The PTCB exam: questions, scoring and registration
There are 90 questions on the PTCB exam, all multiple choice, and 80 of them count toward your score. You have 1 hour 50 minutes inside a 2-hour appointment at a Pearson VUE test center. Scores range from 1,000 to 1,600, and the PTCB passing score is a scaled 1,400.
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How many questions are on the PTCB exam?
How many questions on the PTCB exam: 90. Eighty are scored and ten are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts.
The questions follow the four domains of the PTCE Content Outline in force since 6 January 2026: Medications 35%, Patient Safety and Quality Assurance 23.75%, Order Entry and Processing 22.50% and Federal Requirements 18.75%. PTCB does not publish a count of questions per domain.
Source: PTCB — PTCE Content Outline (effective 6 January 2026). Checked 18 October 2026.
How long is the PTCB exam?
The exam itself lasts 1 hour 50 minutes. With the 5-minute tutorial before it and the 5-minute survey after it, plan for a 2-hour appointment, and arrive at the Pearson VUE test center 30 minutes early.
That works out to a little over a minute per question. Calculation items appear in all four domains of the content outline, so practise them under time.
Source: PTCB — Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). Checked 18 October 2026.
PTCB score range and passing score
The PTCB score range is 1,000 to 1,600, and the PTCB exam passing score is 1,400. PTCB reports a scaled score, not the number of questions you answered correctly.
What is the passing score for the PTCB exam as a percentage? PTCB does not publish a PTCB passing score percentage. Any figure you see quoted as a percentage of correct answers is not a PTCB number.
Source: PTCB Guidebook — CPhT Program. Checked 18 October 2026.
PTCB pass rate
PTCB publishes a pass rate per credential. The 2025 PTCB pass rate for the CPhT was 69%, which means roughly three in ten candidates did not pass that year. PTCB’s page shows only 2025, so we do not compare years.
PTCB does not split the PTCB passing rate by first attempt or retake on that page.
Source: PTCB — Credentials by the Numbers. Checked 18 October 2026.
PTCB exam registration and test schedule
PTCB exam registration happens in your PTCB account: you submit the CPhT application, pay $129 and, once authorized, schedule your appointment in the account or by calling Pearson VUE. There is no fixed PTCB test schedule; the exam is offered year-round, but not every test center offers every PTCB exam, so check availability near you.
You can reschedule or cancel a test center appointment free of charge up to 24 hours before it.
Source: PTCB Guidebook — Exam Appointments. Checked 18 October 2026.
Results and retakes
Your official PTCB score report is generally available online one to three weeks after the exam. If you do not pass, wait for that official report before you reapply, and pay the fee again for each attempt.
The number of attempts is unlimited. There is no waiting period before the second and third attempts, but you must wait six months for the fourth. After four attempts, PTCB requires evidence of acceptable preparation before you can apply again, for example six months of tutoring by a pharmacist or CPhT, a formal review course or an accredited training program.
Source: PTCB Guidebook — After the Exam. Checked 18 October 2026.
Practising at exam pace
Because the exam gives you about 73 seconds per question, timed practice matters as much as content review. Certsqill’s PTCB question bank has expert-developed questions, an explanation for every answer option and a readiness score per domain.
PTCB exam: questions people ask
How many questions on PTCB?
90 multiple-choice questions, 80 scored and 10 unscored. Source: PTCB, checked 18 October 2026.
What is the PTCB passing score?
A scaled score of 1,400 on a range of 1,000 to 1,600. Source: PTCB Guidebook, checked 18 October 2026.
What is the PTCB score range?
1,000 to 1,600. Source: PTCB Guidebook, checked 18 October 2026.
How long is the PTCB exam appointment?
2 hours: 5-minute tutorial, 1 hour 50 minute exam, 5-minute survey. Source: PTCB, checked 18 October 2026.
What was the PTCB pass rate in 2025?
69% for the CPhT. Source: PTCB Credentials by the Numbers, checked 18 October 2026.
How soon can I retake the PTCB exam?
After your official score report; no wait before attempts two and three, six months before the fourth. Source: PTCB Guidebook, checked 18 October 2026.
