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NPTE Exam Retake Policy: How Many Times Can You Take It?

These are FSBPT's rules for retaking the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) at the PT and PTA levels. Your state licensing board can add requirements on top of them.

The short answer

  • When: There's no set waiting period. Your next attempt is the next scheduled test date you can register for and be approved for in time. You can usually start a new registration about 15 days after an unsuccessful attempt.
  • Attempts in 12 months: FSBPT says you may test a maximum of three times in any 12-month period. Its eligibility rules also say that after three consecutive exam attempts, you must skip the next exam date.
  • Lifetime: Six attempts per exam level. PT and PTA are counted separately.
  • Low scores: Two scaled scores of 400 or below (since January 1, 2016) at one level end your eligibility at that level.
  • Cost: Full price every time: $605 for PT or $585 for PTA in FSBPT and Prometric fees, before any state fees.

Last verified November 3, 2026, against FSBPT's published policies.

Next dates you can still register for (as of November 3, 2026):

  • PTA: January 5–6, 2027. Register and pay by December 1, 2026. Board approval by December 8, 2026.
  • PT: January 26–27, 2027. Register and pay by December 22, 2026. Board approval by January 5, 2027.

Can I retake the NPTE? Check in 30 seconds

Answer these five questions for the exam level you're retaking. Count only attempts where you actually sat for the exam. FSBPT says no-shows don't count toward its limits.

Question If your answer is… What it means
1. How many times have you taken this level? 6 or more You've reached FSBPT's lifetime limit. Your only route is an appeal your state board files for you.
2. How many of your scores at this level (since Jan 1, 2016) were 400 or below? 2 or more The low-score rule blocks further testing at this level. Your only route is an appeal your state board files for you.
Question 2 continued 1 You can test again, but one more score of 400 or below ends your eligibility at this level.
3. Have you already tested three times in the preceding 12 months? Yes Do not plan a fourth attempt inside that 12-month period.
4. Were those three attempts on three consecutive NPTE test dates? Yes You must also skip the next scheduled exam date.
5. Does your state add its own limit or remediation requirement? Yes or not sure Check with your board before you pay. See the state examples below.

If questions 1–4 don't block you, you're within FSBPT's national attempt limits. You still need your board's approval before the deadline for your chosen date.

Example: You took the NPTE-PT in April, July and October 2026, all three in a row. You can't register for January 2027. Your next possible date is April 27–28, 2027, with registration due March 23, 2027.

This check applies FSBPT's published rules. It doesn't replace your board's approval or FSBPT's decision on your registration.

The four NPTE retake limits

Rule What it means for you Can it be appealed?
Next scheduled date No 30-, 45- or 60-day wait. You retake at the next date you can register and be approved for. —
Three in 12 months / three consecutive attempts FSBPT says you may test no more than three times in any 12-month period. Its eligibility rules also say that after three consecutive attempts, you must skip the next exam date. Not listed as appealable by FSBPT
Six per level, lifetime Up to six attempts at NPTE-PT and six at NPTE-PTA, if you qualify for both. Attempts taken before this rule began in 2016 still count. Yes, through your state board
Two scores of 400 or below Two very low scaled scores at one level since January 1, 2016 end testing at that level. Yes, through your state board

Sources: FSBPT Candidate Handbook: Eligibility Requirements · FSBPT Eligibility Requirements · FSBPT Retake Exam FAQ · FSBPT Handbook: Retaking the Examination

FSBPT currently publishes both formulations: its retake guidance says a maximum of three times in any 12-month period, while its eligibility rules add that after three consecutive exam attempts you must skip the next exam date. Treat both as controlling limits when you plan a retake rather than assuming the consecutive-attempt wording replaces the broader 12-month cap.

One more registration rule: you can't have two open registrations at the same level. Finish or withdraw your current registration before you start a new one (FSBPT handbook).

Next NPTE retake dates and deadlines

All deadlines are 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Some states set earlier application deadlines. Your board's approval has to reach FSBPT by the approval deadline, so start the state side early.

NPTE-PT

Test date Register & pay by Board approval by Scores sent to your board
Jan 26–27, 2027 Dec 22, 2026 Jan 5, 2027 Feb 3, 2027
Apr 27–28, 2027 Mar 23, 2027 Mar 30, 2027 May 5, 2027
Jul 27–28, 2027 Jun 22, 2027 Jun 29, 2027 Aug 4, 2027
Oct 26–27, 2027 Sep 21, 2027 Sep 28, 2027 Nov 3, 2027

Did you take the PT exam on October 27–28, 2026? Scores go to jurisdictions on November 4, 2026, and your free score report opens November 12, 2026. If you didn't pass, January 2027 is the next scheduled PT administration—but only if you're still within FSBPT's attempt limits and can meet the registration and jurisdiction-approval deadlines.

