This document specifies general requirements for in-service acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. It relates to detection, location and grading of AE sources with application to metallic pressure equipment and other structures such as bridges, bridge ropes, cranes, storage tanks, pipelines, wind turbine towers, marine applications, offshore structures. The monitoring can be periodic, temporary or continuous, on site or remote-controlled, supervised or automated. The objectives of AE monitoring are to define regions which are acoustically active as a result of damage or defect evolution.