PassPulse Pharmacy TechnicianPrepare for the ExCPT

Is the ExCPT exam hard?

It's NHA's toughest exam by the numbers: 62.22% of 16,519 ExCPT exams were passed in 2024, the lowest rate of NHA's eight exams. The current version, launched July 9, 2025, has 120 questions in 2 hours 10 minutes, and the dispensing process alone is 43 of 100 scored items.

Updated October 2026
62%
ExCPT exams passed in 202462.22% of 16,519 exams, NHA
More than 1 in 3 attempts did not pass
120questions
2h 10mtime limit
390to pass, on 200–500

The test plan

DomainScored items
Dispensing Process43
Role, Responsibilities and General Duties15
Laws15
Medication and Patient Safety and QA14
Drugs and Drug Therapy13

Inside dispensing: order intake and entry 13, preparing and dispensing 13, compounding and repackaging 10, calculations 7. Unlike the 2026 PTCE, compounding is still tested here.

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Scoring and retakes

You need 390 on a 200 to 500 scale. At a school you get a preliminary result right away; at PSI or online, within 48 hours. Retakes: 30 day wait, three attempts, then one year, full price each time. Compare with the PTCE in PTCB vs ExCPT.

ExCPT FAQ

What is the ExCPT pass rate?

62.22% of 16,519 exams in 2024 and 63.30% of 15,609 in 2023, per NHA.

How many questions are on the ExCPT?

120: 100 scored and 20 pretest, in 2 hours 10 minutes.

Can you take the ExCPT online?

Yes, through NHA's live remote proctoring, as well as at PSI centers and schools.

More ExCPT guides

Sources
  1. NHA annual pass rates 2024
  2. NHA annual pass rates 2023
  3. NHA ExCPT Test Plan (2023 job analysis)
  4. NHA: New ExCPT exam launching July 9, 2025
  5. NHA Candidate Handbook (updated 10/05/2026)
  6. NHA: Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)

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PassPulse is an independent exam preparation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Exam, credential and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the exams and materials described.

This page is for general information only. It is not official guidance from any certifying body, state agency or employer, and it is not legal, medical, career or financial advice. The information on this page may contain errors or omissions, or may be out of date: fees, policies, exam content and state rules change. Practice questions, answers and explanations on PassPulse may also contain errors. Always confirm current requirements and facts directly with the certifying body, your state, your employer or the manufacturer's instructions before you register, apply or act on them. Pass rates and statistics describe past candidates and do not predict your result.
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