Standard selector: which welding standard applies to your product?
Standard selectorUpdated: 4 November 2026
Which standard applies to your welding does not depend on what you weld but on what you build and what it is for. A steel hall falls under EN 1090-2, the same welding in a pressure vessel falls under the PED, and in a rail vehicle EN 15085 applies. On this page you see per product type which standard applies, what you have to demonstrate, who may do it, which acceptance level fits and how much non destructive testing is usual.
Everything below is indicative and meant to point you in the right direction quickly. The binding requirement is always in the design, the contract or the risk assessment. If in doubt, just call: you get an answer from a welding coordinator.
Which standard applies to your welding?
Choose what you build. You immediately see which standard applies, what you have to demonstrate and who may do it. Indicative: the binding requirement is in the design or contract.
Nothing found. Just call us and we will work it out for you.
EN 1090-2 + EN 1090-1
Steel structure
What you have to demonstrate
Execution class EXC1 to EXC4 determined and recorded
WPS and WPQR to ISO 15614-1 within the correct range
Welders qualified to ISO 9606-1
Welding coordinator with tasks and authority to ISO 14731
FPC system and CE marking under EN 1090-1
Acceptance levelISO 5817 level B, C or D, tied to the execution class
Usual NDT scopeEXC2 roughly 0 to 10 percent, EXC3 roughly 10 to 20 percent, EXC4 up to 100 percent on transverse welds
Who does that
WPQRs are issued by a recognised examiner or inspection body. The FPC is assessed by a notified body.
Determine your execution class (EXC)
EN 1090-2 derives the EXC from the consequence class, the service category and the production category.
Indicative. The binding standard and class follow from the design, the contract or the risk assessment.
How to determine your execution class (EXC)
1
Determine the consequence class (CC)
CC1 for low consequence of failure, CC2 for normal consequence and CC3 where failure has major consequences for life or surroundings. The consequence class comes from EN 1990 annex B and should be set by the designer.
2
Determine the service category (SC)
SC1 for predominantly statically loaded structures, SC2 as soon as fatigue, seismic loading or crane runways are involved.
3
Determine the production category (PC)
PC1 if no welding above S355 takes place and there are no special requirements, PC2 for higher steel grades, hollow sections with node welds, heat treatment or heavy welding.
4
Read off the execution class
With these three choices you read the execution class EXC1 to EXC4 from table B.3 of EN 1090-2. In Dutch steel construction EXC2 is the most common.
5
Have it recorded
The execution class belongs on the drawing or in the specification. If it is not there, ask for it: it drives your WPS, your NDT scope and your acceptance criteria.
A tailored quote in a few clicks. You get an answer from a welding coordinator.
Independently assessed, demonstrably recorded
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about standards and execution classes
How do I know which welding standard applies to my product?
That follows from the product and its application, not from the welding process. A steel load bearing structure falls under EN 1090-2, pressure equipment under the PED and EN 13445 or EN 13480, a rail vehicle under EN 15085-2 and a machine under the Machinery Directive with ISO 3834 underneath. If it is not in the specification, look at the directive that applies to the end product.
What is the difference between ISO 3834 and EN 1090?
ISO 3834 sets requirements for quality assurance of the welding process in your company. EN 1090 sets requirements for the product, the steel structure, and refers to ISO 3834 for the welding assurance. ISO 3834 alone therefore does not give you CE marking; EN 1090-1 does.
Who determines the execution class EXC?
The designer, in the design. The EXC follows from the consequence class, the service category and the production category and belongs on the drawing or in the specification. If it is not there, ask for it before you start welding: it drives your WPS, your NDT scope and your acceptance criteria.
Which acceptance level goes with which execution class?
As a rule of thumb: EXC1 goes with ISO 5817 level D, EXC2 with level C plus a number of level B requirements, and EXC3 and EXC4 with level B. EN 1090-2 gives the exact link per imperfection; for aluminium ISO 10042 applies instead of ISO 5817.
May a company with an EXC2 certificate carry out EXC3 work?
No. The FPC certificate is issued for a given execution class. Work in a higher class requires an extension of the certification, with the matching welding coordination, qualifications and NDT scope.
How much non destructive testing is needed?
That depends on the standard, the class and the weld type. Under EN 1090-2 it runs from almost nothing in EXC1 to 100 percent on transverse welds in EXC4. For pressure equipment the scope follows from the chosen technical table of EN 13445. The percentage belongs in the inspection plan before welding starts.
A question about a welding standard, a WPS or an inspection?
Just ask it. You get a personal answer from a welding coordinator who has done the work, not from a salesperson.
