FEEC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

The Number: 75% on the Knowledge Exam

If you are searching for the FEEC passing score, here is the answer that matters: the Fiber Optics Evaluation & Endface Cleaning (FEEC) knowledge exam, administered by ETA International, has a passing standard of 75%. That is the single published threshold for the written portion of the credential.

FEEC is an aerospace-focused fiber optics certification. ETA International is the certifying body, and its current exam page bases the credential mainly on ARINC Report 805-5, with aspects of 803-3, 806-7.2.1 and 807-4. The ARINC and SAE documents provide the technical context; ETA sets and administers the certification.

If you are still orienting yourself, our overview pieces on what FEEC certification is and what FEEC stands for cover the basics. This article stays focused on scoring.

Two Gates, Not One: Knowledge Plus Hands-On Competency

Many candidates assume a fiber optics certification is a single sitting with a single score. FEEC is structured differently. It combines a proctored knowledge examination with a separate, required hands-on training and skills component delivered through an ETA-approved school.

Gate 1: The knowledge exam

This is the part with the 75% threshold. It runs 2 hours and contains 25 questions per ETA's official exam-information page. It is proctored, either at an approved site or through an ETA remote-testing arrangement.

Gate 2: Hands-on competency

You cannot test your way around the practical side. An ETA-approved hands-on training course is required, and the competency requirement must be satisfied in addition to the written score. ETA lists KITCO as an external training provider for FEEC, and KITCO states that completing its knowledge competencies and hands-on skillsets qualifies students to sit the examination. No exact FEEC practical-assessment timer or issuer-mandated course-hour total was verified, so confirm the details with your provider.

For eligibility specifics, see our guide to FEEC requirements and how to qualify. FEEC is stand-alone; an Associate CET is not a universal prerequisite, and no mandatory degree or employment-hour threshold was verified for initial exam eligibility.

What the Issuer Does Not Publish About Scoring

This is where a lot of online content goes wrong. Because 25 questions and 75% sit side by side, it is tempting to do the arithmetic and announce that you need "19 correct" or "18.75 rounded up." Do not do this.

Several other points are also not established by the public issuer sources reviewed:

• Item format. The precise question format (for example, single-answer multiple choice) is not confirmed by the retrieved issuer sources. Marketplace descriptions of question formatting should not be treated as an official specification.
• Domain weights. No public ETA domain list or percentage weighting was verified. Any weighting you see in a practice resource is editorial.
• Pass rate. ETA's reviewed official sources do not disclose one, and seller success percentages are not FEEC cohort pass rates. Our FEEC pass rate article explains what can and cannot be said honestly.
• Adaptive or open-book status. Neither was verified for FEEC.

The practical takeaway: plan for a 25-question exam where every item could count, and where you are expected to demonstrate competence across the whole subject area.

The FEEC Exam at a Glance

Note that the $130 fee covers the examination only. Required provider training is a separate cost unless the provider expressly bundles it. For a complete money picture, read our FEEC certification cost breakdown.

Where Your Points Come From: Three Content Areas

ETA has not published an official FEEC domain list with percentage weights. The three content areas below come from the reviewed preparation scope and are best understood as the topics a candidate needs to master, not as an official exam blueprint. They reflect the teaching groups in KITCO's aviation course, a provider ETA names for FEEC training. Our complete guide to the FEEC content areas goes deeper on each.

Because the weighting is unpublished, a single weak area is a real risk. A candidate who is excellent at cleaning but vague on link loss testing cannot assume the exam will not probe it. Spread your preparation across all three.

Test-Day Rules That Affect Your Score

A 75% requirement leaves little room for avoidable mistakes, so know the conditions before you sit down.

• Identification and proctoring. ETA requires photo ID and proctoring.
• Scratch paper and calculators. ETA's general onsite FAQ permits scratch paper and non-programmable or scientific calculators, prohibits personal electronic devices, and requires used scratch paper to be surrendered.
• Remote delivery. ETA also offers ExamRoom.AI remote knowledge testing. Remote-specific permissions should be confirmed through the delivery arrangement, and the required practical training and assessment still go through an ETA-approved school.
• Providers. Testing runs through ETA Certification Administrators at approved sites, using Trapeza online testing or paper and pencil. It is not a Pearson VUE, PSI or Prometric exam.

Retakes, Renewal and What a Pass Keeps Alive

If you fall short of 75%

ETA's stated conditions provide one free retake within one year of the first session. That is a useful safety net, but note what it does not establish: free repeat tuition, or waived remote-proctoring charges. If you used a remote route, budget on the assumption that those charges may apply again, and ask before rescheduling.

After you pass

The current certification term is two years. The FEEC-specific maintenance section says people performing the certified job for at least 60% of a full-time work year renew annually using an employer proficiency affidavit, while others must recertify; failing the recertification practical requires training again. The linked renewal form lists a $50 renewal fee.

For the career side of holding the credential, see our pieces on FEEC jobs and whether the certification is worth it.

Building a Plan Around a 75% Target

Since the issuer publishes no blueprint, the safest strategy is to prepare evenly and then shore up weak spots. If you want a fuller preparation framework, our FEEC study guide lays out the approach, and how hard the FEEC exam is helps you calibrate expectations. Here is one way to sequence the three content areas around your hands-on course:

Theory goes first because inspection and testing questions are much easier to reason through when you understand why endface condition affects loss. Taking timed sets on our FEEC practice test site lets you check readiness across all three areas before exam day. For a quick last-minute refresher, our FEEC cheat sheet condenses the must-know facts, and you can find more question-style practice at FEEC Exam Prep.

One caution on practice scores: because ETA publishes no item allocation, treat a practice percentage as a rough indicator, not a prediction. Aim to clear 75% with a margin, and to do so consistently, not once.

Frequently Asked Questions