Free Practice Questions for NCPRSS
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Free CESample NCPRSS Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NCPRSS exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A new peer recovery support specialist (PRSS) is explaining the nature of peer support services to a referring clinician. Which statement BEST describes the role?
2A peer specialist shares part of their own recovery story to help a person who feels hopeless. This intentional use of lived experience to instill hope is BEST described as which core peer function?
3A person tells their peer specialist they want to attend a SMART Recovery meeting instead of a 12-step group. The MOST appropriate peer response is to:
4Which activity falls OUTSIDE the scope of practice of a peer recovery support specialist?
5A peer specialist notices that a person they support is also a close personal friend from outside work. According to peer practice standards, the specialist should FIRST:
6A recovery capital framework helps a peer specialist understand a person's strengths. Which of the following is an example of SOCIAL recovery capital?
7When a peer specialist uses 'active listening,' which behavior BEST demonstrates the skill?
8A peer specialist is working with someone from a cultural background different from their own. Practicing 'cultural humility' means the specialist primarily:
9A person says, 'I don't think I can ever change.' Using a strengths-based approach, the peer specialist might respond:
10The principle of 'self-determination' in peer support means that the peer specialist should:
About the NCPRSS Exam
The National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (NCPRSS) is the NCC AP's national credential for peers with lived experience who support others in substance use and co-occurring mental health recovery. The written exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions covering the peer role, recovery practice, pharmacology, and ethics.
Exam sponsor: NAADAC / NCC AP (National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
125 multiple-choice, objective questions across four content areas: peer role (25%), basic concepts of recovery practice (40%), pharmacology (15%), and professional issues/ethics (20%).
Time Limit
Not published on NAADAC's NCPRSS page; confirm your appointment length when you register with Kryterion.
Passing Score
NAADAC/NCC AP does not publish an NCPRSS passing score. Unofficial results are e-mailed when you finish the exam.
Exam / Certification Fees
$150 base exam fee (some states add an administrative fee), in addition to the $235 non-refundable NCPRSS application fee.
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Role of the Peer Recovery Support Specialist
Non-clinical scope of practice, lived experience and mutuality, boundaries and dual relationships, advocacy, cultural humility, recovery capital, and peer self-care.
Basic Concepts of Recovery Practice
Recovery definitions and SAMHSA dimensions, ROSC, stages of change and motivational interviewing, relapse prevention, screening/intake, documentation, case management, and crisis support.
Pharmacology
Basic pharmacology including MOUD (buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone), naloxone for overdose reversal, alcohol-use-disorder medications, withdrawal risks, and overdose recognition.
Professional Issues (Ethics)
NAADAC/NCC AP Peer Recovery Code of Ethics, confidentiality and 42 CFR Part 2, conflicts of interest, mandated reporting, informed consent, and credential renewal.
Preparing for the NCPRSS Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: NAADAC/NCC AP does not publish an NCPRSS passing score. Unofficial results are e-mailed when you finish the exam.
- Assessment: 125 multiple-choice, objective questions across four content areas: peer role (25%), basic concepts of recovery practice (40%), pharmacology (15%), and professional issues/ethics (20%).
- Time limit: Not published on NAADAC's NCPRSS page; confirm your appointment length when you register with Kryterion.
- Exam / certification fees: $150 base exam fee (some states add an administrative fee), in addition to the $235 non-refundable NCPRSS application fee. Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
NCPRSS: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the NCPRSS exam?
The NCPRSS written examination consists of 125 multiple-choice, objective questions covering the peer role (25%), basic concepts of recovery practice (40%), pharmacology (15%), and professional issues/ethics (20%).
How much does the NCPRSS cost?
The NCC AP charges a $235 non-refundable NCPRSS application fee plus a $150 base exam fee. Some states add an administrative fee, so the total can vary by location.
Who administers the NCPRSS credential?
The NCPRSS is administered by the National Certification Commission for Addiction Professionals (NCC AP), the credentialing body of NAADAC. Exams are delivered through Kryterion testing centers and NCC AP distance proctoring.
What are the eligibility requirements for the NCPRSS?
Candidates need a high school diploma or GED, at least two years of self-attested recovery, a minimum of 200 hours of direct peer recovery support practice (volunteer or paid), and 60 contact hours of education: at least 48 peer recovery-focused hours, 6 hours of ethics, and 6 hours of HIV/other pathogens training, with the ethics and HIV hours completed within the last six years. Applicants also submit two references and a signed Code of Ethics statement.
How many times can I retake the NCPRSS exam?
NCC AP allows an exam to be taken up to three times in a calendar year; after a third failure, candidates wait until the next year. Re-testing costs the same as the original exam, and NCPRSS candidates contact NCC AP to re-register.
How do I renew the NCPRSS credential?
The NCPRSS renews every two years. Renewal requires 20 hours of continuing education including 6 hours of ethics, a signed Code of Ethics statement, work history for the past two years, a self-attestation of ongoing recovery, and a $200 non-refundable renewal fee.