0.2 Exam Format & Logistics

Item Count And Time Limit

The IC&RC ADC examination consists of 150 multiple-choice items. Of those, 125 are scored and contribute to the final scaled score; the remaining 25 are unscored pretest items that IC&RC uses to gather performance statistics before promoting them to scored status on future forms. Pretest items are not flagged in any way — they look identical to scored items — so every question deserves full effort.

The time limit is 3 hours (180 minutes) for the examination itself. Most candidates get a brief tutorial before the timer starts and an optional survey afterward; neither counts against the 180-minute window. With 180 minutes for 150 items the average pace is 72 seconds per item — comfortable for short clinical-vignette stems but tight if a candidate stalls on multi-paragraph scenarios. The computer-based testing (CBT) interface lets candidates flag items for later review and return to them within the time remaining, so the efficient strategy is to answer the obvious items first, flag the hard ones, and circle back.

A useful pacing checkpoint: aim to reach item 75 by the 90-minute mark. If you are well behind that, you are over-reading. Items are single-best-answer with four options; there are no multiple-response, drag-and-drop, or essay formats on the ADC. Most stems are short scenarios ending in a direct question ("Which action is most appropriate?" or "This client best fits which ASAM level of care?"). Read the last sentence of the stem first so you know what is being asked before you absorb the clinical detail, then eliminate the two clearly wrong options and choose between the remaining two.

Computer-Based Delivery And The Testing Vendor

IC&RC contracts delivery to ISO-Quality Testing, Inc. (IQT) — note this is not PSI, a common point of confusion in third-party prep materials. After your member board confirms eligibility it pre-registers you, and IQT emails scheduling instructions. Two delivery modes are available in most jurisdictions:

1. In-person at an IQT/affiliated test center. You present required identification (a current government-issued photo ID), store personal items in a locker, and work through the exam on a secure workstation. Scratch paper or a small whiteboard is provided and surrendered at the end.
2. Online live-proctored remote testing. Available where you have a private room, a webcam, and stable broadband. A live proctor verifies identity, performs a room scan, and monitors the session. Phones, watches, second monitors, headphones, and notes are prohibited.

After the exam ends, candidates typically see a preliminary pass/fail screen on-site. The official scaled score is released through the member board, generally within about 1-2 weeks. Failed candidates receive a diagnostic report broken down by content domain to target the next study cycle.

Plan logistics deliberately. Schedule on a day you are rested, arrive (or log in) at least 30 minutes early, and bring the exact identification your confirmation email specifies — a name mismatch between your ID and your registration is a common reason candidates are turned away. For online testing, test your webcam and bandwidth in advance, clear the room of papers and devices, and have a single valid photo ID ready for the proctor's room scan.

No personal notes, phones, smartwatches, or food are permitted at the workstation; a provided whiteboard or scratch sheet is the only writing surface, and it must be shown blank at start and surrendered at end.

Scoring: The 200-800 Scaled Score And The 500 Cut

IC&RC reports scores on a scaled 200-800 range with a fixed minimum passing scaled score of 500. The range resembles other scaled systems (SAT, GRE sections), but the number 500 is not a percentile and not 50% correct. It is the IC&RC-set passing threshold derived from a Modified Angoff standard-setting study, in which expert panelists estimate the probability that a minimally competent counselor would answer each scored item correctly. Those probabilities aggregate into a raw cut score that is then mapped onto the 200-800 scale.

Because every form has slightly different items, the raw-correct number required to reach a scaled 500 varies form-to-form. It commonly lands somewhere around 70-78% of the 125 scored items, but this is not officially published and you should never try to memorize a raw target — chase mastery, not a magic number.

Fees And The Authorization Sequence

There is no single nationwide ADC fee; each member board sets its own inside the IC&RC framework.

You apply, pay, and schedule through your member board's portal, not through IC&RC directly. The board issues an Authorization to Test (ATT) once it confirms eligibility; the ATT is what IQT requires to book a seat.

Retake Policy

Candidates who do not pass must wait 90 days before re-attempting the same exam. Most boards permit up to four attempts; some require additional education or supervised practice hours after repeated failures. Let the diagnostic report drive the next plan: rebuild the weakest domain first rather than re-reading everything.