RL circuit troubleshooting - point directly to which domains deserve the most rehearsal time if you want comfortable margin above 70%.
Domain 4: Transformer Theory
Diagnosing transformer winding faults is explicitly named as a practical focus area. Candidates must be able to identify open, shorted, or reversed windings using measurement equipment, not just recite turns-ratio formulas.
- Practice tracing primary/secondary relationships on a physical transformer
- Be fluent in using a multimeter to isolate a faulted winding
Domain 8: RC, RL, and RCL Principles
RC/RL circuit troubleshooting is called out directly in the exam's practical focus. This domain blends Domain 3 (Inductance) and Domain 5 (Capacitance) concepts into applied fault-finding.
- Rehearse reading phase relationships on an oscilloscope
- Practice isolating a faulty resistor, capacitor, or inductor in a mixed circuit
Domain 10: Test Equipment and Measurements
Every domain ultimately funnels through your ability to operate the multimeter, function generator, and oscilloscope correctly. Weakness here quietly drags down scores across every other domain.
- Know the correct probe placement and range settings for each instrument
- Practice reading waveform amplitude, frequency, and phase quickly and accurately
For a full walk-through of all twelve areas - Principles of Alternating Current, Electronic Components and Terms, Principles of Inductance, Transformer Theory, Principles of Capacitance, AC Generator Theory, AC Motor Theory, RC/RL/RCL Principles, Cabling, Test Equipment and Measurements, Basic Electrical Safety Precautions, and Mathematics and Formulas - see the complete guide to all 12 BEE-AC content areas.
Why Equipment Familiarity Affects Your Score
A candidate who understands AC theory perfectly but has never touched a Nida 130E trainer is at a real disadvantage under the 70% threshold. The performance assessment format means unfamiliar equipment translates directly into wasted time, misread values, and avoidable point loss - none of which show up if you only study from a textbook or question bank.
This is one reason the eligibility routes into BEE-AC matter for scoring outcomes, not just for qualifying to sit the exam. Candidates who reach eligibility through relevant training or work experience, a relevant military rating or assignment, or graduation from a relevant college or technical-school program typically arrive with more hands-on hours already logged on comparable gear. If you're not sure which route applies to you, review the eligibility and prerequisites breakdown before you plan your equipment practice time.
Fees, Retakes, and the Cost of Missing 70%
Each BEE-AC exam attempt costs USD 100 per certification. That fee structure has a direct bearing on how candidates should think about the passing score: falling short of 70% doesn't just cost time, it costs another full exam fee to retest.
Because the certification runs on a defined lifecycle - valid for 3 years - there's also a longer-term cost consideration. Candidates who barely scrape past 70% on their first attempt but never revisit weaker domains may find themselves under-prepared when renewal time comes around, especially if they choose the knowledge-exam renewal path (USD 50) instead of the work-verification (USD 10 emailed / USD 25 mailed) or Alternate Recertification Credit route (USD 15, requiring at least 18 credits within the certification period).
For a full picture of every fee across initial certification and renewal, see the complete BEE-AC pricing breakdown. And if you're weighing whether the investment of fees, prep time, and equipment access is worth it relative to the outcome, the ROI analysis on BEE-AC certification lays out the tradeoffs in more depth.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Passing score | 70% |
| Exam format | Proctored, in-person performance assessment |
| Exam fee | USD 100 per certification |
| Certification validity | 3 years |
| Renewal via work verification | USD 10 (email) / USD 25 (mailed copy or ID card) |
| Renewal via Alternate Recertification Credits | USD 15 (18+ credits required) |
| Renewal via knowledge exam | USD 50 |
A Domain-Focused Prep Timeline
General study techniques like spaced repetition or timed drills are only useful when they're anchored to BEE-AC's specific practical focus areas. Here's a way to sequence preparation around the domains most tied to the 70% threshold:
Foundations: Domains 1, 2, 12
- Review Principles of Alternating Current, Electronic Components and Terms, and Mathematics and Formulas
- Drill AC waveform math (RMS, peak, frequency, phase angle) until it's automatic
Inductance, Capacitance, RC/RL/RCL: Domains 3, 5, 8
- Build and troubleshoot simple RC and RL circuits on a trainer
- Practice interpreting phase shift on an oscilloscope trace
Machines and Transformers: Domains 4, 6, 7
- Focus heavily on transformer winding fault diagnosis
- Review AC generator and motor theory fundamentals
Equipment, Safety, Cabling: Domains 9, 10, 11
- Time yourself on multimeter, function generator, and oscilloscope setup
- Review Basic Electrical Safety Precautions and cabling standards until they're second nature
For a more detailed week-by-week plan built around first-attempt success, see the complete BEE-AC study guide. If you want a condensed reference for last-minute review, the one-page cheat sheet of must-know facts is designed for exactly that purpose. You can also run through timed practice scenarios on our practice test platform to get comfortable applying formulas and reading measurements under time pressure before you sit the real proctored assessment.
Does the Passing Score Apply to Renewal Too?
The 70% passing score applies to the original certification exam. If you let your BEE-AC certification lapse and choose to renew via the knowledge exam route (USD 50) rather than work verification or Alternate Recertification Credits, you should assume the same competency bar applies - meaning the domains you were weakest on the first time are worth revisiting before renewal, not just before your initial attempt.
This is also why tracking real-world application matters: candidates who maintain verified relevant employment during at least 12 of the preceding 36 months, or accumulate at least 18 Alternate Recertification Credits within the certification period, can often bypass the retest entirely. For employers and hiring context around who actually uses this credential day to day, see BEE-AC jobs and the training pathways that feed into it.
If you're still building baseline understanding of the credential itself - what it stands for, what it means, and how it differs from similarly named programs - the explainer on what BEE-AC stands for, the meaning breakdown, and what BEE-AC means in practice are useful companion reads. For data on how candidates typically perform against the 70% bar, see the BEE-AC pass rate analysis, and for scheduling logistics around when to sit the exam, check BEE-AC exam dates and testing windows. You can also start practicing relevant scenarios anytime on the main practice test site.
Frequently Asked Questions
You need to score at least 70% on the CertTEC performance assessment. This applies to the hands-on exam covering all twelve domains, scored through SPI's Examination Management System.
No. BEE-AC is a proctored, in-person performance assessment. You demonstrate skills on physical equipment - a Nida 130E or later trainer, multimeter, function generator, and oscilloscope - using two assessment circuit cards, and your score reflects your accuracy on those tasks.
You would need to retest, which requires paying the exam fee again (USD 100 per certification). There's no published information suggesting free retakes, so treat the 70% threshold as a hard line worth building in a margin above.
CertTEC does not publish separate passing thresholds per domain - the 70% applies to overall performance. However, practical focus areas like transformer winding faults and RC/RL troubleshooting are explicitly named in the exam specifications, so weakness there is likely to affect your overall score more heavily.
If you renew through the knowledge exam route rather than work verification or Alternate Recertification Credits, you should prepare as if the same competency standard applies. Renewal via verified employment or accumulated credits avoids retesting altogether.