- CAT Exam Structure Overview
- Domain 1: Introduction to the Vertical Transportation Industry
- Domain 2: Vertical Platform Lifts
- Domain 3: Inclined Platform Lifts
- Domain 4: Inclined Stairway Chairlifts
- Domain 5: Private Residence Elevators
- Exam Format, Proctoring, and Scoring
- Mapping a Study Schedule to the Five Domains
- FAQ
- The CAT curriculum has exactly five courses, and each course maps directly to one exam domain.
- Course 5, Private Residence Elevators, is the largest block at 120 classroom hours and 1,800 field hours.
- The education pathway final exam is 150 questions and requires 75 percent correct within three hours.
- Every domain draws from ASME A18.1-2005, ASME A17.1-2007, NEC 2008 Section 620, and the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook.
CAT Exam Structure Overview
The Certified Accessibility and Private Residence Lift Technician (CAT) credential is owned and administered by the National Association of Elevator Contractors (NAEC) Certification Board in Conyers, Georgia. It was introduced in late 2003 as the accessibility and private residence lift counterpart to NAEC's CET program, built specifically for technicians who install, service, and maintain platform lifts, stairway chairlifts, and private residence elevators rather than commercial traction or hydraulic elevators.
Unlike a generic multiple-domain exam blueprint, the CAT exam's content areas correspond one-to-one with the five courses of the NAEC education pathway curriculum. If you know the course sequence, you already know the exam's domain structure. That makes course-by-course mastery the most direct route to exam readiness, and it's why this guide breaks down each domain against what the underlying course actually trains you to do.
Domain 1: Course 1 - Introduction to the Vertical Transportation Industry
Introduction to the Vertical Transportation Industry
This foundational domain establishes the shared vocabulary and regulatory context every subsequent course builds on. Candidates need working familiarity with how the accessibility and private residence lift trade fits within the broader vertical transportation industry, plus the safety culture that governs fieldwork under NAEC standards.
- Basic industry terminology and the relationship between NAEC-certified trades
- General jobsite safety principles referenced throughout the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook
- How the CAT credential differs in scope from other NAEC certifications, including the CET program it was modeled after
Because this is the entry course, it typically carries less technical density than the equipment-specific domains, but it sets up the code literacy tested more heavily later. Skipping it in your review is a common mistake even for experienced field technicians.
Domain 2: Course 2 - Vertical Platform Lifts
Vertical Platform Lifts
This domain covers the installation, adjustment, and troubleshooting standards specific to vertical platform lifts used for accessibility applications. Candidates should expect questions tied directly to the safety standard governing these units.
- Platform lift safety requirements under ASME A18.1-2005
- Mechanical and electrical components unique to vertical platform lift assemblies
- Field inspection points and common code-compliance failures
Domain 3: Course 3 - Inclined Platform Lifts
Inclined Platform Lifts
Inclined platform lifts introduce different structural and travel-path considerations than their vertical counterparts. This domain tests whether a candidate understands how incline-specific hardware, guide systems, and safety devices differ from the vertical platform lift domain.
- Incline-specific guide rail and carriage mechanics
- Safety device requirements distinct from vertical platform lift equipment
- Cross-referencing installation work against ASME A18.1-2005 provisions for inclined units
Key Takeaway
Domains 2 and 3 are often confused by candidates because both involve "platform lifts." Study them side by side and explicitly note where vertical and inclined requirements diverge, rather than treating them as one topic.
Domain 4: Course 4 - Inclined Stairway Chairlifts
Inclined Stairway Chairlifts
This domain focuses on the residential and light-commercial stairway chairlift equipment that makes up a significant share of day-to-day CAT technician work. Expect content on both straight and curved rail configurations, along with electrical connections governed by the National Electrical Code.
- Chairlift rail systems, drive mechanisms, and seat safety features
- Wiring and low-voltage circuit requirements under NEC 2008 Section 620
- Field service and troubleshooting procedures for residential installations
Domain 5: Course 5 - Private Residence Elevators
Private Residence Elevators
Private Residence Elevators is the largest single block in the entire CAT curriculum, published at 120 classroom hours and 1,800 field hours - far exceeding any other course in the sequence. Given that weighting, candidates should treat this as the highest-priority domain for both classroom review and hands-on practice.
- Private residence elevator design, installation, and maintenance standards
- Code cross-references spanning both ASME A17.1-2007 and ASME A18.1-2005 where private residence elevator provisions overlap with broader elevator safety code
- Field troubleshooting scenarios reflecting the extensive on-the-job hours built into this course
Exam Format, Proctoring, and Scoring
The CAT exam is computer-based, delivered through the Exam Builder platform, closed book, and offered in English only. It is taken at the candidate's own workplace rather than a testing center, under two proctors: the first must be an officer of the employing company, and the second must be a competent adult who is not related to the examinee, is not their supervisor, and is not themselves a program examinee. Both proctors must sign and have notarized a proctoring statement before certification can be issued.
