PTCB practice test 2026: a free 90-question PTCE exam

This free PTCB-style practice test has 90 original questions on a 1 hour 50 minute clock, the same length and time as the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam, split across the four domains of the 2026 content outline. You get your percent right, a practice band, a score for each domain, and every answer explained, with each pharmacy calculation worked step by step.

90
questions, as on the real PTCE: 1 h 50 m
on the clock: 4
domains, 2026 weights: Free
no sign-up

Last checked 22 October 2026 · Exam facts from ptcb.org; federal rules from 21 CFR and the FDA

90
questions
110 min
time limit
Free
instant score

By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated 22 October 2026 · How we check facts · How this is scored

What is on this PTCB practice test?

Ninety original questions across the four domains PTCB tests from January 2026: Medications, Federal Requirements, Patient Safety and Quality Assurance, and Order Entry and Processing, in the outline's proportions.

The four domains, their 2026 weights and how many questions each has in our mock
Domain	2026 weight	In our mock	What it covers
Medications	35%	32	Generic and brand names, therapeutic classes and indications, side effects, interactions and therapeutic duplication, dosage forms and routes, storage and stability
Federal Requirements	18.75%	17	Controlled substance schedules, prescriptions, refills, partial fills and transfers, DEA forms, inventories and records, hazardous drugs and waste, DSCSA, HIPAA, CMEA, REMS and recalls
Patient Safety and Quality Assurance	23.75%	21	High-alert and look-alike, sound-alike drugs, tall man lettering, error-prone abbreviations, error prevention and reporting, hygiene and cleaning, when to refer to the pharmacist
Order Entry and Processing	22.5%	20	Sig codes, days' supply and quantity, dose, concentration and IV rate calculations, NDC and lot numbers, expiration dates, DAW codes, supplies and inventory

Medications is the biggest domain: brand and generic names, drug classes, what each drug is used for, its common side effects and interactions, and how it is stored. Federal Requirements grew in 2026 to almost a fifth of the exam, so controlled substance rules, DEA forms and the Drug Supply Chain Security Act matter more than they did on older practice tests.

About a quarter of our questions are generated from verified tables and formulas: drug names and classes, controlled substance schedules, error-prone abbreviations, days' supply, doses, concentrations and IV rates. The numbers change in every mock and the key is computed, so you cannot pass by remembering an answer.

What this practice test copies, and what it does not
Questions	90, four options each, all four domains mixed together as on the real exam
Clock	1 hour 50 minutes, the real exam's test time
Split	The 2026 weights applied to 90 questions: 32 Medications, 17 Federal Requirements, 21 Patient Safety, 20 Order Entry
Scoring	Every question counts. The real exam has 10 unscored questions; we cannot know which, so we score all 90
Your result	Percent right, a practice band and a score for each domain. Never a scaled score, never a pass
Calculations	Days' supply, doses, concentrations and IV rates are generated with new numbers in every mock and the key computed

Can I practise one PTCB domain at a time?

Yes. Each domain has a free 12-question drill on its own page, at the real exam's pace, with every answer explained and the rules and facts that domain asks about most.

PTCB medications practice test
1 free drill
Top 200 brand and generic names, drug classes and stems, indications, side effects, interactions, dosage forms and storage.
PTCB pharmacy law practice test
1 free drill
Controlled substance schedules, refills, partial fills and transfers, DEA forms, inventories, DSCSA, HIPAA, CMEA and REMS.
PTCB patient safety practice test
1 free drill
High-alert and look-alike drugs, tall man lettering, error-prone abbreviations, error reporting and hygiene.
Pharmacy math practice test
1 free drill
Sig codes, days' supply, doses by weight, concentrations, dilutions, IV and drip rates, NDC numbers and DAW codes.

Take the full test first, then drill the domain with the lowest score. Medications carries the most questions, so a weak score there moves your total more than any other domain; pharmacy math is the domain where a single habit (writing the units) wins back the most points.

How does the real PTCB exam work?

The PTCE is 90 multiple-choice questions in 1 hour 50 minutes, taken at a Pearson VUE test center or online with a remote proctor. 80 questions are scored and 10 are unscored, the score is scaled from 1000 to 1600, and 1400 passes.

