The NAPLEX exam: questions, time, scores and dates
The NAPLEX has 225 questions in six hours, 200 of them scored and 25 pretest items, within a 6 hour 45 minute appointment. NABP reports only pass or fail; on its scale of 0 to 150, a scaled score of 75 or higher passes. There are no fixed national test dates: you schedule with Pearson once you hold an authorization to test.
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How many questions are on the NAPLEX?
There are 225 questions on the NAPLEX, delivered in a computerized fixed form. NABP uses 200 of them to calculate your result; the remaining 25 are pretest questions spread throughout the exam, and you cannot tell which ones they are.
So how many questions is the NAPLEX in terms of what counts? 200. Unanswered questions are scored as incorrect, so leave none blank.
Source: NABP — Candidate Application Bulletin: What Is the NAPLEX?. Checked 18 October 2026.
How long is the NAPLEX exam?
The exam itself takes six hours. The total appointment time is 6 hours and 45 minutes, and you may take two optional 10-minute breaks. That works out to a little over a minute and a half per question.
Source: NABP — Candidate Application Bulletin: What Is the NAPLEX?. Checked 18 October 2026.
NAPLEX passing score and NAPLEX scores
NABP reports NAPLEX scores as pass or fail only; passing candidates do not receive a scaled score. Behind that result is a scale from 0 to 150, and NABP states that on the NAPLEX a scaled score of 75 or higher represents a passing score. The NAPLEX passing score is not a percentage of correct answers.
NABP explains that the passing standard was set by an expert panel and that the ability level defining it is the same for every administration. Failing candidates receive a report on their relative performance in each of the five content areas.
Source: NABP Help — What does the scaled score and domain level information mean?. Checked 18 October 2026.
NAPLEX exam dates and exam schedule
NABP does not publish fixed NAPLEX exam dates. Once a board of pharmacy approves your eligibility and you buy the exam, you receive an authorization to test (ATT), valid for one testing session, and book your own appointment through Pearson at a Pearson Professional Center. Eligibility periods are typically valid for one year.
Looking for NAPLEX exam dates 2026? There is no national 2026 calendar on the NABP pages checked; your NAPLEX exam schedule depends on open seats at your chosen center. NABP warns that preferred appointment times can fill up quickly, so schedule as soon as your ATT arrives.
Source: NABP — Tips to Successfully Schedule Your Pharmacist Licensure Exams. Checked 18 October 2026.
Results timing
If your board uses NABP’s online result reporting, you see your pass or fail result in your NABP e-Profile within 14 business days of the exam date, and the board receives it the same day. Candidates for California, Guam, Illinois, Minnesota, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands receive results directly from those boards.
A NAPLEX score review is possible only as a rescore. You can request a review of your exam results by purchasing a rescore after the results are released to the board, within 60 days of the exam date, for $200; it cannot be cancelled or refunded. NABP recomputes your score with an independent scoring tool, does not review item content, and emails you within 4 weeks whether the original result was accurate. NABP says it is extremely unlikely that a rescore changes the result, and no review of the test questions is allowed.
Source: NABP — Candidate Application Bulletin: Exam Results and Other Outcomes. Checked 18 October 2026.
NAPLEX score transfer
NAPLEX score transfer lets you send your result to additional jurisdictions where you want a license. It costs $105 per jurisdiction and can be bought when you purchase the exam, any time before you test, or up to 89 days after the exam.
Transfers bought before the exam are refunded if you cancel your application; transfers bought after the exam are nonrefundable. If you retake the exam, earlier transfers do not carry over and must be purchased again. Each board decides on licensure on its own terms.
Source: NABP — Candidate Application Bulletin: Score Transfers. Checked 18 October 2026.
NABP NAPLEX pass rate by graduation year
The NABP NAPLEX pass rate is reported for first-time candidates from ACPE-accredited programs, grouped by graduation year. The NAPLEX passing rate 2024 graduates reached was 75.9%; for 2025 graduates the NAPLEX exam pass rate rose to 86.8%.
- 2025 graduates: 86.8% (9,869 first attempts)
- 2024 graduates: 75.9% (11,136 first attempts)
- 2023 graduates: 76.4% (12,305 first attempts)
- 2022 graduates: 77.3%
- 2021 graduates: 81.7%
Source: NABP — NAPLEX Passing Rates for 2023-2025 Graduates. Checked 18 October 2026.
NAPLEX exam: questions people ask
How many questions on the NAPLEX?
225 questions, of which 200 are scored and 25 are pretest items. Source: NABP Candidate Application Bulletin, checked 18 October 2026.
How long is NAPLEX exam day?
Six hours of testing in a 6 hour 45 minute appointment, with two optional 10-minute breaks. Source: NABP, checked 18 October 2026.
What is the passing score for NAPLEX?
A scaled score of 75 or higher on a scale of 0 to 150, but results are reported only as pass or fail. Source: NABP, checked 18 October 2026.
When are the NAPLEX test dates?
There are no fixed national dates; you schedule with Pearson after receiving your ATT. Source: NABP, checked 18 October 2026.
How much does a NAPLEX score transfer cost?
$105 per jurisdiction, available up to 89 days after the exam. Source: NABP Candidate Application Bulletin, checked 18 October 2026.
When do I get my NAPLEX result?
Within 14 business days of the exam date in your NABP e-Profile, if your board uses online reporting. Source: NABP, checked 18 October 2026.
