1.5 Formats, Fees, Language Options, and Results Basics
Key Takeaways
- The written knowledge exam has 70 multiple-choice questions, a 2-hour limit, and 10 pretest or non-scored questions.
- The oral exam is an alternative to the written exam and includes 60 multiple-choice items plus 10 reading-comprehension or word-recognition items.
- The written or oral knowledge exam fee is $55, and the current WABON skills fee is listed as $100.
- Score reports are generally available within a few hours after the testing event is completed for the day and are not provided by phone or sent to employers.
What to Expect From the Exam Parts
Washington's NAC exam has an in-person Skills Test and an online Knowledge Test. The knowledge side may be taken as a written exam or as an oral exam alternative. The written exam has 70 multiple-choice questions and a 2-hour time limit. Credentia's outline says 10 of those questions are pretest or non-scored, so 60 are scored. That does not mean candidates can identify which questions are unscored during the exam. Treat every question as one that deserves careful reading.
The oral exam is an alternative to the written exam. The brief states that it includes 60 multiple-choice items plus 10 reading-comprehension or word-recognition items. English or Spanish oral options are available, and the candidate must request the oral exam on the application. The current DSHS page also says both the written or oral online examination and the skills examination are available in Spanish for candidates who have difficulty reading English. Candidates should make language and oral-exam decisions during application and scheduling steps rather than waiting until exam day.
| Item | Current brief fact |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 70 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours |
| Written scoring note | 10 pretest or non-scored questions, 60 scored questions |
| Oral exam | 60 multiple-choice items plus 10 reading-comprehension or word-recognition items |
| Knowledge exam fee | $55 for written or oral |
| Skills test fee | WABON current page lists $100 |
| Overall two-part fee | $155 when using the $100 skills fee plus $55 written or oral fee |
The knowledge exam may be online or at a test center, while skills is in person. Credentia online exam rescheduling or canceling must be at least 48 hours before the scheduled time. A no-show forfeits the fee and does not count as an attempt. These scheduling rules matter because a missed appointment can cost money even when it does not use one of the allowed attempts.
Results also have boundaries. Credentia score reports are generally available within a few hours after the testing event is completed for the day. Results are not given by phone and are not sent to the employer. If the written or oral exam is failed, a new exam fee is required. State and federal regulations allow four attempts to pass the written or oral exam; after four failures, the candidate must complete state-approved training and retake both parts. Do not add unofficial outcome statistics or unsupported score percentages to your study plan.
The actionable facts are format, timing, fees, language options, scheduling rules, result delivery, and the requirement to pass both parts. Keeping those facts separate from rumors makes retake and rescheduling decisions clearer.
How many questions are on the Washington written knowledge exam according to the brief?
What is the written or oral knowledge exam fee listed in the brief?
Which statement about score reports is supported by the brief?