The real exam, with where each fact comes from
Who gives it	The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), at Pearson VUE test centers or online with a remote proctorPublished by the ownerPTCB, "Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)": the PTCE, fee and eligibility
Questions	90 multiple-choice questions: 80 scored and 10 unscored questions you cannot tell apartPublished by the ownerPTCB, "Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)": the PTCE, fee and eligibility
Time	1 hour 50 minutes of test time; about 2 hours in the seat with the tutorial and the surveyPublished by the ownerPTCB, "Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)": the PTCE, fee and eligibility
Content outline	Four domains, in effect from 6 January 2026: Medications 35%, Federal Requirements 18.75%, Patient Safety and Quality Assurance 23.75%, Order Entry and Processing 22.5%Published by the ownerPTCB, "Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)": the PTCE, fee and eligibility
Score	Scaled from 1000 to 1600; 1400 or higher passes. PTCB does not publish a percent equivalentPublished by the ownerPTCB, Certification Guidebook, "After the exam": scores and retakes
Fee	$129 to apply and take the exam, paid again for each attemptPublished by the ownerPTCB, "Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)": the PTCE, fee and eligibility
Retakes	No wait before a second or third attempt; 6 months before a fourth; after four, proof of new preparationPublished by the ownerPTCB, Certification Guidebook, "After the exam": scores and retakes

You cannot tell which 10 questions are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts. That is why our mock scores all 90.

The full picture of the 1400 line, and why no one can tell you how many questions it takes, is on PTCB passing score. The path from eligibility to your CPhT credential is in the PTCB exam guide.

What do PTCB exam questions look like?

Short, practical questions with four options: a drug name to match, a prescription to check against federal rules, an error to prevent, a dose to calculate. Try the six below; two are worked step by step and the rest open when you tap.

PTCB-style question 1 · Drug classes
Which of these drugs is a beta-blocker?
1. ACarvedilol
2. BLosartan
3. CAmlodipine
4. DHydrochlorothiazide
Worked answer
A: Carvedilol. Carvedilol (Coreg) is a beta-blocker, with alpha-blocking activity too. Losartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker, amlodipine a calcium channel blocker and hydrochlorothiazide a thiazide diuretic.
1. Beta-blockers share the -lol stem: metoprolol, atenolol, propranolol, carvedilol.
2. Carvedilol ends in -dilol, still a -lol.
3. The other three belong to the -sartan, -dipine and thiazide groups.
The trap: Looking only for "-olol". Carvedilol and labetalol end differently but are still beta-blockers.
PTCB-style question 2 · Refills
An alprazolam prescription was written on January 15, 2026 with 5 refills. Under federal law, what is the last date a refill may be dispensed?
1. AJanuary 15, 2027
2. BJuly 15, 2026
3. CApril 15, 2026
4. DJune 15, 2026
Show the worked answer
B: July 15, 2026. Alprazolam is Schedule IV. Schedule III and IV prescriptions may be refilled up to 5 times and not after 6 months from the date written: January 15 plus 6 months is July 15, 2026.
1. Schedule: alprazolam is C-IV.
2. Rule: up to 5 refills within 6 months of the date written.
3. January 15, 2026 + 6 months = July 15, 2026.
The trap: Using one year, the rule many states use for non-controlled prescriptions. Controlled III to V is 6 months.
PTCB-style question 3 · Weight-based doses
A child weighs 44 lb. Amoxicillin is ordered at 40 mg/kg/day, divided every 12 hours. The suspension is 400 mg/5 mL. How many mL is each dose?
1. A5 mL
2. B10 mL
3. C2.5 mL
4. D11 mL
Worked answer
A: 5 mL. 44 lb ÷ 2.2 = 20 kg. 40 mg × 20 kg = 800 mg a day, given as two doses of 400 mg. At 400 mg per 5 mL, each dose is 5 mL.
1. 44 lb ÷ 2.2 = 20 kg
2. 40 mg/kg/day × 20 kg = 800 mg/day; ÷ 2 doses = 400 mg
3. 400 mg ÷ 400 mg × 5 mL = 5 mL
The trap: Using pounds as kilograms: 40 × 44 = 1,760 mg a day gives 11 mL a dose, more than double the right amount.
PTCB-style question 4 · Error-prone abbreviations
An order reads "regular insulin 6U before meals." What is the main danger of writing it this way?
1. A"U" can be read as a 0, so 6 units becomes 60
2. B"U" is a brand abbreviation, so the wrong product is chosen
3. CUnits are not a legal measure for insulin
4. DThe order will be read as 6 mL
Show the worked answer
A: "U" can be read as a 0, so 6 units becomes 60. ISMP lists "U" for units as error-prone because a handwritten U can look like a 0 or a 4, turning 6U into 60 or 64. The safe way is to write "units" in full: "6 units".
1. Ask how the abbreviation could be misread.
2. A U next to a number looks like a zero.
3. So the dose can be read ten times too high; write "units".
The trap: Thinking the issue is the unit itself. Insulin is dosed in units; the problem is the abbreviation.
PTCB-style question 5 · Interactions
A patient with a stable INR on warfarin brings in a new prescription. Which drug is most likely to raise the INR and should go to the pharmacist first?
1. AAcetaminophen 325 mg, 2 tablets once
2. BFluconazole 150 mg tablet
3. CLoratadine 10 mg daily
4. DFamotidine 20 mg twice daily
Show the worked answer
B: Fluconazole 150 mg tablet. Fluconazole inhibits the liver enzyme (CYP2C9) that clears warfarin, so warfarin levels and the INR can rise and bleeding risk goes up. A single small dose of acetaminophen, loratadine and famotidine are not known for this effect.
1. The question asks which drug raises the INR, so look for an enzyme inhibitor.
2. Azole antifungals such as fluconazole are classic warfarin interactions.
3. The pharmacist decides; the technician flags it.
The trap: Choosing acetaminophen. Regular high doses can affect the INR, but a single dose is a far smaller concern than fluconazole.
PTCB-style question 6 · Drip rates
500 mL is to run over 4 hours using a set that delivers 20 drops per mL. About how many drops per minute is that?
1. A42
2. B125
3. C21
4. D83
Show the worked answer
A: 42. 4 hours is 240 minutes. 500 mL ÷ 240 min = 2.08 mL per minute, and 2.08 × 20 drops = 41.7, or about 42 drops per minute.
1. 4 hours × 60 = 240 minutes
2. 500 mL ÷ 240 = 2.083 mL/min
3. 2.083 × 20 = 41.7, about 42 gtt/min
The trap: Answering 125, the rate in mL per hour, instead of converting to drops per minute.

