CPNP-AC Exam FAQs

Please see our exam eligibility requirements.

A master's in nursing is the minimum degree requirement for national nursing certification as an advanced practice nurse practitioner. Candidates who...

No, not unless you can document additional formal academic PNP education such as a post-master's PNP certificate. If you are interested, please contac...

Have your Program Director contact PNCB at service@pncb.org for information.

No. All transcripts must be sent directly to PNCB from the Registrar's office of the educational institution or by a transcript service such as Nation...

Please refer to the transcripts page to review detailed transcript requirements.

After your application is reviewed and once you receive emailed notification of eligibility from PNCB, you can make your appointment to sit for the ex...

Once the PNCB receives all documentation (online application, fees, transcript(s) and documentation of PNP education form [if required]) a letter of e...

No. Only graduates of a primary care or dual (acute care/primary care) program may sit for the primary care exam. The educational curriculum, precepte...

PNCB cannot provide or endorse a specific text or review course, but we can suggest questions to consider when making your choices. Do take time to se...

Exam-takers should know common, generic drug names applicable to the role of the certification exam being taken. Many brand names, while still discuss...

Yes, you may see pictures (images) or graphics on your exam, although they may not be a part of every exam form in use at any given time. Images and g...

There may be a rare exception, but largely, no—reference ranges are not typically provided in exam questions. When a question contains laboratory valu...

Study the most recent guidelines relevant to your credentialing exam. PNCB maintains awareness of when new or updated guidelines are published by nati...

No, candidates are not expected to memorize vaccine schedules as PNCB and its committees of volunteer item writers recognize how often immunization sc...

For any infectious disease, questions are only included on the exam if supported within current textbook references approved for the exam or a nationa...

Exam-takers should know common, generic medication names applicable to pediatric practice. Many brand-name medications, while still commonly discussed...

No. Computer knowledge is not required to take a computer-based exam at PSI. Before the exam begins, a customized introductory lesson is provided that...

The exam includes 175 multiple-choice questions. Of these, 150 questions are scored questions and 25 are unscored pretest questions. You will not know...

For each CPNP-AC exam window currently advertised, preliminary unofficial results will be available onscreen at the testing center (with no printout)...

In most cases, yes. However, in order to obtain a desired time and place within your testing period, an appointment must be made as soon as you receiv...

In order to facilitate disability-related needs, we work with PSI to arrange specific accommodations. Indicate your need for special accommodations wh...

No, because certification exams are secure, and important efforts are made to ensure that security, some of which you noticed at the testing center. T...

Every question on a PNCB exam that counts towards a candidate’s score undergoes rigorous review before it is used on an exam as a scored question. Aft...

If unsuccessful, you will receive retesting policies in your results email.  

For procedures and policies on any of the above, please refer to your candidate handbook. If you would like to request an extension, please see the FA...

For procedures and policies on any of the above, please refer to your candidate handbook. If you would like to request an extension, please see the FA...

For procedures and policies on any of the above, please refer to your candidate handbook. If you would like to request an extension, please see the FA...

For procedures and policies on any of the above, please refer to your candidate handbook. If you would like to request an extension, please see the FA...

For procedures and policies on any of the above, please refer to your candidate handbook.  For CPNP-AC testing window extensions, email exam@pncb.org...

Verification of certification is available 24/7 to all state boards of nursing. A Board can verify or re-verify information on demand and as many time...

Visit Recertification for full details on requirements, options, and deadlines for our annual Recert program.

Documentation of name change is needed if the name on the exam application and/or exam eligibility notification is different than the first and last n...

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