Examination Format
More NAPLEX Resources
Retakes
Mandatory Waiting Period
3-Attempt Limit per 12-Month Period
5-Attempt Maximum Limit
The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX®) is an examination owned and developed by NABP for use by the boards of pharmacy to consider candidate exam results for the purposes of licensure eligibility.
The NAPLEX is designed to evaluate general practice knowledge and is taken by recent graduates of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-accredited entry-level pharmacy schools shortly after they receive their degree, as well as by foreign-educated pharmacists who have earned their Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee™ (FPGEC®) certification.
NABP’s member boards have access to examination results to ensure that licensure applicants meet the minimum competency standards as determined by the states.
The NAPLEX is a 6-hour exam composed of 225 questions that are delivered in a computerized, fixed form. Of the questions, 200 will be used to calculate your exam results. The remaining 25 are pretest questions distributed throughout the exam, administered so they can be evaluated for possible inclusion in future examinations – you will not know which questions will affect your exam results.
The majority of questions are asked in a scenario-based format. To properly analyze and answer the questions presented, you will need to refer to the information provided in a patient profile or medical record. You may be prompted to scroll and navigate the profiles and medical records to ensure no information is overlooked in answering the question. You will be unable to proceed to the next question until you have completed scrolling through the presented information. Interspersed among these are stand-alone questions that are not related to a scenario and can be answered using the information provided in the question itself. You must answer all questions in the order in which they are presented, and you may not skip any questions. You cannot go back and change your answers once you have confirmed your answer choice and moved to the next question.
During the examination, you may take two optional 10-minute breaks. The computer will prompt you at programmed, timed, intervals to let you know when you can take a break. The total appointment time is 6 hours and 45 minutes to allow time to read and agree with the nondisclosure agreement (NDA) for NABP examinations. You may take 2 optional breaks. You may take unscheduled breaks, but the time used for unscheduled breaks will count against your total time allotted for the exam. A breakdown of your total appointment time is provided below.
See the Exam Results and Other Outcomes section for details on the NAPLEX results process.
Review the NAPLEX Competency Statements to gain an understanding of the topic areas covered in the exam. The NAPLEX Blueprint will be updated for exams administered starting May 1, 2025.
If you are registered to test before May 1, 2025, review the 2024 NAPLEX Competency Statements to gain an understanding of the topic areas covered in the exam.
If you are testing after May 1, 2025, you should use the new NAPLEX Content Outline.
Download the sample items to understand the formatting of exam questions.
Take the Pre-NAPLEX®, the official practice exam.
To retake the NAPLEX, you must start the eligibility application process again. This includes paying the application fee of $100. Eligibility must be reconfirmed by a board of pharmacy. Once eligibility is granted by the board, a new examination fee of $520 will be required. Candidates will not receive a new authorization to test (ATT) to schedule an exam until the mandatory waiting period has ended, which is 45 days after the date of the failed exam. Some jurisdictions require a longer waiting period. If you are testing for such a jurisdiction, the longer waiting period applies.
If you fail the NAPLEX, you must wait 45 days (starting from the date of the failed attempt) before you will be allowed to schedule the NAPLEX again. There is a 45-day waiting period after a failed attempt to take the NAPLEX. This policy is mandatory, and there are no exceptions.
You are allowed 3 attempts to take the NAPLEX during a 12-month period. If you reach the maximum of 3 attempts in a 12-month period, you must wait at least 12 months from the first attempt to reapply and begin the application process again. This policy is mandatory, and there are no exceptions.
You have a maximum of 5 attempts to pass the NAPLEX unless a board of pharmacy determines otherwise.
October 2024