1.1 ANCC PED-BC Exam Facts, Scoring & Test Blueprint
Key Takeaways
PED-BC has 150 total questions: 125 scored and 25 unscored pretest items, with three hours of active testing.
The current domains are Assessment and Diagnosis (42%), Planning and Implementation (31%), and Evaluation (27%).
ANCC accepts new PED-BC applications through December 31, 2026 and provides testing through December 31, 2027.
The passing scaled score is 350; the maximum possible scaled score is 500, and neither number establishes a raw percentage cutoff.
PED-BC is an RN specialty credential; eligibility and renewal must be checked against the applicable ANCC program and handbook.
Current PED-BC facts and a usable study plan
Pediatric Nurse – Board Certified (PED-BC) is ANCC's pediatric registered-nurse specialty credential. It assesses specialty nursing practice after initial RN licensure; it does not confer nurse practitioner authority. This is independent preparation by OpenExamPrep. Clinical examples teach nursing judgment and require the applicable prescription, institutional protocol, and supervision in practice.
Important
Application and testing deadlines: ANCC's April 2026 program update accepts new applications through December 31, 2026 and offers testing through December 31, 2027. After that testing ends, active certificants may continue renewing. A passing practice score does not extend these deadlines or an individual authorization window.
Verify eligibility before scheduling
The program page requires a current active RN license in a U.S. state or territory, or the legally recognized professional equivalent in another country; the equivalent of two full-time years of RN practice; 2,000 pediatric clinical practice hours in the preceding three years; and 30 pediatric continuing education hours in that same three-year period. These are separate requirements. Do not convert the two-year rule into an invented fixed hour total or assume any teaching, administrative, or certification course automatically qualifies. Ask ANCC about uncertain experience or CE before paying.
Keep license information, dates, CE certificates, and practice documentation organized. The candidate handbook describes audits and international documentation. The eligibility criteria on the pediatric program page take priority over a general description of another ANCC credential. PED-BC is also distinct from the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board's Certified Pediatric Nurse credential; applicants must use the correct sponsor's eligibility, outline, application, and testing instructions.
Format, score, and pacing
| Item | Current published PED-BC specification |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 150 |
| Scored questions | 125 |
| Unscored pretest questions | 25, indistinguishable from scored items |
| Active examination time | 3 hours |
| Delivery | Computer-based examination through Prometric test centers |
| Passing standard | Scaled score of at least 350; maximum possible scaled score 500 |
The handbook describes ANCC examinations as multiple choice. This guide's educational cases or exercises do not establish an official item type. Do not assume the NCLEX Next Generation formats, chained case-study scoring, drag-and-drop items, or a partial-credit rule apply to PED-BC.
The pacing calculation is 180 minutes divided by 150 items: 1.2 minutes, or 72 seconds per item. A sample practice schedule reaches question 50 at 60 minutes and question 100 at 120 minutes. Finishing the first pass in 165 minutes leaves 15 minutes for review; that faster practice target averages 66 seconds per item. These are study strategies, not sponsor checkpoints. A difficult calculation may take longer while a straightforward clinical recognition item takes less time.
The scaled score is not a percentage. Dividing 350 by 500 does not reveal the raw percentage required to pass. ANCC converts raw correct answers to its reporting scale; the published passing threshold does not provide a universal raw cutoff. Answer every item rather than trying to identify unscored questions. Review the current handbook for breaks, identification, check-in, results, accommodations, and the exact timing of the appointment outside active test time.
Use the current three-domain outline
The outline linked from ANCC's program page is effective November 15, 2024 and was updated August 29, 2025. Its counts refer to the 125 scored items:
| Domain | Scored items | Published weight | What to practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment and Diagnosis | 52 | 42% | Developmental, physical, psychosocial, diagnostic, and medication assessment |
| Planning and Implementation | 39 | 31% | Safe individualized interventions, coordination, prioritization, and ethics |
| Evaluation | 34 | 27% | Clinical response, chronic care, communication, caregiver teaching, and learning evaluation |
| Total | 125 | 100% | Integrated pediatric nursing judgment |
The published percentages are rounded: use the sponsor's counts and percentages rather than recalculating a different blueprint. Older outlines with different weights are not the current study plan. Professional responsibilities appear throughout the current outline; there is no separate 30% Professional Role domain.
