United States
Hong KongThe PTCB exam, start to finish
The certification exam for pharmacy technicians: 90 questions in 110 minutes, a scaled pass of 1,400, and a blueprint that changed on 6 January 2026.
Overview
- Questions
- 80 multiple choice
- Time
- 110 minutes - 1.22 minutes a question
- Pass mark
- A scaled score of 1400
- Format
- 90 multiple-choice questions, of which 80 are scored and 10 are unscored pilot items a candidate cannot identify. Delivered in person at a Pearson VUE test center.
- Languages
- English
- Fee
- USD 129
- Sittings
- On demand. Apply to PTCB, then schedule any open Pearson VUE appointment.
- Syllabus
- PTCE Content Outline effective 6 January 2026 (document version v1.4, August 2024), in force from 1 January 2026
- Topics
- 4
What the pass rate says
PTCB does not publish a pass rate for the PTCE, so any figure quoted for it elsewhere has been estimated. The examination changed on 6 January 2026 in any case, which makes an older figure a poor guide to the current paper. What is published is the standard you are marked against: a scaled score of 1,400 on a 1,000 to 1,600 scale.
The 4 topics
| Topic | Syllabus headings | Questions on the paper |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Medications | 6 | 28 |
| 2. Federal Requirements | 6 | 15 |
| 3. Patient Safety and Quality Assurance | 6 | 19 |
| 4. Order Entry and Processing | 4 | 18 |
Every section of the guide
The exam, start to finish
What the PTCE is, what it costs, how you book it and what the scaled score means.
19 articlesDifficulty and preparation time
Why this is a speed paper, and how long people actually need.
12 articlesThe content outline, domain by domain
All four domains, and the federal parts each of them turns on.
64 articlesStudy plans and method
How to prepare around a pharmacy shift, and what to do about the calculations.
13 articlesPractice and exam technique
How these questions are built, and where 73 seconds a question goes wrong.
13 articlesCertification and your state
What the CPhT gets you, what your board of pharmacy adds, and how renewal works.
8 articlesThe job on the other side
What pharmacy technicians earn, where the work is going, and what certification changes.
10 articlesComparisons
Prep providers, question banks, and the certifications people weigh this one against.
10 articlesShort answers
The questions candidates ask before they apply.
14 articles