Which baseline education requirement must every NHA CPT candidate meet?

A high school diploma or GED. Every CPT candidate must hold a high school diploma or GED. On top of that baseline, they must satisfy either the education or the experience eligibility pathway.

A candidate finished a phlebotomy training program from an accredited or state-recognized provider. How recently must it have been completed to qualify under the education pathway?

Within the past 5 years. Under the education pathway, the phlebotomy training program must have been completed within the past 5 years. The experience pathway instead uses supervised work experience: 1 year within the past 3 years or 2 years within the past 5 years.

What clinical procedure documentation does NHA require for CPT eligibility?

30 venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks. NHA requires documentation of 30 successful venipunctures and 10 successful capillary (dermal) sticks. This proves hands-on competency regardless of which eligibility pathway the candidate uses.

How long must a candidate wait between the first and second CPT attempts?

30 days. A 30-day waiting period applies after a failed attempt. NHA allows three attempts with at least 30 days between each; after a third failed attempt you must wait 1 year, and each retake requires re-registering and paying the full exam price.

Eligibility & Application — Free Study Guide 2026

Key Takeaways

Every candidate needs a high school diploma or GED before sitting for the CPT exam.
You qualify either through a phlebotomy training program from an accredited or state-recognized provider completed within 5 years OR supervised phlebotomy experience (1 year within the past 3 years or 2 years within the past 5).
You must document 30 successful venipunctures and 10 successful capillary (dermal) sticks.
Applications and scheduling are completed through your NHA online account, and a valid government-issued photo ID is required on exam day.
You get three attempts with at least 30 days between each; after a third failure you must wait 1 year, and each retake requires paying the full exam price.

Eligibility & Application

Quick Answer: You qualify for the NHA CPT exam with a high school diploma or GED plus one of two pathways: completing a phlebotomy training program from an accredited or state-recognized provider within the past 5 years, OR having supervised phlebotomy work experience (1 year within the past 3 years or 2 years within the past 5 years). Either pathway also requires documentation of 30 successful venipunctures and 10 successful capillary sticks.

Baseline Requirements

Every CPT candidate must:

Hold a high school diploma or GED (General Educational Development credential).
Hold an NHA online account and submit an approved exam application.
Present a valid government-issued photo ID at the PSI test center or for online proctoring.

The Two Eligibility Pathways

You must satisfy one of the two pathways below — not both.

Pathway	Requirement	Recency window
Education	Complete a phlebotomy training program from an accredited or state-recognized provider	Within the past 5 years
Experience	Supervised phlebotomy work experience: 1 year within the past 3 years, or 2 years within the past 5 years	See requirement

Required Clinical Documentation

Regardless of which pathway you use, NHA requires proof of hands-on competency:

30 successful venipunctures (blood draws from a vein).
10 successful capillary (dermal) sticks (fingerstick or heelstick).

"Successful" means the procedure produced a usable specimen. Your training program or supervising employer typically signs off on a competency log that records these procedures. Keep your documentation organized — NHA may request verification.

Application and Scheduling Steps

Create or log in to your NHA online account at nhanow.com.
Submit the CPT exam application and pay the $134 fee (unless your school or employer has prepaid it).
Confirm your eligibility pathway and upload or attest to required documentation.
Once approved, schedule the exam at your school, a PSI center, or choose online live proctoring.
On exam day, present a valid government-issued photo ID matching your registration name.

Retake Policy

If you do not pass:

You are allowed three attempts, with a 30-day waiting period between each attempt.
After a third failed attempt, you must wait 1 year before testing again.
Each retake requires re-registering and paying the full exam price (currently $134).

This structure rewards thorough preparation: scoring 80% or higher on full-length practice exams before scheduling minimizes the time and cost of retakes.

NHA CPT Certified Phlebotomy Technician

1.2 Eligibility & Application