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FNP-BC exam, ANCC: the full guide

The ANCC FNP-BC exam has 175 questions in 3.5 hours and costs US$395, or US$295 for ANA members. You pass with a scaled score of 350.

Checked November 10, 2026

Short answer: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Family Nurse Practitioner exam has 175 questions in 3.5 hours, of which 150 are scored, and costs US$395, or US$295 for American Nurses Association (ANA) members. You pass with a scaled score of 350 or higher, and the FNP-BC credential lasts 5 years.

This guide follows the ANCC Certification Handbook (Version 5, October 12, 2026) and the FNP-BC certification page. The other family nurse practitioner exam is given by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), which now operates under the name NPCB. It has its own guide: FNP exam, AANP board: the full guide.

At a glance

Item ANCC FNP-BC exam
Fee US$395 non-member; US$295 ANA member; US$340 AANP or GAPNA member; US$290 AANP student member
Questions 175 multiple-choice questions: 150 scored and 25 pretest
Time 3.5 hours for the exam; ANCC says the total time for most exams is 4 hours
Pass mark Scaled score of 350 or higher; the scale maximum is 500
Testing window 120 days
Attempts No more than 3 in any 12-month period
Certification length 5 years
Where you test Prometric test centers, in the United States and abroad

AANP is the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. GAPNA is the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association. Every price includes a US$140 non-refundable administrative fee. The 4 hours include check-in, instructions and a practice session on the computer. All fees are in How much do the AANP and ANCC exams cost?.

Who is eligible

ANCC requires:

  • RN license: current and active, in a U.S. state or territory, or the legally recognized equivalent in another country.
  • Degree: an FNP master's, post-graduate certificate or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from a program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the NLN CNEA.
  • Clinical hours: at least 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours inside the FNP program.
  • Core courses: three separate graduate-level courses in advanced physiology/pathophysiology, advanced health assessment and advanced pharmacology. Since September 1, 2024, ANCC screens these courses for test-out or course-by-exam credit.

Since January 1, 2026, you must apply within 5 years of degree conferral. ANCC counts the 5 years on the day you submit the application, not on the test date. Both boards' rules are in Who is eligible for the NP board exams, and when can you apply?.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Collect your documents. ANCC needs the Validation of Education (VOE) form, clinical hour documentation, transcripts and a copy of your RN license before it issues Authorization to Test (ATT) status.
  2. Add a non-ANA membership first. To use an AANP or GAPNA price, enter the membership number in your online account before you start. ANCC accepts a discount claim for up to 5 business days after it receives your application.
  3. Apply online. ANCC recommends applying one month before graduation. Your coursework and clinical hours must already be complete.
  4. Request accommodations, if needed. Send a written request with your clinician's letter after you apply, and wait for confirmation before you book.
  5. Receive the ATT notice by email. You then test inside a 120-day window.
  6. Book with Prometric. Schedule at www.prometric.com/ANCC or call 1.800.350.7076.
  7. Send your final official transcript. You are not certified until ANCC reviews a transcript that shows degree conferral. If it does not arrive within 2 years after you pass, ANCC treats the application as abandoned and refunds nothing.

ANCC's US$200 expedited review is temporarily unavailable as of September 25, 2026. If you cannot test in your window, you may ask, one time only, for a new 120-day window for US$100. It must begin less than 6 months after the first window ended.

What is on the exam

ANCC's FNP Test Content Outline is effective October 30, 2026. It replaces the outline effective September 28, 2022. If you test on or after October 30, 2026, study from the new one.

Domain From October 30, 2026 Previous outline, from September 28, 2022
Assessment 26 (17%) 29 (19%)
Diagnosis 25 (17%) 26 (17%)
Planning 29 (19%) 29 (19%)
Implementation 50 (33%) 43 (29%)
Evaluation 20 (13%) 23 (15%)

The numbers are scored questions. ANCC notes that the percentages do not add to exactly 100 because of rounding. Implementation is now one third of the scored questions. The new outline also adds the responsible and ethical use of information technology, with voice recognition software, artificial intelligence and electronic health records as examples.

Following the APRN Consensus Model, ANCC also uses secondary classifications where they apply: 13 body systems, 12 classes of drug agents and 8 age groups, from infant to frail elderly.

