Eligibility Requirements

General Eligibility Requirements

In order to sit for the NPTE, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. You must be at least eighteen years old.
2. You must submit an online registration and pay the examination fee.
3. You cannot have an open exam registration for the same level exam.
4. You must have a degree appropriate for the exam level from a CAPTE-accredited institution, or have an education that has been determined to be substantially equivalent by a recognized credentialing agency.
5. You cannot have an open security investigation or sanctions that have not been completed.
6. You must be approved by the licensing authority, or their authorized designee, in the jurisdiction where you intend to be licensed.

Your licensing jurisdiction may have additional eligibility requirements beyond those outlined above. Make sure you have thoroughly reviewed your jurisdiction’s licensure requirements before you register for the NPTE.

Testing Limits

The following testing limits apply to all candidates taking the NPTE:

1. You cannot test more than three consecutive times. If you have tested three consecutive times, you must skip the next exam date.
2. You cannot test more than six times in your lifetime at either exam level. You may test up to six times at both the PT and PTA level if you are otherwise qualified to test at both levels.
3. You cannot test if you previously took the exam twice and received two very low scores, defined as any scaled score below 400.