PTCE

The exam has 90 multiple-choice questions: 80 are scored and 10 are unscored. You get 1 hour and 50 minutes of testing time. Add the 5-minute tutorial and 5-minute post-exam survey, and PTCB advises budgeting about 2 hours total at the test center.

The passing scaled score is 1,400, on a possible range of 1,000 to 1,600. An unofficial result appears on screen after the post-exam survey, and you may also get a printed copy at the test center. Official results post to your PTCB Account within three weeks.

The cost to apply for CPhT Certification and take the PTCE is $129. Create a PTCB Account, submit your application through it, and once approved you'll receive an email with authorization to schedule your exam at a Pearson test center.

You must reside in the U.S. or its territories, fully disclose all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions, and comply with PTCB policies. You also need one of two pathways: a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program (or completion within 60 days of applying), or at least 500 hours of equivalent work experience completed at the time of application.

The PTCE is administered in person at more than 1,400 Pearson Test Centers nationwide, including more than 100 military bases, under a live proctor. Arrive 30 minutes before your appointment with an approved ID that matches the name on your PTCB Account. You cannot test without proper identification.

Start with the PTCE Content Outline, which lists the knowledge areas the exam covers, and use it to map what you already know against what you don't. Then work through PTCB's practice tools - the PTCE Practice Bank and Pre-PTCE - and run the Pearson tutorial so the test interface is familiar before exam day.

No. PTCB states that it does not endorse, recommend, or sponsor any review course, manuals, or books for any PTCB exam. Its own preparation resources are the practice tools, the content outline, the reference list, and the Pearson tutorial, so treat third-party marketing claims of endorsement with suspicion.

No. The 10 unscored questions are randomly placed throughout the exam and are not identified, so you cannot skip them. Answer every item as though it counts, and do not let a question that feels unfamiliar throw off your pacing for the rest of the section.

Request accommodations during the application process - not after scheduling. PTCB states that accommodations that are reasonable and consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be provided at no additional cost to candidates. A Testing Accommodations Form is available among PTCB's CPhT documents.

CPhTs must renew every 2 years to maintain the credential. This PTCB page does not publish a pass rate, so gauge readiness from your practice-tool performance rather than anecdotes. Candidates arrive through two very different pathways - a recognized training program or 500 hours of work experience - so preparation needs vary widely.