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United States · Licensing exam

Failed the NPTE? How retakes work

You can retake the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) at a later sitting, registering again about 15 days after the attempt you didn’t pass, unless you’ve reached an attempt limit. A failed NPTE attempt counts toward the limits set by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT): six per exam level in a lifetime, and no more than three in a row in 12 months. Every retake is a new registration, with the full fee and the usual deadlines.

  • About 15 daysUntil you can register again
  • Next sittingEarliest date you can retest
  • 6Attempts per exam level in a lifetime
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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How many times can you take the NPTE?

  • No more than three times in a row within 12 months. After three consecutive attempts, you have to skip the next exam date.
  • No more than six times in your lifetime at each level. If you qualify for both, that’s six for the physical therapist (PT) exam and six for the physical therapist assistant (PTA) exam.
  • No more than two very low scores at a level since January 1, 2016. FSBPT’s eligibility page says scores of 400 or less; its Candidate Handbook says scores below 400.

If you’ve scored exactly 400 before, ask FSBPT Exam Services which wording applies to you. FSBPT also notes that how often you can test varies by jurisdiction, so check your state’s rules too.

A no-show doesn’t count as an attempt. An exam ended because you used your phone does. If you skip a section by mistake and don’t pass, FSBPT doesn’t count that attempt toward the lifetime limit, but you still have to register and pay again.

What should you do after a failed NPTE?

  1. Order FSBPT’s Performance Feedback Report. It shows your results by content area, body system and section, how many more items you needed in each area, and how people with similar scores did on their next attempt.
  2. Go back to the content outline for your level and compare it with your weakest areas.
  3. Take FSBPT’s Practice Exam and Assessment Tool (PEAT) if you haven’t, and the free demo exam.
  4. Try FifthTheory’s free Test Mastery program if test-taking itself is the problem.
  5. If you studied outside the US, FSBPT suggests a program that assesses and remediates your education against one accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If English isn’t your first language, it suggests work on English and reaching at least its recommended scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
  6. Register again in your FSBPT dashboard for the next sitting whose deadlines you can still meet.
PEAT, FSBPT’s practice exam →NPTE exam dates and deadlines →NPTE registration →

What FSBPT says about third and later attempts

FSBPT says that, based on scores since 2008, candidates who have failed the NPTE twice or more are unlikely to pass on a later attempt, and that those who do pass have generally done substantial remediation and physical therapy education. It lists working with a licensed physical therapist or educator, or a credible prep course, as activities that may add to remediation, and says it can’t guarantee any of them will lead to a pass.

Retakes often take longer than the gap between sittings. In FSBPT’s 2023 to 2025 data, 28% of PT candidates skipped a test date between their first and second attempts, and the second attempt came an average of 173 days after graduation.

Appeals if you’ve reached a limit

If an eligibility rule such as the attempt limit stops you testing, you can’t appeal to FSBPT yourself. You give your information to a licensing authority, which may request an appeal on your behalf. If it’s approved, you get one attempt, to be used within 12 months.

Other NPTE policies can be appealed in writing to FSBPT’s Board of Directors within 60 days of your most recent exam, after you’ve talked the issue through with FSBPT staff.

Sources: FSBPT and 6 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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