The Compressed Four-Day Heritage Repair Exam Will Now Be Held in Separate Sessions

National Heritage Administration Completely Overhauls 2026 Exam Schedule
Outdoor Categories in April, Indoor Categories Staggered from June to July

The annual scene of the national heritage repair technician certification exam, which used to be held intensively over four days every April, will disappear. Starting this year, a "staggered schedule" will be introduced, separating exam categories into outdoor and indoor types and holding them at different times.

The National Heritage Administration announced on January 9, 2026, that it will adjust the schedule for the 2026 national heritage repair technician certification exam. The previous method, which involved conducting six categories per day for four consecutive days, has reached its limit due to a sharp increase in the number of applicants.

The key change in the new schedule is "category separation." Sixteen outdoor categories, such as master carpenter and frame joiner, will be held five times from April 11 to April 24, as before. In contrast, eight indoor categories requiring precision work, such as mounting and painting, will be divided into seven sessions from June 26 to July 16.

Accordingly, the application period will also differ by category. Applicants must check the application and exam dates for their chosen category in advance through Q-Net or the National Heritage Administration website.

Safety standards have also been strengthened. Applicants for high-risk categories, such as stone processing, must wear safety helmets and safety shoes certified by KCs. In particular, safety shoes with toe-caps for toe protection are recommended.

The method for checking exam results will be unified online. The paid automatic response telephone (ARS) service will be discontinued this year, and results will only be available through website announcements such as Q-Net.

An official from the National Heritage Administration stated, "With the staggered schedule, examinees will be able to demonstrate their skills in a safer and more comfortable environment," and urged, "Please carefully check the revised schedule."