All PTCB Practice Tests
Listed below are all of our PTCB practice exams. Work your way through them and see how you do.
PTCE Exam Overview
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) developed the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) to assess whether individuals have the knowledge necessary to work as pharmacy technicians.
Passing the PTCE exam allows pharmacy techs to use the CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Technician) designation. In order to continue using the CPhT designation, pharmacy tech’s must successfully complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years.
Fast Facts:
- Number of Questions: 90 Multiple-Choice Questions
- Time Limit: 1 Hour and 50 Minutes
- Other Notes: 80 Questions are Scored and 10 are Unscored
The exam covers 4 main subjects, with each of those subjects broken down further. Here is everything covered on the exam:
- Medications (40%)
- Generic names, brand names, and classifications of medications
- Therapeutic equivalence
- Common and life-threatening drug interactions and contraindications
- Strengths/dose, dosage forms, routes of administration, special handling and administration instructions, and duration of drug therapy
- Common and severe medication side effects, adverse effects, and allergies
- Indications of medications and dietary supplements
- Drug stability
- Narrow therapeutic index (NTI) medications
- Physical and chemical incompatibilities related to non-sterile compounding and reconstitution
- Proper storage of medications
- Federal Requirements (12.5%)
- Federal requirements for handling and disposal of non-hazardous, hazardous, and pharmaceutical substances and waste
- Federal requirements for controlled substance prescriptions
- Federal requirements (e.g., DEA, FDA) for controlled substances
- Federal requirements for restricted drug programs and related medication processing
- FDA recall requirements
- Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (26.25%)
- High-alert/risk medications and look-alike/sound-alike [LASA] medications
- Error prevention strategies
- Issues that require pharmacist intervention
- Event reporting procedures
- Types of prescription errors
- Hygiene and cleaning standards
- Order Entry and Processing (21.25%)
- Procedures to compound non-sterile products
- Formulas, calculations, ratios, proportions, alligations, conversions, Sig codes
- Equipment/supplies required for drug administration
- Lot numbers, expiration dates, and National Drug Code (NDC) numbers
- Procedures for identifying and returning dispensable, non-dispensable, and expired medications and supplies
PTCE Exam Scoring
The PTCE exam uses scaled scores to help keep the scoring similar from year to year. A candidate’s raw score (the number of questions a candidate answered correctly) is transformed to a scaled score.
Scaled scores on the PTCB exam range from 1,000 to 1,600. The passing score for the exam is 1,400.
You unofficial score report will be available immediately following your exam. Your official score report will be available online approximately one to three weeks after the exam date.
Candidates who pass the exam will receive a certificate and wallet card approximately four to six weeks after the exam. Candidates who fail the exam are allowed to retake the exam after 60 days (for second and third attempts).
If a candidate fails the exam three times, they must wait six months to take their fourth attempt. After four failed attempts, candidates must provide evidence of completing acceptable preparation activities in order to be allowed to take the exam again.
Registering for the PTCE and Test Day
To register for the PTCE exam, you will need to follow these steps:
- Create an account on the PTCB website.
- Apply for certification
- Wait for your application to be approved
- Once approved, you will receive your authorization to test and you can schedule your exam
The exam is administered through Pearson VUE. You will be taking the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center via a computer. The current fee to take the PTCE exam is $129.
PTCB CPhT Eligibility Requirements
A candidate must meet all of the following requirements in order to be eligible for the PTCB certification:
- Live in the United State or a territory of the United States
- Full compliance with all appropriate PTCB certification policies.
- Complete disclosure of: State Board of Pharmacy registration/licensure actions and any criminal convictions.
- Completion of a PTCB-Recognized education program or equivalent work experience.
- Successful completion (passing) of the PTCE exam.
PTCB Practice Test Benefits
There are many benefits of preparing for your Pharmacy Technician exam with practice tests. Studying for your PTCB exam using sample questions is one of the most effective study practices you can use.
The advantages of using a free PTCB practice test are:
- Understanding the Test Format: Every standardized test has its own unique format. As you take practice Pharm Tech tests you will become familiar with the format of the actual PTCB test. Once the test day arrives you will have no surprises.
- Concentrating Your Studies: As you take more and more sample tests you begin to get a feel for the topics that you know well and the areas that you are weak on. Many students waste a lot of valuable study time by reviewing material that they are already good with. The most effective way to study is to concentrate on the areas that you need help on.
- Know the Tricks: All standardized tests have certain “tricks” that they use to get you to select the wrong answer. By taking practice tests, you will learn to spot these trick questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I practice for the PTCB?
One of the best ways to practice for the PTCB test is by taking practice tests. Our free practice tests will challenge you in all subjects that are on the PTCB.
Our practice tests include answer explanations to help you learn as much material as possible.
What is on the PTCB exam?
The PTCB asks questions on the following categories:
- Medications
- Federal Requirements
- Patient Safety and Quality Assurance
- Order Entry and Processing
It is important to note that this exam is also referred to as the PTCE.
What is the PTCB exam?
PTCB stands for Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. The exam was designed to assess whether individuals have the knowledge necessary to work as pharmacy technicians.
Please note that this exam is commonly referred to as the PTCB exam or the PTCE.
What certification do you earn when you pass the PTCB exam?
After passing the PTCB exam (also known as the PTCE), you will earn your PTCB CPhT certification.
Does the PTCB CPhT certification need renewed?
Yes, you will need to renew your PTCB CPhT certification every 2 years.
