Certification · Elevator

Elevator Certifications Explained

Researched and maintained by a working tradesman. Updated 2026. Always verify current details with NEIEP, NAEC, or NAESA.

The elevator trade has its own alphabet soup — NEIEP, CET, CAT, QEI. None of it is optional jargon; each one marks a different stage or specialty. Here's what each actually means.

NEIEP — how mechanics train

NEIEP (the National Elevator Industry Educational Program) is the training arm behind the IUEC apprenticeship — the union path into the trade. It's not a stand-alone certification you study for separately; it's the curriculum and on-the-job structure that takes you from probationary apprentice to journeyman mechanic over roughly four paid years. If you came up through the union, NEIEP is how you got there.

CET — the contractor-side credential

CET (Certified Elevator Technician) is run by NAEC, the National Association of Elevator Contractors, and is more common at independent and non-union elevator companies. It's structured as a roughly four-year program: Level 1 (Core Curriculum) leads to an AET (Associate Elevator Technician) certificate, and Level 2 (Advanced Curriculum) leads to full CET certification, each backed by unit exams and verified on-the-job hours.

CET Track at a Glance

Level 1 → AET~290 study hrs + 4,000 field hrs

Level 2 → CET~290 study hrs + 4,200 field hrs

Total track length~4 years

CAT — the accessibility-lift specialty

CAT (Certified Accessibility Technician) is NAEC's credential for accessibility lifts and private residence elevators — smaller, simpler equipment than a commercial mid-rise system. It's a natural specialty for techs who want to focus on residential and ADA-driven accessibility work rather than full commercial installs.

QEI — the inspection credential

QEI (Qualified Elevator Inspector) is different from the others — it's not how you become a mechanic, it's where experienced mechanics go next. It requires real field experience first, then a separate 160-question exam under the ASME QEI-1 Standard. We cover it in full in our elevator inspector guide.

How they fit together

Most mechanics only ever touch one main track — NEIEP if you're union, CET if you're not. CAT is a specialty layer for techs leaning into accessibility work. QEI sits above all of it as the experienced mechanic's move into inspection. None of these are interchangeable shortcuts; each is built for where you are in the trade.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between NEIEP and CET?

NEIEP is the union apprenticeship training arm — it's how you train and earn your IUEC journeyman card. CET (Certified Elevator Technician) is a separate, employer-sponsored credentialing track run by NAEC, more common among independent and non-union contractors. They serve similar goals through different paths.

What is a CAT certification?

CAT stands for Certified Accessibility Technician (sometimes Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician). It's an NAEC credential focused on accessibility lifts and residential elevators rather than full commercial elevator systems.

Do you need any certification to work on elevators?

You need to be hired and trained through a recognized path — a union apprenticeship (NEIEP/IUEC) or an employer-sponsored program (like NAEC's CET track). Many states also require mechanics to hold a state elevator license on top of that training.

Which certification pays the most?

It's less about one certification paying more and more about where it takes you. A QEI credential opens inspection work later in a career; CET/NEIEP training is what gets you to journeyman mechanic pay in the first place.