The two main testing standards used in the United States for the design and operation of penetrometers are set by the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) and the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE). ASTM standards are used primarily for heavy, truck-mounted cone penetrometers. The standards for hand-held penetrometers are set by the ASAE. In agriculture and forestry applications, the most common standards are: ASAE S313.3 February 2004, Soil Cone Penetrometer, and ASAE EP542 February 1999, Procedure for Using and Reporting Data Obtained with the Soil Cone Penetrometer.

ASAE standards require using a steel cylindrical cone with a 30-degree tip. The diameter of the cone is 20.27 mm for soft soils or 12.83 mm for hard soils. The cone should be replaced when the wear exceeds 3 percent of the original diameter. The shaft has a diameter of 15.88 mm for soft soils or 9.53 mm for hard soils.

The amount of force exerted over the cone's surface area is called the Cone Index or CI, typically recorded in units of kilopascals or pounds per square inch. The cone should be in-serted into the ground at a steady rate of about 30 mm/s. It takes practice to become consistent—especially in soil with varying compaction, moisture, types, textures, structures, and voids.