Am I Ready for the PTCB? Free 25-Question Readiness Quiz

Published 2026-11-04 · Facts and text checked 2026-11-02 · Questions from our PTCB study guide · Reviewed by Hana N., Quality Reviewer

Not sure you are ready for the PTCB exam? This free quiz gives you 25 questions from our PTCE practice bank, scores them on our server and tells you ready, almost or not yet, plus the topics costing you points. The real exam needs a scaled score of 1,400.

The quiz uses different questions from the free practice pages, so you cannot have seen the answers. It takes about 15 minutes; retake it after a week of study and compare.

The official passing standard
Fact	Value and source
Passing score	Scaled score of 1,400 (scale 1,000-1,600)PTCB: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) · checked 2026-10-10

Question 1 of 25

A patient asks how long a prior authorization decision will take. Which response is most accurate?

A.The time varies, from a few hours to a few days depending on the plan and the urgency of the request.B.It depends only on how quickly the pharmacy enters the claim.C.It always takes at least two weeks by law.D.All prior authorizations are approved within 15 minutes.

Question 2 of 25

An IV of 500 mL is infusing at 30 drops per minute through tubing with a drop factor of 10 drops per mL. The technician is asked how many hours the infusion will take. What is the correct first step?

A.Convert the 30 drops per minute to a rate in mL per hour using the drop factor, then divide 500 mL by that rate.B.Multiply 500 mL by 10 drops per mL and divide by 30 minutes.C.Divide 500 mL by 30 drops per minute to find the time in hours directly.D.Multiply 30 drops per minute by 10 drops per mL and divide 500 by the product.

Question 3 of 25

A claim rejects with a message stating that the claim was routed to the wrong claims processor. Which field on the insurance card is most likely to have been entered incorrectly?

A.BINB.Person codeC.Member IDD.Group number

Question 4 of 25

A patient presents a Schedule II prescription that reads: 'One tablet sublingually as needed for breakthrough pain.' The quantity is 30 and the DEA number is valid. Which problem makes this order incomplete?

A.The sublingual route is not approved for any Schedule II opioid.B.Schedule II drugs cannot be prescribed for breakthrough pain.C.A quantity of 30 tablets exceeds the legal limit for a Schedule II drug.D.The directions do not state a maximum daily dose or how often the drug may be taken.

Question 5 of 25

In which situation is alligation not a valid method for combining two solutions to reach a desired concentration?

A.When the desired concentration is exactly halfway between the two starting strengthsB.When the total volume requested is less than 100 mLC.When the desired concentration equals one of the starting concentrationsD.When the two starting solutions are not the same solvent

Question 6 of 25

At a busy pickup counter, a patient asks the technician to read the member ID from the insurance card back to them. How should the technician respond?

A.Walk closer and point to the member ID on the card, asking the patient to verify it instead of reading it aloud.B.Tell the patient that member IDs are not protected health information and read it.C.Read the full member ID in a normal tone so the patient can hear it.D.Ask the patient to step to the end of the counter and then read the ID to them.

Question 7 of 25

A patient arrives at a pharmacy with a paper prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance and asks to have it transferred to a pharmacy closer to home. Which action is correct?

A.Transfer the prescription if the receiving pharmacy is in the same state.B.Transfer the prescription after confirming the patient's identity.C.Do not transfer the paper prescription; a new prescription must be obtained from the prescriber.D.Transfer the prescription only after the pharmacist calls the prescriber.

Question 8 of 25

After mixing 75 mL of a 10% dextrose solution with 125 mL of a 2% dextrose solution, which calculation confirms the final concentration is 5%?

A.75 mL at 10% gives 0.75 g; 125 mL at 2% gives 0.25 g; 1 g in 200 mL equals 5%.B.75 mL at 10% gives 7.5 g; 125 mL at 2% gives 2.5 g; 10 g in 200 mL equals 5%.C.75 mL at 10% plus 125 mL at 2% gives 200 mL at 6% by averaging 10% and 2%.D.75 mL at 10% gives 7.5 g; 125 mL at 2% gives 2.5 g; 10 g in 200 mL equals 10%.

Question 9 of 25

A patient brings a prescription for a medication that is listed as non-formulary on the plan's drug list. What does this formulary restriction indicate?

A.The patient's insurance card is invalidB.The pharmacy does not stock the drugC.The drug is not FDA approvedD.The plan has a list of preferred drugs and this medication is not on it, so coverage requires extra steps

Question 10 of 25

Which statement about Schedule II prescription refills is correct?

A.Schedule II prescriptions may be refilled up to five times within six monthsB.Schedule II prescriptions may be refilled up to three times within 90 daysC.Schedule II prescriptions may be refilled once at the discretion of the pharmacistD.Schedule II prescriptions cannot be refilled; a new prescription is required for each fill

Question 11 of 25

A Hot Spot item shows an infusion pump display. A 1,000 mL bag of normal saline is to infuse over 8 hours. Which number should be tapped into the pump display?

