All Nursing Exams

AGNP and AGPCNP-BC exams: the full guide

The AANP board AGNP exam has 150 questions in 3 hours for US$315. The ANCC AGPCNP-BC exam has 175 questions in 3.5 hours for US$395.

Checked November 10, 2026

Short answer: The AANP board's adult-gerontology primary care (AGNP) exam has 150 questions in 3 hours and costs US$315, or US$240 for AANP members, and ANCC's AGPCNP-BC exam has 175 questions in 3.5 hours and costs US$395, or US$295 for ANA members. The AANP board allows 2 attempts per calendar year and changes its blueprint on January 1, 2027, while ANCC allows 3 attempts in any 12-month period and requires a scaled score of 350.

The AANP board is the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), which now operates under the name NPCB. Its credential is AGNP-C. ANCC is the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and its credential is AGPCNP-BC. AANP is the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and ANA is the American Nurses Association.

At a glance

Item AANP board (AGNP-C) ANCC (AGPCNP-BC)
Fee US$315; US$240 for AANP members US$395; US$295 ANA; US$340 AANP or GAPNA; US$290 AANP student
Questions 150: 135 scored, 15 pretest 175: 150 scored, 25 pretest
Time 3 hours 3.5 hours
Pass mark No number in the board's 2026 documents Scaled score of 350 or higher, maximum 500
Testing window 120 days 120 days
Attempts Up to 2 per calendar year No more than 3 in any 12-month period
Certification length 5 years 5 years
Where you test Prometric test centers Prometric test centers

GAPNA is the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association. Neither board offers remote proctoring for the certification exam. Every fee is in How much do the AANP and ANCC exams cost?.

Who is eligible

Both boards ask for a current, active registered nurse (RN) license, a graduate adult-gerontology primary care NP program and at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours. The details differ:

  • Accreditation: the AANP board accepts a nursing accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. ANCC accepts CCNE, ACEN or NLN CNEA accreditation.
  • RN license: the AANP board requires a U.S. or U.S. territory license. ANCC also accepts the legally recognized equivalent in another country.
  • Proof of education: the AANP board asks for no Validation of Education (VOE) form, and you attest that your information is true. ANCC requires the VOE form and clinical hour documentation.
  • Time limit: ANCC requires you to apply within 5 years of degree conferral.

Core courses and early application rules are in Who is eligible for the NP board exams, and when can you apply?.

How to apply

At the AANP board:

  1. Create your online profile with your legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID.
  2. Apply with an unofficial transcript and a copy of your RN license.
  3. Receive your Authorization to Test (ATT) after your program completion date is reached and eligibility is confirmed. You then have 120 days to test.
  4. Select Schedule an Exam in your account, which sends you to Prometric.
  5. Send your final official transcript. The board releases certification only after it arrives.

At ANCC:

  1. Collect the VOE form, clinical hour documentation, transcripts and a copy of your RN license.
  2. To use an AANP or GAPNA price, enter the membership number in your ANCC account before you start.
  3. Apply online. ANCC recommends applying one month before graduation.
  4. Receive the ATT notice by email, then schedule at www.prometric.com/ANCC.
  5. Send your final official transcript within 2 years after you pass, or ANCC treats the application as abandoned.

If you need accommodations, get approval before you book at both boards. The ANCC steps are explained in FNP-BC exam, ANCC: the full guide.

What is on the exam

AANP board AGNP blueprint. The board describes its exams as 100% clinical. Its AGNP blueprint changes on January 1, 2027, so your test date decides which one applies.

Practice domain Through December 31, 2026 From January 1, 2027
Assess 37 (28%) 37 (28%)
Diagnose 34 (25%) 37 (27%)
Plan 34 (25%) 37 (27%)
Evaluate 30 (22%) 24 (18%)
Total scored 135 135

The blueprint in force now also sorts the 135 scored questions by patient age:

Age group Questions Share
Adolescent 3 2%
Young adult 18 13%
Adult 38 28%
Older adult 54 40%
Elderly 22 17%

The handbook gives 38 for Adult. The board's AGNP web page shows 28, but only 38 gives the stated total of 135, so we use the handbook. The board does not define age limits.

The 2027 blueprint has one practice domain and no age table. It covers adolescents, young adults, middle adults and older adults.

ANCC AGPCNP-BC outline. The test content outline has been effective since September 13, 2023, and ANCC has announced no change.

