United States
Hong KongWhat it costs, and what failing costs
USD 32.50 for a single subtest, USD 65.00 for two, USD 97.50 for three and USD 130.00 for the full battery, under the fee schedule in Rule 6A-4.0021(4)(b). A retake is a fresh single-subtest registration at USD 32.50, and retake fees may not be waived.
The fee schedule is in the rule, not on a marketing page, which makes it one of the few numbers about this test you can check yourself in under a minute.
The schedule
| Registration | Fee |
|---|---|
| Single subtest | USD 32.50 |
| Two subtests | USD 65.00 |
| Three subtests | USD 97.50 |
| Full battery, all four | USD 130.00 |
Rule 6A-4.0021(4)(b), in force since 22 April 2019. Notice what the schedule does not do: it gives no discount for bundling. Four singles cost exactly what the full battery costs. Sit them one at a time if that suits you and you lose nothing but appointments.
What a retake adds
A retake is not a discounted resit. It is a fresh single-subtest registration at USD 32.50, and you only re-register the subtest you failed. Against USD 130.00 for a first sitting of all four, one retake costs a quarter of that.
It is a cheap failure by the standards of professional testing, and that cuts both ways. Cheap enough that candidates sit early to see what the test is like, which buys information a free timed mock gives you for nothing, and costs thirty days of waiting on top of the fee.
Budget for the realistic case, not the best one
In 2025, 37.2 percent of FTCE and FELE candidates retook at least one subtest. Roughly a quarter of General Knowledge candidates clear all four at the first attempt on our own compound of the Department's published rates, and that figure is derived rather than published.
| Scenario | Total fees |
|---|---|
| All four passed first time | USD 130.00 |
| All four, one subtest retaken once | USD 130.00 plus USD 32.50 |
| All four, two subtests retaken once each | USD 130.00 plus USD 65.00 |
| Two subtests covered by an alternative score, two sat | USD 65.00 |
That last row is the one worth staring at. Rule 6A-4.0021(12) lets a qualifying GRE, SAT, ACT or CLT score satisfy the requirement subtest by subtest, and an SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 560 reaches three of the four. Check the alternative score routes before you pay anything.
Military fee waivers
Rule 6A-4.0021 provides military testing fee waivers, and states plainly that fees for retake examinations may not be waived. So the waiver applies to the sitting, not to the repair.
Practically, that pushes a service member toward preparing harder for the first attempt rather than less, which is the opposite of how a fee waiver usually changes behavior. There is more on this in military fee waivers for the FTCE.
What the fee does not cover
- Preparation materials
- Optional. Nothing FLDOE requires
- A teacher preparation program
- A separate certification requirement with its own cost
- Alternative test scores
- GRE, SAT, ACT and CLT each carry their own fee if you sit them fresh
- Score reports
- Check the current detail on the registration site
The competencies you are tested against are free to read, because the rule incorporates them by reference and publishes them. Whatever you spend on preparation, you are not paying for access to the syllabus.
Our figures are transcribed from the rule text as it stood on 6 September 2026. Rules get amended. Check the current schedule at the FTCE and FELE registration site rather than relying on any third party, this one included.
Common questions
How much does the FTCE General Knowledge Test cost?
USD 32.50 for a single subtest, USD 65.00 for two, USD 97.50 for three and USD 130.00 for the full battery. The schedule is set in Rule 6A-4.0021(4)(b) and has been in force since 22 April 2019.
Is a retake cheaper than the first attempt?
No, but it is smaller. A retake is a fresh single-subtest registration at USD 32.50, and you re-register only the subtest you failed. Passing scores on the other subtests are kept and never re-sat.
Do you save money by sitting all four at once?
No. Four single-subtest registrations at USD 32.50 come to the same USD 130.00 as the full battery. Sitting them together saves appointments and travel, not fees, so split them if that suits your preparation better.
Can the fee be waived?
Rule 6A-4.0021 provides military testing fee waivers. The same rule states that fees for retake examinations may not be waived, so a waiver covers a sitting rather than a repeat of one you failed.
What is the cheapest way to satisfy the requirement?
An alternative test score you already hold. Qualifying GRE, SAT, ACT or CLT scores can satisfy the requirement subtest by subtest under Rule 6A-4.0021(12), at no fee at all if you sat the test years ago and the score still qualifies.