NPTE-PTA

Test date Register & pay by Board approval by Scores sent to your board
Jan 5–6, 2027 Dec 1, 2026 Dec 8, 2026 Jan 13, 2027
Apr 6–7, 2027 Mar 2, 2027 Mar 9, 2027 Apr 14, 2027
Jul 7–8, 2027 Jun 2, 2027 Jun 9, 2027 Jul 15, 2027
Oct 5–6, 2027 Aug 31, 2027 Sep 7, 2027 Oct 14, 2027

The January PTA date comes fast after October results, and its December 1 registration deadline comes even faster. If you need more study time than that leaves, April is the more realistic target. Waiting doesn't cost you an attempt. Being allowed to test on the next date doesn't mean you have to.

Book your Prometric seat as soon as your Authorization to Test (ATT) letter arrives. Seats are first come, first served, and FSBPT holds them only until a set date before each window. For the January 2027 PT date, that date is January 12.

Sources: FSBPT Dates and Deadlines · FSBPT Future Test Dates · FSBPT Schedule Exam

The 400-score rule

FSBPT treats a scaled score of 400 or below as a "very low score," meaning performance at or close to chance. The NPTE is scored from 200 to 800, and 600 passes. Two very low scores at the same exam level since January 1, 2016, and you can't register again at that level unless an appeal succeeds.

It's two, not three. After one score of 400 or below, another score of 400 or below would trigger this limit. FSBPT's current eligibility page, retake guidance, and appeal form all treat 400 as included in the very-low-score rule.

A score this low is a strong reason to change the preparation plan before using another attempt. FSBPT specifically points repeat test takers toward substantial remediation, performance feedback, content review, practice testing, test-taking support, and—when relevant—English-language or education-gap remediation.

Sources: FSBPT Eligibility Requirements · FSBPT Handbook: Retaking the Examination · FSBPT After Exam

What a retake costs

There's no reduced retake fee. Every attempt is priced like the first one.

Item NPTE-PT NPTE-PTA
FSBPT exam fee $485 $485
FSBPT processing fee (1.6%, rounded up to the next dollar) $8 $8
Prometric sitting fee $112 $92
Total per attempt, before state fees $605 $585
Optional: Performance Feedback Report ($100 + processing fee) $102 $102
Optional: PEAT practice exams ($99 + processing fee) $101 $101

The math: $485 × 1.6% = $7.76, which rounds up to $8. Your state may also charge an application or re-exam fee. FSBPT has said the $485 exam fee stays in place through December 31, 2027.

Fees that catch retakers off guard:

  • If your board doesn't approve you by the approval deadline, FSBPT closes your registration and refunds the exam fee minus $50.
  • Withdrawing costs $50 if you do it 30 or more days before exam day, and $120 if you do it later. Once the testing window ends, you can't withdraw and the fee is lost.
  • Changing or canceling your Prometric appointment is free 30 or more days out. It costs $60 at 5–29 days and the full sitting fee inside 5 days.
  • FSBPT makes no exceptions for illness. If you're sick, withdraw before the window ends to get a partial refund. A no-show doesn't count as an attempt, but you lose the Prometric fee.

Sources: FSBPT Exam Registration & Payment · FSBPT Schedule Exam · FSBPT Handbook: Exam Registration and Scheduling · FSBPT Handbook: Rescheduling, Withdrawing, and No-Shows · FSBPT fee announcement

How to register for a retake

A retake follows the same path as your first registration:

  1. Register and pay again on your FSBPT dashboard. This opens about 15 days after an unsuccessful attempt, and you must finish before the registration deadline for your chosen date.
  2. Get approved by your jurisdiction before the approval deadline. Ask your board whether it needs a new application, a repeat-exam form or a fee. South Carolina, for example, has a separate NPTE repeat request.
  3. Watch your email for the ATT letter. It arrives once you're approved and paid in full.
  4. Schedule at Prometric right away and pay the sitting fee. You must test within the window on your ATT letter.

