The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) administers the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE), the examination that every graduate of a physical therapy or physical therapist assistant education program must pass to become a licensed physical therapist or licensed/certified physical therapist assistant (or to regain licensure/certification if lapsed) in the United States (US). Foreign-educated candidates who wish to become licensed in the US
must also take and pass this examination.
The NPTE is a computer-administered examination. The physical therapist licensure examination has five sections each with 50 questions. Of the 250 multiple choice questions, only 200 are scored. The other 50 questions are being pretested to see if they meet the standards to be included in future exams. The physical therapist assistant licensure examination has four sections with a total of 200 multiple choice questions. As in the physical therapist examination, 50 of these questions are being pre-tested and are not scored.
There is one scheduled 15 minute break during the examination. A candidate may take up to three unscheduled breaks between sections, but these breaks use time that is allotted for test-taking. Additional information about the examinations can be found at www.fsbpt.org.
Scoring
The scoring ranges from 200-800. The minimum passing score is 600 for both the PT and PTA exam.
Pass Rate
In the 2010 exam year,
passing rates for both examinations were:
PT Exam: 87% for first-time test takers graduating from accredited US PT schools
PTA Exam: 82% for first-time test takers graduating from accredited US PTA schools
Location
Testing is administered at Prometric Testing Centers. Candidates are not required to test in the jurisdiction for which they are applying for licensure.
Fees
As of May 18, 2011, the fees that should be calculated into taking the NPTE are as follows:
- The general fee for taking the NPTE is $370.
- The Prometric sitting fee is $70.60.
- The Jurisprudence examinations fees vary by state. and range from $30–$50.
Dates
The NPTE has switched to fixed-date testing for the PT examination only. The PTA examination may be taken at a Prometric testing center at any available time during the 60 day authorization window.
2011
The NPTE has switched to fixed-date testing. The following fixed-dates are available for 2011 (you must register at least one month prior to the test date and may register as early as June 1, 2011):
- September 7, 2011
- October 26, 2011
- December 5, 2011
2012
In 2012, there will be five dates available for testing:
- January 30, 2012
- March 29, 2012
- July 2, 2012
- July 31, 2012
- October 23, 2012
The FSBPT will post updates and news concerning fixed-date testing.
Guidelines and Tips
General information on registration and eligibility is available on the FSBPT Web site. Registration information and requirements vary by state. It is important to realize that a
candidate must first meet eligibility requirements of the jurisdiction to which he or she is applying for licensure before scheduling the exam. Information by state can be located on the FSBPT Licensing Authorities Web page.
Tip: There is no penalty for answering a question incorrectly—answer all questions even if unsure of the answer.
The FSBPT offers access to two 200-question practice examinations through Practice Examination and Assessment Tool (PEAT) for both the PT and the PTA exam. The cost is $90 for 30 days of online access with an option for a 15 day extension for $45.
Additional Resources
More on Licensure Examination Preparation
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