Current Limited Scope Exam Facts
Key Takeaways
- ARRT builds, delivers, and scores the Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography exam for state licensing agencies; passing earns a state license or permit, not ARRT certification and registration.
- Every candidate takes the 100-scored-question Core module; the state assigns one or more procedure modules (Chest, Extremities, Skull/Sinuses, Spine, or Podiatric).
- Core contains 100 scored items plus 15 unscored pilot questions, split Patient Care 18, Safety 40, Image Production 42, in a 1 hour 55 minute window.
- The ARRT exam fee is $150, paid after state eligibility approval and separate from state application or license fees.
- Passing is state-determined; many states use a scaled passing score of 75, but always confirm the current cut score and module set with your licensing agency.
What This Exam Is Testing
The ARRT Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography exam (often abbreviated LSPR) qualifies candidates for a state license or permit to perform a defined, limited set of radiographic procedures. The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) develops, delivers through Pearson VUE computer-based testing centers, and scores the exam, but it does so as a service to state agencies. Passing does not produce ARRT certification and registration, and it does not authorize full-scope radiography. Your state decides who is eligible, which procedure modules you must take, and what result is required for licensure.
That distinction shapes the entire process. You apply first through your state licensing agency, submit state-required education or training documentation, and pay any state fees. After the state approves eligibility, you use the ARRT state-candidate process to pay the exam fee and schedule a testing appointment. Your Candidate Status Report (CSR) is the controlling document: it lists your identifying information, your assigned modules, and your testing window. The name on your CSR must match your government-issued photo identification exactly, or the test center will turn you away.
Current Exam Structure
| Component | Scored Questions | Pilot Questions | Time | Who Takes It |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | 100 | 15 | 1 hr 55 min | Every Limited Scope candidate |
| Chest | 20 | 5 | 25 min | If assigned by state |
| Extremities | 25 | 5 | 30 min | If assigned by state |
| Skull/Sinuses | 20 | 5 | 25 min | If assigned by state |
| Spine | 25 | 5 | 30 min | If assigned by state |
| Podiatric | 20 | 5 | 25 min | Podiatric path, if assigned |
The Core module is divided into three scored content categories: Patient Care (18 items), Safety (40 items), and Image Production (42 items). Safety and Image Production together carry 82 of the 100 scored Core points, so radiation protection, exposure factors, and image quality dominate the Core blueprint even though patient-care reasoning appears throughout. Your module set is personal: a candidate seeking a chest-only permit and a candidate seeking a broader limited-radiography permit both take the identical Core, yet their procedure modules differ. Never assume a classmate's module list is yours.
Fees, Scoring, and Scheduling
The ARRT examination fee for Limited Scope of Practice in Radiography is $150. That is the ARRT fee only. Most states charge a separate application or license fee (often in the $25 to $150 range, and changing independently), and some require fingerprinting or background-check costs. Budget for the full picture, not just the $150.
Scoring uses a scaled-score model. Raw correct answers are converted to a standardized scale, and ARRT reports the scaled result to your state. The state decides whether that result is passing. A scaled score of 75 is the threshold many states publish, but it is set per content category in some states and applied across the whole exam in others. Do not rely on forum rumors or another state's rule; confirm your state's current cut score and whether each module must be passed separately.
How Pilot Questions Work
- 15 of the 115 Core items are unscored pilot questions being field-tested for future exams.
- Pilot questions are not flagged and are mixed randomly with scored items.
- Treat every question as if it counts, because you cannot tell which are which.
- They explain why you answer 115 questions but are scored on 100.
Pacing and Exam-Day Checklist
With 115 Core items in 115 minutes, you have roughly one minute per question. The interface lets you flag and review, so move past hard items and return to them.
- Match your legal name to your CSR and your photo identification.
- Verify every assigned module on your CSR before you schedule.
- Study all three Core domains, not just your procedure modules.
- Bring two acceptable IDs; arrive early for check-in and the security process.
- Avoid exam-dump or recalled-question material; study from the published ARRT content specifications, which are the only authoritative blueprint.
Eligibility, Modules, and What the Permit Authorizes
Limited Scope licensure is a patchwork. Some states license limited radiographers to image specific anatomic regions; others issue narrow permits, such as a chest-only permit for a clinic that does pre-employment screenings, or a podiatric radiology permit tied to a podiatrist's office. The procedure modules ARRT offers map to those state categories, which is why two candidates can sit the same Core yet leave with very different module sets. Your scope of practice after passing is defined by state law and your specific permit, not by everything the exam happened to cover.
Common Eligibility Pathways
States generally require some combination of the following before they approve you to test. Confirm exact requirements with your agency:
- Completion of a state-approved limited radiography course covering radiation safety, positioning, and patient care.
- A set number of documented clinical or laboratory hours on the assigned procedures.
- Submission of training documentation and any required attestation from a supervising provider.
- Payment of state application and (often) background-check or fingerprinting fees.
How Limited Scope Differs From Full ARRT Radiography
| Feature | Limited Scope (LSPR) | ARRT Radiography (R) |
|---|---|---|
| Credential type | State license or permit | National certification and registration |
| Education path | State-approved limited course | JRCERT-accredited radiography program |
| Scope | Defined limited body regions | Full diagnostic radiography |
| Modalities | Plain radiography only | Radiography, often a bridge to CT, MRI, etc. |
| Score owner | State sets pass/fail | ARRT sets the national standard |
A frequent trap is assuming Limited Scope is a shortcut into full radiologic technology practice. It is not a stepping-stone credential, it does not transfer automatically between states, and it does not let you operate fluoroscopy, perform contrast studies independently, or image regions outside your permit. When a question describes a procedure outside the assigned modules or the state permit, the correct answer is to recognize it as outside scope and refer to a qualified operator or the supervising provider.
Your Candidate Status Report lists Core, Chest, and Spine. Which study plan best matches the official Limited Scope structure?
A candidate sees that a friend in another state needed a scaled score of 75 to pass. How should the candidate treat that information?