How to Pass: NPTE – PT and PTA Exam – Complete Guide

NPTE Study Guide: National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) for Physical Therapists (PTs) and Physical Therapy Assistants (PTAs): What is the NPTE exam?

The National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) is a standardized assessment used to evaluate the competence of candidates seeking licensure as physical therapists (PTs) or physical therapist assistants (PTAs) in the United States. In this study guide we have gathered all of the info you need to pass the NPTE exam.

Administering Body and Examination Schedule

The NPTE is developed and administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). The NPTE is conducted four times annually, usually in January, April, July, and October. But still, specific deadlines and requirements should be verified with the respective state licensing boards, as these may vary.

For 2025, the scheduled dates are:

PT Examination:

Registration Deadline: June 24

Test Date: July 29-30

PTA Examination:

Registration Deadline: June 3

Test Date: July 8-9

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the NPTE, candidates must graduate from a physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) or possess an equivalent foreign education credential. It is also better to consult your jurisdiction’s licensing authority for specific eligibility criteria because every U.S. state has its own licensure requirements.

NPTE Exam cost: How much does it cost to take the NPTE?

NPTE exam for PT and PTA costs $485 each.

Examination Format: How many questions are on the NPTE exam?

The NPTE for physical therapists consists of 250 multiple-choice questions, divided into five sections of 50 questions each. Out of these 250 MCQs, 200 questions are scored, while rest of the  50 are pretest items to evaluate future exam questions. The total testing time is five hours, with scheduled breaks included.

NPTE Scoring Criteria: How is the NPTE scored?

The NPTE (National Physical Therapy Examination) is scored using a “scaled score system” that ranges from 200 to 800. To pass the exam, a candidate must achieve a min. scaled score of 600. The raw score (i.e number of correct answers) is converted to a scaled score to account for slight differences in difficulty between different versions of the exam. So that a harder version of the test doesn’t disadvantage any candidate. There is no negative marking, which means incorrect answers do not reduce your score. Thatswhy, it’s recommended to answer every question, even if you’re unsure. The final score reflects your overall performance on the exam and is not broken down by specific subject areas.

Registration Process

Candidates have to create an account with FSBPT first (Link to FSBPT Official website) and complete the registration process through their online portal. After registration, you have to obtain approval from the concerned state licensing board to sit for the examination. Once approved, you can schedule the exam at a Prometric testing center near you.

Scoring and Results: How is the NPTE scored?

Scores are released to licensing authorities and made available to candidates approximately 10 business days after the examination date. A free score report can be accessed through the FSBPT portal for a limited time. 

NPTE Study Guide Resources: Books, Practice Exams, and Preparation Courses: how to study for NPTE exam?

If you are preparing for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) you need a combination of comprehensive study materials, practice exams, and, if needed, structured courses.

Recommended Study Guides

National Physical Therapy Examination Review and Study Guide (28th Edition, 2025)

Authors: O’Sullivan, Siegelman, Shaffer, & Sutlive. Publisher: TherapEd

This guide (Link to Amazon) offers an extensive review aligned with the NPTE blueprint, including content summaries, case studies, and practice questions. It includes three complete online practice exams with rigorous questions and detailed answer explanations. The book also provides access to an advanced learning portal designed to enhance comprehension and study efficiency. The new exam learning portal offers advanced learning with our revolutionary new AI Online Learning Assistant for an in-depth understanding of the best practice questions in the profession.

NPTE Secrets Study Guide: NPTE Exam Review for the National Physical Therapy

Examination Author: Mometrix Test Preparation

Provides concise summaries of key exam areas, practice questions, and detailed answer explanations. It also includes links of videos for some topics. (Link of Amazon). They also offer a book based on flash cards with the title NPTE Flashcard Study System: NPTE Test Practice Questions & Exam Review for the National Physical Therapy Examination (Cards).

PTEXAM: The Complete Study Guide by Scott Giles

This Study Guide by Dr. Scott Giles has over 700 pages of academic review. It includes three full-length online practice exams featuring scenario-based and video questions, detailed answer explanations, and performance analysis tools. Purchasers also gain access to Insight, an online platform offering customizable exams and comparative performance metrics.  (Link to Amazon)

NPTE Cheat Sheets: Learn the Toughest NPTE Concepts in 5 Minutes or Less

This book offers clear and concise sheets on each topic, making it possible to study each topic in five minutes. (Link to Amazon)

NPTE Exam Prep 2025–2026 by Bittany Gonzales

Includes thorough reviews and 600 practice questions tailored to the latest exam requirements. (Link of Amazon).

