2.2 National Examination and the Current AZ JAM
Key Takeaways
- Arizona changed from the Prometric AZLAW exam to the online, on-demand AZ JAM on August 3, 2026.
- AZ JAM has 50 questions, a 90-minute limit, an 80% passing score, and a 96-hour completion window after purchase.
- The listed fee is $48 plus a 1.6% processing fee rounded up to the nearest dollar.
- Patient Care Management is 30% and Disciplinary Action/Unlawful Practice is 28%, together accounting for 29 of 50 items.
National Examination and the Current AZ JAM
The exam name and delivery method changed immediately before this guide was reviewed. Beginning August 3, 2026, Arizona replaced the testing-center AZLAW examination with the Arizona Jurisprudence Assessment Module (AZ JAM) delivered by FSBPT. Current candidates should study the current outline and logistics, not build their plan around the retired Prometric format.
National examination rules
A.R.S. § 32-2024 authorizes the Board to prescribe examinations and determine passing scores. The national PT examination tests entry-level competence in theory, examination and evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, prevention and consultation. The PTA examination tests the knowledge and skills needed for the technical application of physical therapy services.
Under R4-24-205, a national examination taken after the rule's stated historical cutoff uses a passing scaled score of 600. An applicant who fails the national examination on the first attempt may take one additional attempt within six months without reapplying for Arizona licensure; examination-administrator rules still apply to retakes. Fraudulent passage cannot support license issuance.
Current AZ JAM logistics
FSBPT's current Arizona page states:
| Feature | Current AZ JAM |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Online and on demand |
| Questions | 50 multiple-choice items |
| Time limit | 90 minutes |
| Passing standard | 80% |
| Purchase window | Complete within 96 hours after purchase |
| Fee | $48 plus 1.6% processing, rounded up to the nearest dollar |
| Results | Immediate detailed score report; result transmitted to the Arizona Board |
Because access expires, purchase when ready to complete the module. The assessment is required for applicants seeking a new Arizona license and for each initial or renewed Arizona Compact privilege. A traditional Arizona license and a Compact privilege are different authorizations.
Official 50-item blueprint
The June 2026 FSBPT outline allocates all 50 items:
| Category | Weight | Approximate items |
|---|---|---|
| Legislative Intent and Definitions | 8% | 4 |
| Board Powers and Duties | 4% | 2 |
| Licensure and Examination | 24% | 12 |
| Patient Care Management | 30% | 15 |
| Disciplinary Action and Unlawful Practice | 28% | 14 |
| Consumer Advocacy | 6% | 3 |
Within Patient Care Management, lawful practice and use of titles carry 6–7 items, supervision and delegation 4–5, and documentation 3–4. Within discipline, grounds and unlawful practice carry 5–6, procedures and penalties 6–7, and reporting 2–3. Those two top-level categories yield 29 of 50 items, so study plans should give them slightly more than half of substantive review time.
Score equivalence and old materials
The administrative rule still contains a scaled-score reference associated with the earlier jurisprudence examination. The Board adopted a 2026 policy to clarify score equivalence during the transition, while FSBPT's current operating page states the AZ JAM passing standard as 80%. For a current logistics question, use the current official AZ JAM page. For a rule-text question, read the cited rule and any applicable policy together rather than silently substituting old Prometric details.
Old handbooks remain visible because transition candidates who were already scheduled could finish AZLAW. Their 60-minute delivery, testing-center fee, and 40-scored-item outline do not describe a new AZ JAM purchase after the change.
Exam-day method
Allocate time by decisions rather than trivia. Read the role, act, supervision level, deadline and Board authority in each scenario. With 90 minutes for 50 items, the average is 1.8 minutes per item. Flag a difficult item, continue, and return before submitting. The detailed score report can identify weak statutory areas, but the Board receives the official result.
Official anchors
- FSBPT Arizona JAM information
- Official AZ JAM content outline
- Arizona Board transition notice
- A.R.S. § 32-2024 — Examinations
Transition and purchase scenarios
A candidate who was already scheduled for legacy AZLAW during the transition may encounter Board links preserved for that limited situation. A new candidate purchasing after August 3 should follow the AZ JAM page and current content outline. When a question supplies a date, use it. The new name does not change the underlying jurisdiction: both assess Arizona PT law and rules, and both satisfy the jurisprudence component only when passed under the applicable Board policy.
The 96-hour window begins after purchase, not when the candidate opens the first item. The processing calculation is added to the $48 listed fee and rounded as FSBPT describes. Immediate results do not require the candidate to hand-deliver a score because FSBPT sends the result to the Board, but the candidate should retain the detailed report.
Weight-based review
Do not spend equal time on all six categories. Definitions and Board powers total only six items, while licensure, patient care and discipline total 41. Consumer advocacy supplies three. First secure the high-weight patient-care and discipline decisions, then use the smaller categories to capture precise deadlines, titles and consumer protections.
Which statement describes the current Arizona jurisprudence assessment for a new purchase after August 3, 2026?
What is the current AZ JAM passing standard listed by FSBPT?
Which two top-level categories together account for 29 of 50 AZ JAM items?