PTCB Passing Score 2026: 1,400 on a 1,000-1,600 Scale

The PTCB passing score is a scaled score of 1,400. PTCE scores run from 1,000 to 1,600, so 1,400 is a point on that scale and not a percentage of questions answered correctly. PTCB's candidate pages do not publish a raw-score cutoff or a percent-correct equivalent.

Why 1,400 is not 87.5% and not 67%

Two quick calculations are easy to make, and neither comes from PTCB. Dividing 1,400 by 1,600 gives 87.5%. Measuring how far 1,400 sits between 1,000 and 1,600 gives about 67%.

The first one fails because the lowest possible score is 1,000, not zero. The second assumes the scale rises in a straight line with every correct answer, and PTCB does not say that it does. What PTCB does state is short: the passing scaled score for the PTCE is 1,400, and the range of possible scores based on the exam outline is 1,000 to 1,600.

That leaves one honest reading. You pass when your official scaled score reaches 1,400. How many correct answers it takes is not published, so any "percent you need" figure you see online is a guess.

What goes into the score

The PTCE has 90 multiple-choice questions. Eighty are scored and ten are not. PTCB places the unscored questions randomly and does not identify them. Because you cannot tell which ten they are, every question deserves your best answer.

Reading your results

• On screen: an unofficial result appears right after the post-exam survey. You may also get a printed copy at the test center.
• Official: posted to your PTCB Account, typically within three weeks of your exam date. PTCB cannot expedite it.

PTCB describes the on-screen result as typically an indication of your performance, but not official or final. Wait for the official report before you plan around it. A candidate who fails also needs the official score report in hand before reapplying.

If your score is under 1,400

These are PTCB's retake rules for the PTCE:

1. Each attempt needs a new application and a new payment.
2. There is no waiting period before the second and third attempts.
3. You must wait six months before the fourth attempt.
4. After four attempts, you must show PTCB evidence of acceptable preparation before applying again. Preparation completed before your most recent attempt does not count.

Acceptable preparation includes six or more months of tutoring by a pharmacist or PTCB CPhT (with an attestation form), a formal review course or non-accredited training program, an ASHP/ACPE-accredited training program, or graduation from a pharmacy technician associate degree program. The number of attempts is unlimited, and PTCB warns that a candidate who fails again without more preparation should expect the same result.

Reading your practice scores

Because there is no published conversion, a practice percentage cannot be turned into an estimated 1,400-scale score. The more useful signal is which topics you keep missing. Note the topic behind each wrong answer and watch for the same ones coming back.

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest score on the PTCE?

PTCB gives the range of possible scores as 1,000 to 1,600, so 1,600 is the top of the scale.

Is 1,400 the same as 70% or 80%?

PTCB does not publish a percentage for 1,400. Any percentage you see attached to it is not an official figure.

How much does the PTCE cost?

PTCB lists $129 to apply for CPhT certification and take the PTCE.

Do I see my result the day I test?

You see an unofficial result on screen after the survey. The official result is typically in your PTCB Account within three weeks.

Official sources

• PTCB: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
• PTCB Guidebook: After the exam (scores and retake policy)

Checked against the sources above on November 2, 2026. Exam bodies change fees and rules: confirm on the official page before you register.