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National Physical Therapy Examination for Physical Therapist Assistants (NPTE-PTA)
The NPTE-PTA is the national licensure examination for physical therapist assistants in the United States, developed and administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) and delivered at Prometric test centers; it assesses the entry-level competence of graduates of accredited PTA programs on behalf of state licensing authorities.
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Questions180 questions in four sections of 45 multiple-choice items; 40 of the items are unscored pretest questions (140 scored), and up to 35 questions can be scenario-based
Testing time4 hours of testing time (sections not individually timed; total appointment time 4 hours 30 minutes including the scheduled 15-minute break, tutorial, and post-exam survey)
ScoringUniform criterion-referenced passing standard adopted by all licensing jurisdictions: passing requires a scaled score of 600 or higher (pass/fail exam)
Exam feeUSD 485 FSBPT exam registration fee (paid at registration; the handbook states this amount for the NPTE without distinguishing PT and PTA levels) plus a USD 92.00 Prometric appointment fee for the NPTE-PTA paid at scheduling; withdrawal refunds are reduced by a USD 50 processing fee (30+ days out) or USD 120 (fewer than 30 days)
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- FSBPT
- Category
- Physical Therapy
- Current version
- NPTE-PTA Test Content Outline, effective January 2024 (Candidate Handbook Version 2025.02)
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- 200–800 (scaled)
- Testing provider
- Prometric
- Format
- Computer-based, multiple choice (one best answer; no penalty for incorrect answers); delivered in sections at Prometric test centers, with a scheduled 15-minute break after the second section
- Availability
- Fixed administration dates four times per year (January, April, July, and October), with registration and jurisdiction-approval deadlines ahead of each date; appointment scheduled with Prometric within the resulting testing window
- Results
- Pass/fail status posted to the FSBPT dashboard approximately five business days after the exam window ends (sent to the jurisdiction at the same time); the free numerical score report is posted ten business days following the exam date
Exam structure
One computer-based exam of 180 multiple-choice items (140 scored) in four sections of 45 items. Items are stand-alone multiple choice (some with a graphic or video) plus scenario-based sets of two to five questions at the end of each section (up to 35 scenario-based questions). Scored content spans eight body systems (cardiovascular & pulmonary, musculoskeletal, neuromuscular & nervous, integumentary, metabolic & endocrine, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, lymphatic, plus system interactions) across three domains — Physical Therapy Data Collection, Diseases/Conditions that Impact Effective Treatment, and Interventions — and five nonsystem areas: Equipment, Devices & Technologies (8–10), Therapeutic Modalities (5–7), Safety & Protection (6–8), Professional Responsibilities (2–4), Research & Evidence-Based Practice (1–3).
Where rules vary
Single national exam used by U.S. state and territorial licensing jurisdictions ('standards that are comparable from jurisdiction to jurisdiction'); candidates register through FSBPT and are approved by the jurisdiction where they seek licensure
Eligibility
At least 18 years old; a degree appropriate to the PTA level from a CAPTE-accredited program (or education determined substantially equivalent by a recognized credentialing agency); approval by the licensing authority in the jurisdiction of intended licensure; no open registration at the same exam level and no open security investigation
Retake policy
No more than three consecutive attempts in any 12-month period (must skip the next date after three consecutive attempts); no more than six lifetime attempts at either exam level; ineligible after two prior scores below 400; re-registration opens approximately 15 days after an unsuccessful attempt