How many questions are on the NCE and NCMHCE?

The two exams side by side

As of October 2026, from NBCC’s state licensure handbooks:

How the passing score is set

NBCC uses a standard-setting process. For the NCE it’s a modified Angoff method: a committee of experienced counselors rates every question and decides how many correct answers a minimally qualified, entry-level counselor should get. The NCMHCE uses a similar expert review.

Each version of the exam has different questions, so NBCC uses statistical equating. If your version is slightly harder, the passing score moves down a little, and if it’s easier, it moves up. Your result depends only on your own answers, not on how other people did.

So how many can you miss?

There’s no fixed answer. Your score is the number of scored questions you got right: out of 160 on the NCE and out of 100 on the NCMHCE. Your score report shows that number and the passing score for your version.

NBCC doesn’t publish a typical cut score or a percentage. Figures you see online aren’t official. In our practice test we use 70% as a target, but that’s our choice, not NBCC’s rule.

There’s no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.

Pass rates

We couldn’t find NCE or NCMHCE pass rates on NBCC’s exam, licensure or score report pages. If you see a pass rate quoted elsewhere, check where it comes from.

Both exams change on July 1, 2027

NBCC has published new specifications that take effect July 1, 2027, based on a new work analysis. The NCE will have 170 questions with three answer options each, 30 of them unscored. The NCMHCE will have 10 case studies with 130 to 150 questions, 30 to 50 of them unscored. Both will keep 225 minutes of testing time. If you test before then, study for the current format.