ETS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 15 Content Areas

What the 15 Basic ETS Modules Actually Cover

Basic Earthmover Tire Service (ETS) is a 200-level Certificate of Completion administered by the Tire Industry Association (TIA). Its current course and exam scope is defined by 15 official modules - not by a published, percentage-weighted domain breakdown like you might see with other credentials. That distinction matters: candidates preparing for Basic ETS should think in terms of module mastery, not domain percentages, because TIA has not published exam weighting for this program.

Each module builds toward one outcome: a technician who can safely and correctly service earthmover and off-the-road (OTR) tire and wheel assemblies in the field or shop. Before diving into the 15 areas, it helps to understand how they're grouped. The first five modules establish safety, equipment, and site fundamentals. The next seven walk through service procedures for four rim configurations, split between on-machine and loose-wheel scenarios. The final three cover fastening systems and fitment procedures that apply across nearly every job a technician performs.

For a broader orientation to what this credential is and how it fits into a tire technician's career, see What Is ETS? and ETS Certification.

Foundations: Domains 1-5

The opening modules set up everything that follows. Skipping them in study prep is the most common mistake candidates make, because these domains carry vocabulary and safety procedures referenced throughout the rest of the exam.

On-Machine Service: Domains 6-9

This block is the technical core of Basic ETS. Four domains walk through servicing tire and wheel assemblies while they remain mounted on the machine, across four distinct rim configurations.

Expect exam questions in this block to test whether you can correctly sequence steps and identify which rim type you're looking at before choosing a procedure - a mismatch in rim identification is one of the most tested error patterns across earthmover tire service training.

Loose Wheel Service: Domains 10-12

Domains 10 through 12 mirror the on-machine block, but the wheel assembly has been removed from the equipment entirely. Loose-wheel service introduces different handling, staging, and reassembly considerations.

Fastening & Fitment: Domains 13-15

The final three modules apply across almost every job, regardless of rim type, because they govern how the wheel attaches to the machine and how components are matched during installation and removal.

Because these three domains sit at the end of the module list but touch every job type covered earlier, many candidates find it useful to review Domains 13-15 a second time after finishing Domains 6-12, treating them as a capstone check rather than a standalone unit.

Exam Format and Question Style

TIA's Basic ETS final exam is delivered as part of the training track a candidate chooses: self-paced online through TIA Online University, or in person using videos, workbooks, and paper exams. Online University adds knowledge checks throughout the modules plus a skills-demonstration form, in addition to the final exam - giving candidates a chance to confirm understanding module by module rather than facing everything at once at the end.

One detail worth clarifying directly: the Basic ETS brochure references roughly three hours of instructional video content. That figure describes the training material's length, not an examination time limit. Don't confuse the two when planning your study time.

For a deeper breakdown of exam difficulty and what "hard" actually means in the context of Basic ETS, see How Hard Is the ETS Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, and for a look at how outcomes are typically discussed, see ETS Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.

Who Hires for This Skill Set

Basic-level training exists for two overlapping audiences: new-hire technicians going through orientation, and experienced technicians who need documented, standardized training on file. Employers that operate or service heavy equipment - mining operations, quarries, construction fleets, and OTR tire service centers - use Basic ETS completion as evidence that a technician has been walked through the same 15 core procedures rather than relying purely on informal, on-the-job habits.

For technicians working under MSHA Part 46 at mine sites, there's an added wrinkle worth understanding early: 30 CFR 46.8 requires at least eight hours of annual refresher training. In that context, TIA describes eight hours of refresher instruction followed by testing that leads to an updated Certificate of Completion and wallet ID card. That mine-safety refresher requirement is separate from any universal Basic ETS expiration policy or the two-year recertification rule that applies specifically to the Certified ETS 300/400 pathway - the two shouldn't be conflated when you're figuring out what your employer actually needs from you.

If you're evaluating whether this credential is worth pursuing for your career path, Is the ETS Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 walks through the considerations, and ETS Jobs looks at where this training shows up in job postings.

Registration, Delivery, and Training Cost Mechanics

Basic ETS isn't purchased the way a standalone exam voucher is. Instead, TIA sells training products and organizational subscriptions, and the final exam is embedded in that training.

Shipping and handling are additional on physical kits, and both Online University subscription tiers require full headquarters membership plus a $20 annual membership fee per location - but that subscription then covers unlimited technicians at the subscribed location. These are training-material and organizational-access prices, not a per-candidate exam registration fee, so budget accordingly if you're an employer setting up training for a whole shop rather than one technician. A full walkthrough of these numbers, including how member versus non-member pricing plays out, is available in ETS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.

Before committing to a track, confirm your eligibility and what your employer expects - ETS Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify covers prerequisites in detail, and questions about scoring are addressed in ETS Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.

Mapping a Study Schedule to the 15 Modules

Because Basic ETS content is organized into 15 discrete modules rather than weighted domains, a simple week-by-week pass through the material - grouped the way this guide groups them - tends to work better than generic study tricks borrowed from unrelated exams.

Use short daily review blocks rather than one long cram session, and revisit the on-machine and loose-service domains together since they share the same underlying mount/demount logic. For a structured walkthrough of this approach with more detail on each module, see ETS Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep ETS Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts nearby for quick terminology checks. You can also run through practice questions organized by these same 15 modules to test recall before exam day.

Basic ETS vs. Certified ETS 300/400

It's worth being precise about where Basic ETS ends, since the acronym also covers a separate, more advanced pathway.

If your goal is the advanced pathway, treat Basic ETS as the required first step, not an optional detour. Learn more about the terminology itself in ETS Meaning, What Does ETS Stand For?, and What Does ETS Mean? if you're still sorting out how the acronym is used across the industry.

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