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AANP or ANCC: which FNP exam should you take?

The AANP board FNP exam has 150 questions in 3 hours for US$315, and the ANCC exam has 175 questions in 3.5 hours for US$395.

Checked November 10, 2026

Short answer: Both exams give you a national family nurse practitioner (FNP) certification that leads to state licensure. The AANP board exam has 150 questions in 3 hours and costs US$315, and the ANCC exam has 175 questions in 3.5 hours and costs US$395.

The AANP board is the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), which now operates under the name NPCB. It awards the FNP-C credential. ANCC is the American Nurses Credentialing Center. It awards the FNP-BC credential. This page compares the published facts. It does not tell you which exam is easier.

The two FNP exams side by side

Item AANP board (FNP-C) ANCC (FNP-BC)
Exam fee, not a member US$315 US$395
Questions 150: 135 scored, 15 pretest 175: 150 scored, 25 pretest
Time 3 hours 3.5 hours
Question format Multiple choice Multiple choice
Passing score No number in the board's 2026 documents Scaled score of 350, maximum 500
Wait before a retake No fixed number of days 60 calendar days
Attempts Up to 3 per calendar year No more than 3 in any 12-month period
Certification length 5 years 5 years
2025 first-time pass rate 81% (15,395 exams) 82% (7,719 test takers)

Each board published its own 2025 pass rate. A pass rate describes the group that tested that year. It does not show that one exam is easier. Member prices are in How much do the AANP and ANCC exams cost?.

What each exam tests

The AANP board describes its exams as 100% clinical. Its FNP blueprint divides the 135 scored questions by clinical task: Assess 43 questions (32%), Diagnose 36 (27%), Plan 36 (27%) and Evaluate 20 (15%). It also divides the same questions by patient age, from newborn to older adult.

The ANCC FNP test content outline, effective October 30, 2026, has five domains: Assessment 26 questions (17%), Diagnosis 25 (17%), Planning 29 (19%), Implementation 50 (33%) and Evaluation 20 (13%). The outline gives percentages only for these five domains, and none of them is a separate professional role domain. The Implementation domain does include knowledge of the responsible and ethical use of information technology, such as artificial intelligence.

Retakes and renewal

At the AANP board, you can reapply after you receive your official score by email. ANCC requires a wait of 60 calendar days and a retest fee, and ANCC does not publish the amount. See How many times can you retake an NP board exam?.

To renew, the AANP board requires 1,000 practice hours as an FNP plus 100 continuing education (CE) contact hours, or you can pass the exam again. ANCC requires 75 CE contact hours plus one professional development category. Practice hours are an option at ANCC, not a requirement. Both boards require 25 pharmacology hours inside the CE total. See How do you renew NP certification?.

Choose by what matters to you

  • Exam fee and length: for a non-member, the AANP board exam has the lower fee. It also has fewer questions and a shorter time. The numbers are in the table above.
  • Result on test day: the AANP board shows a preliminary pass or fail result immediately after the exam. ANCC results are viewed online through Prometric's score report portal after the exam.
  • Renewal without practice hours: ANCC does not require practice hours to renew. The AANP board requires 1,000 practice hours unless you renew by exam.
  • Application documents: ANCC requires a Validation of Education (VOE) form and clinical hour documentation. The AANP board does not require a VOE form.
  • An older degree: ANCC requires you to apply within 5 years of degree conferral.

What to do next

  1. Ask your state board of nursing which certifications it accepts for the advanced practice license.
  2. Ask your employer, or the employers you want to work for, if they prefer one credential.
  3. Check that you meet the rules in Who is eligible for the NP board exams, and when can you apply?.

Common questions

Do states and employers accept both credentials?

Both boards are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Each state board of nursing sets its own license rules, so confirm with your state board and your employer before you apply.

Can I take either exam at home?

No. Both certification exams are given at Prometric test centers. Neither board offers remote proctoring for the certification exam.

Prep from our team

NPractitioner has 2,500+ practice questions for the FNP and adult-gerontology primary care board exams, written to American guidelines, with study sheets by topic. All Nursing Exams, NCLEXPace and NPractitioner are run by the same team. See https://www.npractitioner.com.

Sources