Earning a PTCB Certification is a crucial initiative toward a rewarding career in healthcare. As a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), you’ll work more effectively to support your pharmacy team and supply superior patient care.
The pharmacy technician certification exam (PTCE) is a computer-based exam with 90 multiple-choice questions (80 scored questions and 10 unscored questions). Unscored questions are randomly placed throughout the exam and are not identified.
Be prepared to commit 2 hours for the exam (5-minute tutorial, 1 hour, and a 50-minute exam and 5-minute post-exam survey). Your unofficial exam result will be presented on the screen immediately following the post-exam survey. You may also receive a printed copy of the unofficial exam result at the test site. Official exam results will be posted to your PTCB Account within two to three weeks. Steps to require becoming certified as a CPhT:
- Register online to make a PTCB Account
- Apply for certification by logging in your PTCB Account. The value to use and take the pharmacy technician certification exam is $129. Once your application is approved. You’ll receive an email from PTCB indicating authorization to schedule your exam appointment.
- Schedule your PTCE appointment once you’ve received your authorization to schedule an email from PTCB. You’ll schedule your appointment online or call Pearson Vue at 866‐902‐0593. The PTCE is run year‐round at quite 1,400 Pearson Professional Centers nationwide, including quite 100 military on-base sites.
- Take the pharmacy technician certification exam, a two‐hour multiple-choice exam containing 90 questions (80 scored questions and 10 unscored questions). Official score reports are available online within your PTCB Account approximately three weeks following your exam.
- If you obtain a passing score on the pharmacy technician certification exam, you’ll have access to your official certificate and wallet card through your PTCB Account, once your official score report becomes available within approximately 1 to three weeks of your exam date.
Eligibility Requirements to earn your CPhT certification:
- Completion of a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program or equivalent work experience
- Full disclosure of all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions
- Compliance with all applicable PTCB Certification policies
- Passing score on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)
Beginning in January 2020, candidates must complete a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program OR equivalent work experience to be eligible.
To be eligible for the pharmacy technician certification exam, a candidate must complete one among the subsequent two pathways:
- A PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program (or completion within 60 days). Candidates choose between quite 1,400 recognized programs. Pathway
- Equivalent work experience as a pharmacy technician (min. 500 hours). This alternative secondary path serves experienced technicians who weren’t during a position to attend a PTCB-recognized program. PTCB accepts work experience across pharmacy practice settings that pertain to certain knowledge requirements.
Access these test resources before your exam date to ease your nerves and assist you to prepare:
- PTCE Content Outlines.
- A content outline defines the content which will be measured on the exam.
- Pearson VUE Tutorial provides a preview of the testing experience and functionality. The tutorial isn’t PTCE specific.
- Official PTCB Practice Tools
Many external resources are available which will be useful to individuals preparing for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.