Domain Questions Share
Patient Assessment Process 36 24%
Plan of Care 90 60%
Professional Practice 24 16%

Plan of Care holds the sub-areas Diagnosis, Pharmacology, and Implementation and Evaluation. The outline's age groups are adolescent, young adult, adult, older adult and frail elderly. Exam lengths at both boards are compared in How many questions are on the NP board exams, and how long are they?.

Scoring and results

AANP board: you need a passing score set with a recognized standard-setting method, and the board publishes no number. Scores are not reported as a percentage. You see a preliminary pass or fail result right after the exam, and the board emails the score letter within 3 to 5 business days.

ANCC: you need a scaled score of 350 or higher. You view the result online through Prometric's score report portal after an emailed link. A failing report shows high, medium or low performance for each major content area.

The 2025 figures from each board:

2025 figure AANP board AGNP ANCC AGPCNP-BC
First-time pass rate 85% 85%
First-time exams or test takers 1,463 882, of whom 754 passed

The AANP board also splits its 2025 AGNP figures by degree: master's 1,202 exams (85%), post-graduate 126 (83%) and DNP 135 (92%). A pass rate describes the group that tested that year. It does not show that one exam is easier. See What is the passing score on the NP board exams? and When do NP exam results come out?.

Retakes

AANP board: AGNP candidates may test up to 2 times per calendar year, from January 1 to December 31. This is not the FNP rule: FNP candidates have had 3 attempts since January 2026. There is no fixed wait in days. You reapply after your official score email, with a re-examination application and the same fee as the first exam. The board's FAQ gives two answers on whether 15 continuing education hours are needed first, so confirm at certification@aanpcert.org.

ANCC: you may retest 60 calendar days after your last test, and no more than 3 times in any 12-month period. You file the retest application online after 5 days. ANCC does not publish the retest fee amount. You retake the entire exam.

Both boards are compared in How many times can you retake an NP board exam?.

Test day

Both exams run at Prometric centers, but the boards' own rules differ:

  • AANP board: your ID name must exactly match your board account and exam registration. Prometric requires an original, unexpired, government-issued ID with photo and signature. The board publishes no rule on arrival time, breaks, water or calculators.
  • ANCC: accepted ID is a U.S. state driver's license, U.S. state ID card, passport or U.S. military ID. Outside the United States, only a valid passport is accepted unless you have a valid U.S. military ID. Arrive at least 15 minutes early. Only water may go into the room, and a break does not stop the clock.

More detail is in FNP exam, AANP board: the full guide and the ANCC guide linked above.

Renewal in brief

AANP board: 1,000 practice hours as an adult-gerontology primary care NP, plus 100 continuing education (CE) contact hours with 25 in pharmacology, and an active RN license. Or you pass the exam again. The fee is US$120 for members and US$195 for non-members, or US$240 and US$315 by exam.

ANCC: under the current handbook, 75 CE contact hours with 25 in pharmacology, plus one of eight professional development categories. From February 1, 2027, three pathways replace the categories. The fee is US$375 for non-members and US$275 for ANA members.

See How do you renew NP certification?.

What changed or is announced

  • AANP board, January 1, 2027: the new AGNP blueprint. Diagnose and Plan rise to 37 questions each, Evaluate falls from 30 to 24, and the age table goes. The exam stays at 150 questions with 135 scored.
  • AANP board, 2026: the AGNP Candidate Handbook was updated in October 2026, and the NPCB brand and a retired certification status launched.
  • ANCC, 2026: the 5-year limit to apply began on January 1, 2026.
  • ANCC, February 1, 2027: the new Renewal Handbook applies.
  • Not announced: on November 10, 2026, neither board had announced an exam fee change for 2027.

What to do next

  1. For the AANP board exam, check whether your test date falls before or after January 1, 2027, and study from that blueprint.
  2. Plan your attempts: 2 per calendar year at the AANP board, or 3 in any 12 months at ANCC.
  3. For ANCC, ask your school for the VOE form early.

Common questions

Can I test outside the United States?

Yes. The AANP board says Prometric gives its exams at testing centers worldwide, and you can email the board if you cannot find a center near you. ANCC offers international centers, but its content follows U.S. law and practice.

Is there an official practice test?

The AANP board sells a practice exam for US$50, with 50 questions in 60 minutes. ANCC sells a Readiness Test for US$85 per session, with 60 questions in 75 minutes.

Prep from our team

If you are preparing for an adult-gerontology primary care exam, 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