PhysioCross: NPTE – Musculoskeletal by Mohamed H. Desoki

This book is focused on musculoskeletal section of the exam. (Link to Amazon)

Online Practice Exams

FSBPT Demonstration Exam

Offers a short demonstration exam to familiarize candidates with the NPTE format and interface.

The demo includes:

NPTE security agreement

Tutorial for navigating the system

Content section 1 – twelve sample PTA questions

Content section 2 – twelve sample PT questions

Content section 3 – a sample PTA scenario with three questions and a sample PT scenario with three questions. (Link to Official website)

Mometrix NPTE Practice Test

Provides free practice questions covering various NPTE domains. The NPTE-PT exam contains 225 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 5 hours. The questions are split evenly into five sections, each containing 45 questions. While the NPTE-PTA exam contains 180 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 4 hours. (Link to Official website)

NPTE Final Frontier Practice Exams 

 These exams are structured to align with the current NPTE blueprint and include detailed rationales and performance reports. Each purchase provides 12 months of unlimited access and up to five attempts per exam. (Link to Official website)

Pricing Options:

PT Exam 1 (225 questions): $40

PT Exam 2 (225 questions): $40

PT Exam 3 (225 questions): $40

PT Mini Exam Bundle (Two 50-question exams): $19

PT Complete Exam Package (All three 225-question exams and both 50-question mini exams): $99.

Scorebuilders Online Advantage

Provides comprehensive online exams reflective of the current NPTE, with detailed performance analysis. Online Advantage – Student offers individuals the opportunity to experience a single exam or two exams. Single exam can be purchased for $40 or combo exams for $60. (Link to Official website)

Preparation Courses

TherapyEd NPTE Prep Course

Offers comprehensive study materials and practice exams for $350.00. Some of them are offered online while most of them are taught at different university campuses. (Link to Official website)

NPTE Final Frontier

They provide a variety of courses like  Full Live Course, One on One Tutoring etc. (Link to Official website)

PT Final Exam

PT Final Exam offers structured NPTE preparation courses, tailored to various learning preferences and budgets. (Link to Official website)

The VIP(T) NPTE Review Course is priced at $997. It provides a comprehensive 12-month program. It includes six full-length practice exams, weekly live lectures, over 40 hours of video content, one-on-one phone calls, small group sessions, a digital study guide and workbook, a private messaging group, and access to both the Crash Course and NPTE Ninja resources.

NPTE Mastery Bundle available at $299 has 12 months of access to pre-recorded video lectures, three full-length practice exams, a 40+ hour video library, a digital study guide, a digital workbook, and access to the Crash Course.

NPTE Foundations: This PT course is  FREE of charge. This resource includes study strategies, a selection of videos, and one free practice exam.

Clear PT Concepts

Clear PT Concepts also, provides a range of NPTE preparation courses. (Link to Official website)

The PT Live Virtual Course, priced at $499 USD, offers live Zoom lectures twice a week. with access to mock exams.

Independent Video Course, available at $299 USD provides access to recorded lectures.

The Full Session Mentoring program, costing $349 USD, is tailored for candidates seeking personalized guidance. Enrollees join small study groups and participate in classes.

The Clear Concepts Course, priced at $249 USD, focuses on reinforcing foundational knowledge in areas such as anatomy, biomechanics, and neuroanatomy.

For exam simulation, Mock Exams are offered: each 250-question exam is priced at $60 USD, or both for $100 USD.

EduCross NPTE Courses

EduCross provides several NPTE preparation options. (Link to Official website)

All-In-One Live NPTE Preparation Course Priced at $525 USD, this comprehensive package includes two years of access to weekly live lectures, recorded sessions, the PhysioCross Book (hard copy and eBook), eight full NPTE-PT exams, special test videos, a weekly study plan with materials, lecture slides in PDF format, and participation in a WhatsApp study group.

Self-Learning NPTE Preparation Course: Available for $250 USD, this six-month self-paced course offers over 60 hours of recorded lectures, all necessary study materials, and one full NPTE-PT exam.

Student Support – NPTEA at $20 USD per month, this subscription provides access to over 30 recorded lectures, all required materials and books, and continuously updated content, with the flexibility to cancel at any time.

Mega NPTE Exam Bundle Starting from $69 USD, this bundle includes eight full-length NPTE exams (225 questions each), with two attempts per exam accessible for six months.

NPTE Review Course by Scorebuilders

A 2-Day Review Course that can be completed on-campus or via Webinar taught by a teacher.​ (Link to Official website)

Conclusion: How to pass the NPTE?

Remember, there are a lot of other resources out there as well, we have just mentioned the most important or common ones required to pass the NPTE Exam in our NPTE study guide. Our suggestion is to take a single comprehensive prep book and clear your basic concepts by briefly going through all of the topics. Then practice the questions as much as possible to make yourself familiar with the exam pattern.