Taking the NPTE

Here is the most important information in taking the exam. For a more comprehensive coverage on the topic please refer to www.fsbpt.org.

1. Arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment with two forms of photo ID such as passport, driver's license, etc.
2. You will be thumb-printed and photographed at the testing center. Testing sessions will be videotaped.
3. You are allowed 5 hours for the PT examination. There are 250 items (questions) on the physical therapist examination. For the PT examination the appointment time is 5 ½ hours even though the exam itself is only 5 hours. There is a scheduled 15-minute break as well as the pre-exam tutorial and post-exam survey.
4. Fifty (50) pre-test questions are included on each examination. Your scores will only be based on 200 scored items for the PT examination. The exam is delivered in blocks of 50 questions. The PT exam has 5 sections. Once you have completed a section you cannot return to the section to review or change your answers.
5. Pre-test items will be distributed randomly within each examination and cannot be identified.
6. There is no penalty for incorrect answers.
7. The PT examination has one scheduled 15-minute break after section two has been completed (the exam timer is paused for up to 15 minutes). The PT exam also has 3 unscheduled breaks. During an unscheduled break the exam timer continues to elapse.
8. The testing software allows you to "mark" questions that you want to review before ending a section.
9. You can skip forward or backward through the section you are currently in, and review questions, whether the questions are "marked" or "unmarked."  
10. The NPTE minimum passing scaled score is 600 (ranges from 200-800).
11. Effective July 1996, a score at or above 600 is considered to be a passing score by all jurisdiction licensing authorities, and a score below 600 is considered to be a failing score by all jurisdiction licensing authorities.

Reference:

Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
124 West Street South • Third Floor • Alexandria , VA 22314

Phone: 703-299-3100 • fax: 703-299-3110