The Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) — adaptive practice across medications, calculations, law, and safety.
The PTCE certifies pharmacy technicians across four domains: medications (drug classes, brand/generic pairs, interactions — 40% of the exam), federal requirements (controlled-substance schedules, DEA forms, refill and transfer rules), patient safety and quality assurance (error-prone abbreviations, look-alike/sound-alike drugs, high-alert medications), and order entry and processing — where the exam's calculations live.
Keentune covers all four with adaptive questions that meet you at your level: the medication knowledge in the same skills pre-health students use, plus two exam-focused skills for the calculations (every answer computed — days supply, conversions, alligation, IV rates, the DEA checksum) and the law-and-safety rules. Every explanation names the classic trap, from the missing leading zero to the C-II refill question.
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What’s on the PTCB exam
Questions
90 (80 scored + 10 unscored)
Time
1 hour 50 minutes
Passing score
1,400 (scaled 1,300–1,600)
Cost
$129 application fee
Eligibility
HS diploma/GED + program or experience
Medications
40%
Drug classes, brand and generic names, interactions, therapeutic equivalence, and storage — the largest domain.
Patient Safety & Quality Assurance
26.25%
Error-prone abbreviations, high-alert and look-alike/sound-alike drugs, and error-prevention strategies.
Order Entry & Processing
21.25%
The math and mechanics — days supply, NDC numbers, dispensing, and lot/expiration handling.
Federal Requirements
12.5%
Controlled-substance schedules and DEA forms, restricted drug programs, and FDA recall classes.
Domain weights and format from the published PTCE content outline (ptcb.org). Confirm current fees and policies on ptcb.org before you apply.
Sample PTCB questions
Worked examples with the answer explained — the same teaching you get after every question in practice. Original questions written by Keentune, not real exam items.
Law & safety
A prescription for a Schedule II controlled substance such as oxycodone — how many refills may it carry under federal law?
• Zero — no refills are permitted
• Up to 5 refills within 6 months
• Refills for up to 1 year
• As many as the prescriber writes
Answer: Zero — no refills are permitted
Federal law permits no refills on a Schedule II (C-II) prescription — a brand-new prescription is required each time. The trap is “up to 5 refills within 6 months,” which is the rule for Schedules III and IV, not C-II. Rule: C-II = zero refills; C-III and C-IV = a maximum of 5 refills or 6 months, whichever comes first.
Calculations
A patient receives 60 tablets with the directions “take 1 tablet twice daily.” What is the days supply?
• 30 days
• 60 days
• 120 days
• 15 days
Answer: 30 days
Days supply = total quantity ÷ the amount used per day. “Twice daily” means 2 tablets a day, so 60 ÷ 2 = 30 days. The trap is 60 — reading the tablet count as the number of days, which ignores that two are taken daily. Rule: decode the sig (directions) first, then divide the quantity by the daily dose.
Practice by section
Medications
Drug classes, brand and generic names, mechanisms, interactions, and the terminology behind them.
Original practice aligned to the published PTCE content outline — never actual exam questions. PTCB and PTCE are registered trademarks of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board; Keentune is independent study practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by PTCB, and does not guarantee a pass. Educational only — never dosing guidance.
The PTCB application fee for the PTCE is $129 (as of 2026 — confirm the current fee on ptcb.org before you apply).
What score do I need to pass the PTCE?
The PTCE is scored on a scaled range of 1,300 to 1,600, and you need a scaled score of 1,400 to pass. Because scoring is scaled rather than a raw percentage, there is no fixed number of questions you must get right.
How many questions are on the PTCE, and how long is it?
It has 90 multiple-choice questions — 80 scored plus 10 unscored pretest questions — in a 1-hour-50-minute appointment.
Am I eligible to take the PTCE?
PTCB requires a high-school diploma or GED plus either completion of a PTCB-recognized education/training program or equivalent work experience. Check the current eligibility pathways on ptcb.org.
What is on the PTCE?
Four knowledge domains: Medications (40%), Patient Safety & Quality Assurance (26.25%), Order Entry & Processing (21.25%), and Federal Requirements (12.5%).
Can I retake the PTCE if I don’t pass?
Yes. PTCB allows retakes with a required waiting period between attempts and a limit on total attempts — check the current retake policy on ptcb.org.
All exam, test, and product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used here for identification and reference only. Keentune is independent study practice — not affiliated with, authorized, or endorsed by any of these organizations.