Scrach adhesion test is a new and widely accepted tool for hard coating characterization.  Due to the acceptance of the scratch test as the primary quantitative analysis in coating production and a high demand for scratch test equipment, a new ASTM standard is researched and published.  The new ASTM standard for scratch testing is designated as C 1624 and the complete title is “Standard Test Method for Adhesion Strength and Mechanical failure Modes of Ceramic Coatings by Quantitative Single Point Scratch Testing”.  This standard explains the principles of the scratch test in details along with the limitations of the test, applicability to different coatings, terminology, test methodology, specimen requirements, apparatus requirements, calibration, test procedure, calculations, and repeatability & reproducibility requirements.  A comprehensive bibliography and a scratch atlas describing and illustrating the common damage types are included in the standard.  This new standard provides a complete and accurate document for scratch testing and it eliminates the confusions because of the complex nature of the test with a wide range of test and specimen parameters.  The aim of this talk is to give an overview of the scratch adhesion test principles along with examples from different applications.