Application, Scoring & Testing Logistics

Application, Scoring & Testing Logistics

Quick Answer: Expect an 80–100 question, 2-hour, proctored multiple-choice exam. Apply to NCCHC with credentials, résumé/CV, and fee (commonly about $230 for the application path advertised online), then test at an NCCHC conference/partner site or through Prometric (test center or live remote online). You receive pass/fail only by email in about two weeks. There is no penalty for wrong answers. You may retake up to two more times within one year of application approval if you do not pass.

The Exam Format at a Glance

Questions, answers, and grading guidelines are developed under the CCHP Board of Trustees. Tests are graded electronically. A list of passing candidates may be published; NCCHC does not publish references to candidates who defer or do not pass.

Test-Taking Implications

Because there is no penalty for wrong answers, leaving blanks is strategically worse than educated guessing. Because only pass/fail is reported, you cannot reverse-engineer a cut score from a score report. Plan preparation around domain mastery and timed practice rather than chasing an unpublished percentage.

Pacing guide: With 100 items and 120 minutes, average about 1.2 minutes per question. With 80 items, you have more margin. Flag hard items, answer something, and return if time remains. No credit is given if more than one response is selected.

Application Package and Candidacy

Elements of the Application

Per the Candidate Handbook, expect to submit:

1. Completed application and fee
2. Résumé or curriculum vitae documenting education and professional experience
3. Copies of valid credentials (for example license or diploma materials consistent with eligibility)

Application deadlines vary by exam date—always confirm the current calendar on NCCHC’s CCHP calendar pages rather than relying on third-party blogs.

After You Apply

• Once application materials and fee are received and approved, you receive acknowledgment of candidacy to take the exam.
• You must register before the registration deadline for the exam date you want.
• Incomplete applications are kept on file for three months, after which a new application and fees must be submitted.
• A candidate must take the exam within six months of the application approval date.
• Application fees are not refundable.

Fees (Use Current Schedule Language)

Public exam-meta and fee-schedule language commonly lists an online application fee of about $230. Separate testing-channel costs can apply: for example, first attempts at some NCCHC conference administrations may be packaged differently than Prometric seat fees (Prometric attempts have been advertised with a separate per-attempt fee in NCCHC materials). Always verify the current fee table on NCCHC’s site before budgeting—do not treat a third-party summary as a binding invoice.

Where and How You Test

Examinations are offered throughout the year through:

• NCCHC conferences and partner sites/conferences
• Prometric test centers nationwide
• Online exams with live remote proctors through Prometric

NCCHC Conference and Partner Sites

• Register through NCCHC for live locations.
• Upon registering, candidates receive an admission notice with the site address.
• Bring the admission notice and a valid state photo ID or driver’s license.
• Report as instructed on the admission notice. Candidates arriving late may be admitted but will not receive additional time.

Prometric Test Centers

• Follow Prometric registration and center regulations exactly.
• Report at the instructed time and complete any check-in security procedures.

Online (Live Remote Proctoring)

NCCHC offers online exams with live remote proctors via Prometric. Typical requirements include:

• Reliable internet access
• A laptop or PC
• A web camera
• Completion of a system test before the exam
• Compliance with additional online-exam rules published on NCCHC’s online exam pages

Treat the remote room as a test center: clear your workspace, prevent interruptions, and expect identity verification and environment scans.

Prohibited Items (All Channels)

No pagers, cell phones, alarms, or similar devices may be operative during the exam. PDAs and other handheld computers are prohibited. Using such devices can result in dismissal and disqualification. No books, reference materials, or study aids of any sort are allowed in the exam room.

Rescheduling Rules

The handbook’s rescheduling framework is important for both money and candidacy timing:

• Make and confirm all cancellations/changes through the website or by direct contact with the entity you registered with (NCCHC or Prometric).
• Candidates canceling or rescheduling less than 5 days before the exam date are responsible for the full reregistration fee.
• For Prometric, reduced fees apply when changes fall 5–29 days before the scheduled date, and no fee when 30 days or more out (per handbook description of Prometric’s fee structure).

Practical tip: If your work schedule is volatile (mandatory overtime, court transport, outbreak response), prefer a date with enough lead time that a custody crisis does not force a full reregistration fee.

Reexamination (Retakes)

Candidates who do not attain a passing score on the first attempt may retake the exam two additional times within one year of the application approval date. That is a hard planning window:

• Approval date starts the clock for retakes and interacts with the expectation to test within six months of approval for the initial attempt pathway.
• Budget time for study between attempts; do not burn retakes with unchanged preparation.
• Confirm whether additional registration/seat fees apply for each attempt under the current fee schedule.

ADA Accommodations

The CCHP Board of Trustees works to ensure test centers comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require special accommodations at an NCCHC site, submit a written request at least 90 days before the examination date. For Prometric administrations, follow Prometric/NCCHC instructions for accommodation requests and documentation—do not assume NCCHC-site timelines automatically apply without checking the channel you will use.

Day-of and Scoring Timeline Checklist

Before Exam Day

• Confirm registration channel (NCCHC vs. Prometric)
• Verify ID name matches registration
• Complete online system test if remote
• Know arrival time and prohibited-item rules
• Review domain weights, not only flashcards of isolated facts

After the Exam

• Expect email results in approximately two weeks
• Report shows pass or fail only—no detailed domain breakdown is promised in the handbook scoring description
• If you pass, plan for annual recertification pathways (continuing education and licensure maintenance as published by NCCHC)
• If you fail, map remaining retake eligibility against the one-year-from-approval window and schedule deliberate remediation

Exam-Realistic Logistics Scenario

Scenario: You are a charge nurse whose application was approved on March 1. You register for a Prometric center seat in April, then learn 10 days before the exam that you must cover an outbreak unit. Under handbook-framed Prometric timing, a change 5–29 days out can incur a reduced fee—but waiting until 3 days before can trigger a full reregistration fee. Separately, you must still finish all attempts within one year of March 1 if multiple tries are needed. Logistics knowledge is part of professional readiness, not paperwork trivia.

Master these rules early so anxiety on exam week is about clinical-standards content—not admission notices, fees, or retake clocks.