These were written for this page, so none of them is in a mock. More, each with its trap, are on PTCB sample questions.

After the free PTCB-style test

One mock shows your weakest domain. Seven more, and four drills for each domain, prove you are over 80% on questions you have not seen.

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.

See the PTCB Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 16
topic drills: 1
score predictor

How do I read my PTCB practice result?

You get the percent you got right, a practice band (Early practice, Building 60%+, Close 70%+, Practice target 80%+ or Strong 90%+), and a score for each domain. These are our labels on our questions, never a scaled PTCE score.

PTCB reports a scaled score, and 1400 passes. It does not publish how many correct answers that takes, and scaled scores are set so that harder and easier exam forms are treated the same, so no honest practice test can turn a percent into a scaled score. We use 80% as the target because it leaves a margin for the difference between our questions and the real ones.

Then look at the domains. A total of 78% with Federal Requirements at 55% is a warning: that domain grew in 2026, and law questions are the kind you either know or do not. Your result page names the weakest domain and starts your plan there.

The safest sign you are ready is clearing 80% on two different mocks, on questions you have not seen.

Do PTCB practice tests help you pass?

Yes, when every miss sends you to the fact or rule behind it. Memorizing practice answers does not work, because the real exam asks the same facts in new combinations.

Most candidates who fall short know pharmacy in general but lose points on exact facts: which drug is Schedule IV, how many refills a C-III allows, which abbreviation is on the do-not-use list, whether a dose was calculated in pounds or kilograms. A practice test finds those gaps in under two hours, and every answer here names the rule or the drug fact behind it.

Failing costs more than the $129 to retake. Many employers expect certification within months of hiring, and some states require it before a technician can do certain tasks, so a second attempt can hold up a raise or a job. The step-by-step plan is in how to pass the PTCB.

If you are studying for the medical assistant or nursing exams too, our CCMA practice test, CNA practice test and HESI A2 practice test work the same way.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the real PTCB exam?

No. It is a PTCB-style practice test with original questions written from the 2026 PTCE content outline and federal rules. The real exam is given by PTCB through Pearson VUE. LifeScore is not affiliated with PTCB.

How many questions are on the PTCB exam?

90, of which 80 are scored and 10 are unscored. You have 1 hour 50 minutes of test time.

What score do I need to pass the PTCB?

1400 on a scale of 1000 to 1600. PTCB does not publish a percent, so we suggest clearing 80% on our mocks before you book.

Does this cover the 2026 PTCE changes?

Yes. The mock uses the 2026 weights, includes the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, and leaves out nonsterile compounding and alligations, which the new outline dropped.

Is there math on the PTCB exam?

Yes, mostly in Order Entry and Processing: days' supply, quantities, doses, concentrations and rates. A basic calculator is provided on screen.

Do I have to pay?

The full practice test and the domain drills are free with no sign-up. The Pass Pack, with seven more mocks, 16 drills and every answer explained, is a one-time payment.

Walk into the PTCE already over 80%

Eight full PTCB-style mocks of 90 questions, four drills for each domain and every answer explained, in one payment with no subscription.