Sources: FSBPT Handbook: After Test Day · FSBPT Registration Process

Your state may be stricter

FSBPT's limits apply everywhere. Your state can set a lower cap or require remediation before it approves you again. Three examples we checked against current law:

  • Florida (PT applicants): After three failed attempts, you must complete education or training set by the board before testing again. You then get two more attempts. After five failures, you're no longer eligible in Florida. (Fla. Stat. §486.051)
  • New Mexico: After two or more NPTE failures, New Mexico requires board-specified remedial work before later attempts; the rule lays out progressively more intensive mentorship, tutoring, review-course and PEAT requirements after additional failures. FSBPT's national attempt limits still apply on top of that. (16.20.2.8 NMAC)
  • Kentucky: After six failed attempts at the PT or PTA examination per exam level, in any jurisdiction, you can't register for additional examinations in Kentucky. (201 KAR 22:020)

FSBPT publishes a state-by-state retake table in its Licensure Reference Guide. It's a good starting point, but some rows lag current law. It still lists Kentucky's cap as six attempts combined across PT and PTA, while Kentucky's current regulation counts six per exam level. Confirm your rule with the board itself: FSBPT's licensing authority contacts.

Out of attempts? The appeal route

FSBPT's published appeal process covers two limits: the six-attempt lifetime limit and the two-very-low-scores rule. It does not list the 12-month/consecutive-attempt rule as appealable through that process.

  1. Download FSBPT's NPTE appeal form.
  2. Submit it to the board in the state where you're seeking licensure. FSBPT won't accept an appeal directly from you.
  3. Your board decides whether to send it to FSBPT on your behalf.
  4. FSBPT decides within 60 days and notifies you by email if your appeal is granted.
  5. If it's granted, you get one additional attempt, and you must register for it within one year.

Some boards may set their own conditions before they'll forward an appeal. Ask the jurisdiction where you're seeking licensure what it requires.

Source: FSBPT Appeals Process

Before you rebook: use your score report

FSBPT is blunt about this. Based on scores since 2008, candidates who have failed the NPTE twice or more are unlikely to pass on any later attempt. The ones who do pass have done substantial remediation, not another lap through the same material. FSBPT also says no single activity guarantees a pass (FSBPT Important Retake Information).

Here's how we'd use FSBPT's own tools:

  1. Start with your free score report. If you need more diagnostic detail, consider the Performance Feedback Report ($100 plus processing fee). It breaks performance down by content area, body system and exam section. For content areas and body systems, it includes scaled scores, retake ranges, and an "On Track to Pass" estimate showing about how many additional items would have been needed in that area for performance consistent with a 600-level score. FSBPT warns that you cannot pass or fail an individual content area.
  2. Rank the areas where the report shows the biggest gap to its On Track to Pass estimate, not just the areas that felt worst on test day. Use that as one input to your study list; small content-area samples are not precise readiness scores.
  3. Use PEAT as checkpoints, not as your study material ($99 plus processing fee). You get two timed exams, a practice test and a retired NPTE form, with rationales and timing data. Access lasts 90 days from your first start. Take one after you've worked on your weak areas and save the second for close to test day. Buying PEAT again gets you a different version.
  4. Fix the non-content problems too. FSBPT points to its free NPTE demo exam and free FifthTheory Test Mastery tool for test-taking skills. It also recommends English-language remediation for non-native speakers and an education gap program for candidates educated outside the U.S.

Quick answers

Is there a waiting period between NPTE attempts? There's no set number of days. You can sit for the next scheduled date if you remain within FSBPT's maximum of three attempts in any 12-month period, have not triggered the consecutive-attempt skip rule, and meet that date's deadlines.

Can I retake the NPTE in the same testing window? No. Each window is one attempt, and your next attempt is on a later scheduled date.

Does a no-show count as an attempt? No. FSBPT says no-shows don't count against your annual or lifetime limits. You do lose the Prometric fee, and you must withdraw by the end of the window to get part of the FSBPT fee back.

Do PTA attempts count against my PT attempts? Not under FSBPT's rules. You get six at each level. Check your state, because a state can count attempts its own way.

Do attempts in another state count? Yes. FSBPT's limits follow you, not the state. Some states, including Florida and Kentucky, also count failures from any jurisdiction toward their own limits.

Can I get my NPTE rescored? No. FSBPT says scores are final once issued. It doesn't release exam questions or answers. The Performance Feedback Report is the most detailed breakdown you can get.

When will I get my retake score? Your pass/fail status posts to your FSBPT dashboard, and goes to your board, about five business days after the testing window ends. The free score report with your scaled score appears about ten business days after your exam date and stays up for 30 days.

Sources

All sources were checked on November 3, 2026.

By the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. Last verified November 3, 2026: FSBPT retake limits, appeal process, fees, 2026–2027 test dates, and the Florida, New Mexico, and Kentucky rules cited above.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) or any state licensing board. Exam and credential names are used for identification only, and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Confirm your eligibility with FSBPT and your state board before you register.