PTCB passing score: what 1400 means and how to clear it
You need a scaled score of 1400 or higher, on a scale from 1000 to 1600, to pass the PTCE. PTCB does not publish how many correct answers that takes, and 10 of the 90 questions are unscored, so the safe plan is to clear 80% on two different full practice mocks before you book.
- 1400
- passing scaled score
- 1000–1600
- score range
- 10
- unscored questions
- 80%
- our practice target
Last checked · From PTCB's CPhT page and guidebook
By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts · How this is scored
What is the passing score for the PTCB exam?
1400 on a scaled range of 1000 to 1600. Your score is based on the 80 scored questions; the other 10 are unscored questions being tried out for future exams.
| Item | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Questions on the exam | 90 | PTCB |
| Scored questions | 80 | PTCB |
| Unscored questions | 10 | PTCB |
| Score range | 1000 to 1600 | PTCB guidebook |
| Passing score | 1400 | PTCB guidebook |
| Test time | 1 hour 50 minutes | PTCB |
The unscored questions look like any other question and are mixed in at random. You cannot skip them, so answer every question as if it counts.
What percentage do you need to pass the PTCB?
There is no official percentage. PTCB converts the number you got right into a scaled score so that slightly harder and easier versions of the exam are treated the same, and it does not publish the conversion.
You will see figures like 70% quoted online. None of them comes from PTCB, and because the conversion depends on the exam form, a single percent could not be right for everyone anyway. Treat any number you read as a guess.
That is why our practice test reports percent correct and a band, not a scaled score. Turning a percent on our questions into a PTCE score would be inventing a conversion PTCB keeps private.
What practice score means I am ready for the PTCB?
Clearing 80% on two different full 90-question mocks, on questions you have not seen before, with no domain far below the rest. That leaves a margin above any reasonable guess at the line.
| Band | Percent right | Out of 90 | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early practice | Under 60% | Under 54 | Learn the top drugs by class first |
| Building | 60% to 69% | 54 to 62 | Drill your weakest domain |
| Close | 70% to 79% | 63 to 71 | Close, but too near the guesses for comfort |
| Practice target | 80% to 89% | 72 to 80 | At the target; confirm on a second mock |
| Strong | 90% or more | 81 or more | A comfortable margin |
These bands are our labels on our questions, not a prediction of your result and not a percentile. Take the free PTCB practice test to see where you are.
Clear 80% before you book
Eight full 90-question mocks and four drills per domain show when you are consistently over the target.
The PTCB Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The PTCB Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor
Why does the PTCB use a scaled score?
Because no two versions of the exam are exactly as hard as each other. Scaling puts every version on the same 1000 to 1600 range, so 1400 stands for the same level of knowledge whichever version you sit.
Certification boards build many versions of an exam from a large question pool, so people testing on different days do not see the same questions. One version will always come out a little harder than another. If the pass line were a fixed number of correct answers, a candidate on a harder version would need to know more to pass. Scaling corrects for that: a harder version needs slightly fewer correct answers to reach 1400, an easier one slightly more.
Two things follow for you. First, no fixed raw count or percent can be the pass line, which is why we never print one. Second, the score you see on a practice test cannot be converted into a PTCE score, by us or anyone else outside PTCB. What a practice test can tell you is whether you know the material with a margin to spare, and that is the question our 80% target answers.
Should I guess on the PTCB if I am not sure?
Yes. Answer every question: a blank cannot earn a point, and the unscored questions mean you cannot tell which items count. The 1 hour 50 minutes gives you about 73 seconds a question, enough to check every calculation once.
- Make a first pass at a steady pace and flag anything slow rather than stalling on it.
- On a drug name you half-know, rule out the options from the wrong class first: the stem often gives it away.
- On a calculation, write the units at every step; most wrong options are the answer with a conversion skipped.
- Leave 10 minutes to return to the flagged questions, and make sure nothing is left blank when time runs out.
Where do people lose points on the PTCB?
On exact recall: brand and generic pairs, controlled substance schedules and their rules, error-prone abbreviations, and calculation setups that skip a conversion.
| Domain | Weight | Where points go |
|---|---|---|
| Medications | 35% | Look-alike names, class from the stem, which drugs need the refrigerator |
| Federal Requirements | 18.75% | Refill and partial-fill windows, DEA form numbers, CMEA limits, DSCSA |
| Patient Safety and QA | 23.75% | Abbreviations, tall man pairs, high-alert drugs, what to refer |
| Order Entry and Processing | 22.5% | Pounds versus kilograms, per-day versus per-dose, NDC formats |
Your score report shows how you did in each domain. If you need to retake, start with the lowest domain: the free drills on medications, pharmacy law, patient safety and pharmacy math each target one.
What if I do not pass the PTCB exam?
Reapply after you get your official score report, paying the $129 fee again. PTCB's guidebook says there is no wait before a second or third attempt, 6 months before a fourth, and proof of new preparation after four.
- Read your score report and note the two weakest domains.
- Take a full practice mock to see where you stand on fresh questions.
- Drill the weakest domain until it clears 80%, then the next.
- Take a second full mock on new questions. Rebook when both clear 80%.
A step-by-step plan is in how to pass the PTCB, and the exam itself is explained in the PTCB exam guide. The guidebook text on retakes predates the 2026 outline, so check your PTCB account for the current rule before you rebook.
What happens after you pass the PTCB exam?
You become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) once PTCB confirms the result, and you keep the credential by recertifying every 2 years with continuing education.
Tell your state board if it needs proof of certification for your registration or license, and give your employer a copy. Many pharmacies raise pay at certification, so it is worth doing quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1400 a percentage?
How many questions can I miss on the PTCB?
Do I get my score right away?
Do the unscored questions count against me?
Is LifeScore part of PTCB?
Clear 80% on questions you have not seen
Eight full PTCB-style mocks, four drills per domain and every answer explained, for one payment.
The PTCB Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.
Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The PTCB Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.
- 8
- timed mocks
- 16
- topic drills
- 1
- score predictor