  • You cannot tell the 25 pretest questions from the scored ones, so answer every question.
  • ANCC states that there is no penalty for guessing.
  • The content is based on U.S. law and U.S. practice, even at international test centers.

Compare the length with the AANP board exam in How many questions are on the NP board exams, and how long are they?.

Scoring and results

ANCC converts the number of scored questions you answer correctly into a scaled score. You pass with 350 or higher. ANCC publishes no percentage that equals a pass, and it sets the passing score with the Modified Angoff Method. See What is the passing score on the NP board exams?.

After the exam, you receive an email with instructions, and you view the result at https://scorereports.prometric.com/. ANCC does not say whether a result appears on the screen at the test center. It never releases results by telephone, fax or email.

A failing report shows your scaled score and high, medium or low performance for each major content area. ANCC does not allow you to challenge the passing score or single questions.

In ANCC's 2025 Certification Data, 7,719 first-time test takers sat the FNP-BC exam and 6,358 passed, a pass rate of 82%. Timing at both boards is in When do NP exam results come out?.

Retakes

ANCC lets you retest 60 calendar days after your last test date, and no more than 3 times in any 12-month period. After a fail:

  1. Wait 5 days, then submit a retest application online.
  2. Pay the retest fee. ANCC does not publish the amount, so check it in your account.
  3. Meet the eligibility rules in effect on the day you apply.
  4. Retake the entire exam.

The 5-year limit after degree conferral applies to retest applications too. See How many times can you retake an NP board exam?.

Test day

  • Arrival: at least 15 minutes before your appointment. ANCC counts a disruptive late arrival as a no-show, and your window expires.
  • ID in the United States: a U.S. state driver's license, U.S. state ID card, passport or U.S. military ID. It must be unexpired, signed, in English, with a photo no more than 10 years old. No photocopies.
  • ID outside the United States: a valid passport only, unless you have a valid U.S. military ID.
  • Without acceptable ID: you are not admitted and your eligibility window ends.
  • ATT notice: you do not need to bring it, and it is not ID.

Check-in includes an ID check, a logbook, a visual inspection, a locker, a dry-erase board for notes and a metal detector. APRN candidates also give a fingerprint. Only water may go into the room. Books, papers, tissues, calculators and phones are not allowed. You may take a break, but the clock keeps running.

If a problem at the center affects your exam, report it to the Test Center Associate before you leave, then call Prometric and email ANCC. Prometric offers a free tutorial of the exam software, with highlight, strikeout and mark-for-review functions.

Renewal in brief

ANCC allows no grace period. Under the current handbook, you complete 75 continuing education (CE) contact hours, with 25 in pharmacology, plus one of eight professional development categories. Renewal applications submitted on or after February 1, 2027 keep the 75 CE hours but replace the categories with three pathways. 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

  • October 30, 2026: the new FNP outline took effect. Implementation rose from 43 to 50 questions, and the exam stays at 175 questions.
  • January 1, 2026: the 5-year limit to apply began, and post-graduate certificate programs must hold APRN program accreditation.
  • March 1, 2026: new certificants claim the wall certificate and pin online through an emailed invitation.
  • September 25, 2026: expedited review became temporarily unavailable.
  • February 1, 2027: the 2027 Renewal Handbook applies.
  • Not announced: on November 10, 2026, ANCC had announced no exam fee change and no exam-length change for 2027.

What to do next

  1. Download the outline effective October 30, 2026 from the FNP-BC page.
  2. Check the 5-year limit, and ask your school for the VOE form early.
  3. Check that your ID is on ANCC's list.
  4. If you have not chosen a board, read AANP or ANCC: which FNP exam should you take?.

Common questions

Is there an official ANCC practice test?

Yes. The ANCC Readiness Test costs US$85 per session, with 60 questions in 75 minutes. It offers live remote proctoring, but the certification exam is given only at Prometric test centers.

Can I move my appointment?

ANCC says you can reschedule or cancel at no additional cost up to 2 days before the appointment. Less than 2 days before, you forfeit the testing fee. The handbook also says Prometric may charge a fee, and no amount is published, so check when you book.

Can I switch to a different ANCC exam after I apply?

Yes, but ANCC says a US$100 administrative fee may apply, depending on the circumstances.

Prep from our team

If you are preparing for the FNP-BC 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.

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