A body-system chapter can serve several domains. For asthma, recognize increasing work of breathing, deliver the prescribed reliever safely, and then evaluate air movement, respiratory effort, and the family's inhaler demonstration. Reading only disease definitions leaves implementation and evaluation unpracticed. Include cultural and financial barriers, complementary products, medication reconciliation, risk reduction, and teaching outcomes alongside acute care.
Fees, retesting, and maintaining certification
Initial fees listed by ANCC are $395 for nonmembers, $295 for ANA members, and $340 for Society of Pediatric Nurses members. They include a nonrefundable administrative component. Verify current discounts and policies on the program page before submitting payment; an institutional arrangement is not a universally available price.
ANCC permits retesting after 60 calendar days and no more than three attempts in any 12-month period. A retest application is reviewed against eligibility requirements then in effect. Do not assume an unsuccessful attempt overrides the pediatric program's closing dates. Contact ANCC about how the transition affects a specific retest or authorization window.
Certification lasts five years. Under the current renewal handbook, renewal requires an active RN license, 75 relevant CE contact hours, and completion of an eligible professional-development category. Practice hours are one possible category, not a universal additional requirement. The 25-hour pharmacology requirement cited for NP/CNS renewal does not automatically apply to this RN specialty. A new renewal handbook applies to applications submitted on or after February 1, 2027; use the handbook applicable to the submission date.
ANCC does publish certification statistics. Its 2025 report lists 218 first-time pediatric examinees, 164 passing, and a rounded 75% first-time pass rate. This historical group result does not predict an individual's score or establish a 75% passing threshold.
Turn the outline into active learning
Start with a diagnostic set, then identify whether each miss reflects an assessment gap, an unsafe intervention, or inadequate evaluation. Keep an error log that explains why the chosen action changes the child's outcome. Recheck medication units and age-specific findings instead of memorizing a question's wording. Practice calculations with independently stated inputs, and practice caregiver teaching aloud using teach-back.
For a clinical vignette, identify the child's age, baseline function, current cues, immediate threat, and response to previous treatment. Choose the safest action supported by the information actually given. If an intervention has already occurred, examine whether reassessment or escalation is now needed. A plan is incomplete until it specifies how the nurse will recognize improvement, deterioration, and caregiver readiness.
Official sources checked October 18, 2026
Under ANCC eligibility criteria for the Pediatric Nursing Certification (PED-BC) exam, which requirement must a registered nurse satisfy regarding specialty practice hours prior to applying?
Accrue at least 1,000 clinical pediatric hours within the past 2 years
Accrue at least 2,000 clinical pediatric practice hours within the past 3 years
Complete 3,000 clinical pediatric hours with at least 500 hours in an intensive care unit
Accrue 4,000 clinical pediatric hours across any 5-year period of registered nursing
A candidate completes the computer-based ANCC PED-BC examination. What is the minimum scaled score required to pass the examination, and what is the underlying scoring methodology?
A score of 75% correct based on norm-referenced grading relative to peer test-takers
A raw score of at least 105 out of 150 operational items answered correctly
A criterion-referenced scaled score of at least 350 on a scale with a maximum possible score of 500
A composite stanine score of 7 or higher derived from Gaussian distribution curves
On the 150-question PED-BC examination, what is the role and scoring impact of the 25 pretest questions included in the test form?
They evaluate the psychometric validity of new questions for future exams without affecting the candidate's score
They serve as a tie-breaker mechanism when a candidate's scaled score falls between 345 and 349
They assess advanced pediatric nurse practitioner competencies and award bonus scaling points if answered correctly
They are placed exclusively within the final 25 items of the exam to evaluate candidate testing endurance
If a candidate does not achieve a passing score of 350 on the PED-BC examination, which regulatory policy governs their ability to retest?
The candidate must wait 14 days and may retest an unlimited number of times within a calendar year
The candidate must repeat 30 additional continuing education hours before submitting a retest application
The candidate must wait 30 days and can test a maximum of twice in any rolling 12-month period
The candidate must wait a mandatory 60 days before retesting and may attempt the exam at most three times in a 12-month period
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.