A.21B.83C.125D.1000

Question 12 of 25

A prescription is written 'take 2 tablets by mouth daily.' The pharmacy dispenses a 30-tablet supply. What is the days supply for billing?

A.7 daysB.15 daysC.30 daysD.60 days

Question 13 of 25

A new prescription reads: 'Take 2 tablets by mouth once daily for 10 days, then 1 tablet by mouth once daily for 10 days.' The pharmacy dispenses 30 tablets. What days' supply should be entered for the insurance claim?

A.10 daysB.15 daysC.20 daysD.30 days

Question 14 of 25

A 500 mL IV bag has infused 300 mL. How many milliliters remain in the bag?

A.120 mLB.200 mLC.300 mLD.800 mL

Question 15 of 25

A pharmacy work queue shows two messages. Claim 1: "Prior Auth Required" and the claim has not been adjudicated. Claim 2: "Payment Refused After Processing" because the plan determined the service was not covered. Which statement is correct?

A.Both are rejections and can be resolved by resubmitting the same claim.B.Claim 1 is a rejection and may be fixed by obtaining and entering a prior authorization number; Claim 2 is a denial and may require an appeal.C.Claim 2 is a rejection and Claim 1 is a denial; both require new prescriptions.D.Both are denials and require a formal appeal.

Question 16 of 25

While preparing an amoxicillin suspension, a technician picks up the stock bottle and begins to measure the dose. At which points must the technician read the stock bottle label to prevent a product selection error?

A.When selecting the bottle, after measuring the dose, and when returning the bottle to the shelfB.When the prescription is received, after data entry, and before the pharmacist checksC.Once, when first picking the bottle from the shelfD.After counting the medication, before capping the vial, and after printing the label

Question 17 of 25

A 100 mL antibiotic piggyback is ordered to infuse over 1 hour. At what rate should the infusion pump be set?

A.100 mL/hrB.150 mL/hrC.200 mL/hrD.50 mL/hr

Question 18 of 25

At the point of sale, a claim rejects with "Prior Authorization Required." Which is the first appropriate action?

A.Resubmit the claim after correcting the group number.B.Select a different medication from the same class without asking the prescriber.C.Contact the prescriber's office, give them the patient and drug details, and ask them to submit a prior authorization.D.Tell the patient the insurance has denied the medication permanently.

Question 19 of 25

A prescriber orders warfarin 5 mg once daily. The pharmacy has warfarin 2 mg tablets in stock. What should the technician do?

A.Alert the pharmacist that the prescribed strength cannot be filled with the available tablets, because 2 mg tablets would require 2.5 tablets per doseB.Dispense the 2 mg tablets with directions to take 2.5 tablets dailyC.Ask the patient how many tablets they take each day and adjust the entry accordinglyD.Enter the prescription as warfarin 2 mg to match the available stock

Question 20 of 25

A 1,000 mL infusion is running at 30 drops per minute using tubing that delivers 15 drops/mL. Which value must be entered into the formula Time (hours) = Volume (mL) divided by Rate (mL/hr) to find the infusion duration?

A.120 mL/hrB.30 mL/hrC.500 mL/hrD.2 mL/hr

Question 21 of 25

A prior authorization is best described as:

A.A pharmacy's permission to bill an insurance plan for any medication.B.A federal limit on the amount of medication that can be dispensed per fill.C.A plan requirement that the prescriber receive approval before the pharmacy can dispense a specific medication.D.A discount given to patients who pay cash at the pharmacy counter.

Question 22 of 25

A patient's e-prescription for a maintenance medication that is normally taken once daily arrives with directions to take it twice daily. The patient profile shows the drug has been dispensed once daily for the past 6 months. What is the most appropriate action?

A.Ask the pharmacist to review the discrepancy before the order is processedB.Enter the new frequency of twice daily because the e-prescription is currentC.Call the prescriber's office and ask the receptionist to confirm the frequencyD.Enter once daily because that is the patient's established dose

Question 23 of 25

Where would a pharmacy technician find the drop factor for a particular IV tubing set?

A.In the package insert of the infused medicationB.In the patient's medication administration recordC.In the hospital's pharmacy policy manualD.On the IV tubing packaging

Question 24 of 25

A pharmacy technician is entering data from a prescription insurance card and sees a field labeled 'BIN.' What is the standard format for the BIN number?

A.A six-digit numberB.An eight-digit numberC.A four-digit numberD.A ten-digit number

Question 25 of 25

Which habit is most effective for catching a missing piece of information, such as a missing duration, in a prescription order?

A.Reading the entire order as a complete sentence in your head before entering itB.Verifying the quantity against the available stock bottle sizeC.Comparing the order to the patient's most recent prescription for the same drugD.Reading each field independently in the order it appears on the screen

Answer at least 15 questions to get a verdict.

How the verdict works: 80% or more correct = ready, 65-79% = almost, below 65% = not yet. It is a conservative bar for practice, not the official passing score. The questions are corrected on our server; none of them appears with its answer on our other PTCB pages.

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