There are two qualification pathways, and each uses a different exam format:
| Element | Education Pathway | Legacy Experience Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Question count | 150 questions | 160 questions |
| Time limit | 3 hours | Not separately specified beyond exam bank draw |
| Passing standard | 75% correct | Scaled score of 80 |
| Question source | Fixed final exam tied to five-course curriculum | Randomly drawn from question bank, no unscored trial items |
| OJT requirement | 4,200 documented hours after candidate approval plus skills verifications | 6,000 documented hours (3 years) by December 31, 2014 |
| Application fee | $105 members / $160 non-members | $735 members / $1,180 non-members |
The legacy pathway is closed to new candidates who did not already meet the December 31, 2014 hours cutoff, which means the education pathway is effectively the only active route for anyone starting today. For a deeper breakdown of exactly how the passing threshold is calculated on each pathway, see CAT Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
If you're retaking the exam, know the rules going in: a 30-day wait applies between attempts, a $100 retest fee applies before a third attempt, and a third failure triggers a 180-day wait plus reapplication to the Certification Board.
Registration Windows and Timing Around the Domains
Domain preparation doesn't happen in a vacuum - it has to fit inside NAEC's application and authorization windows. Candidates have 90 days to complete the application and 365 days from authorization to actually sit the exam. That means your domain-by-domain study plan should be built backward from your authorization date, not from an arbitrary personal deadline. Full scheduling mechanics, including how these windows interact with course completion, are covered in CAT Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
It's also worth understanding what renewal looks like once you're certified, since continuing education ties back into these same domains. Certification runs one year and expires every December 31, renewed with 10 continuing education hours including at least 1 safety hour (safety capped at 3 hours), a signed Code of Ethics form, and a fee of $115 for members or $210 for non-members, with up to 4 surplus hours allowed to roll forward. Technicians who want to move into a leadership track after certification can also pursue the CAT-S supervisor designation, available for $100 to those already CAT certified.
Mapping a Study Schedule to the Five Domains
Because the exam domains track the five-course curriculum in order, the most efficient review sequence follows the same order rather than jumping around. Weight your remaining review time toward Course 5 given its outsized field-hour count, and don't let Domain 1's lighter technical load tempt you into skipping a final pass over its safety-culture material.
Domain 1 and Domain 2
- Review vertical transportation industry fundamentals and terminology
- Study vertical platform lift components against ASME A18.1-2005
Domain 3 and Domain 4
- Contrast inclined platform lift hardware against vertical platform lift material from Domain 2
- Review stairway chairlift wiring rules under NEC 2008 Section 620
Domain 5 deep dive
- Spend the largest block of remaining time on private residence elevator installation and code cross-references
- Work through field scenarios reflecting real troubleshooting situations
Full-domain review
- Cycle back through all five domains using timed practice questions
- Confirm proctoring paperwork and notarization logistics are arranged in advance
For candidates who want a structured walkthrough of how to build this kind of plan around their own work schedule, CAT Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt goes deeper into pacing and review techniques. If you're still assessing how demanding the exam is relative to your field experience, How Hard Is the CAT Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 is a useful companion read before you finalize a timeline.
Who Hires CAT-Certified Technicians
Employers who value the CAT credential are typically accessibility contractors, private residence elevator installers, and NAEC member companies that maintain vertical platform lifts, inclined platform lifts, stairway chairlifts, and private residence elevators as their core service lines. Because certification cost differs sharply for members versus non-members, many technicians pursue CAT while employed by an NAEC member firm to take advantage of the lower education-pathway application fee. A full cost comparison across both pathways and renewal fees is available in CAT Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and you can practice full-length domain-based questions at the main CAT practice test platform to see how your recall holds up against timed conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
NAEC does not publish an exact percentage weighting per domain, but Course 5, Private Residence Elevators, is published at far more classroom and field hours than any other course, which points to it deserving proportionally more review time.
The five-course curriculum and its corresponding domains apply to the education pathway, which is the active route for new candidates. The legacy experience pathway uses a separate 160-question exam drawn from a question bank and was only available to candidates who met the December 31, 2014 hours cutoff.
The authoritative references across all domains are ASME A18.1-2005 for platform lifts and stairway chairlifts, ASME A17.1-2007 for broader elevator and escalator safety, NEC 2008 Section 620 for chairlift wiring, and the Elevator Industry Field Employees' Safety Handbook.
You must wait 30 days before retaking the exam, and a $100 retest fee applies before a third attempt. After a third failure, there's a 180-day wait plus reapplication to the Certification Board before you can try again.
No. The CAT exam is taken at the candidate's own workplace under two qualifying proctors, one of whom must be an officer of the employing company, with a signed and notarized proctoring statement required before certification is issued.