The NPTE isn't offered on demand. FSBPT runs it on fixed dates four times a year, and each date has a registration deadline about five weeks earlier. Miss that deadline and the next chance is three months away. Here is every NPTE-PT date FSBPT has published, through October 2028.

When is the NPTE offered?

The NPTE-PT is offered four times a year, in January, April, July and October, on two consecutive days (a Tuesday and Wednesday) at Prometric test centers. The remaining 2026 date is October 27–28. The 2027 dates are January 26–27, April 27–28, July 27–28 and October 26–27. You must register and pay about five weeks before your date.

Those dates come from FSBPT's 2026 Dates & Deadlines and Future Test Dates pages. The NPTE Candidate Handbook confirms the pattern: exams "are administered on set dates four times per year: in January, April, July, and October," and anyone who misses a deadline "must wait until the next scheduled exam date."

4test windows a year
35 daystypical gap from registration deadline to test
$485FSBPT exam fee, plus a 1.6% processing fee
$112Prometric sitting fee (PT)

NPTE-PT exam dates 2026

NPTE-PT 2026 — all deadlines 11:59 PM Eastern
Test datesRegister & pay byState approval byScores to stateFree score report
Jan 27–28, 2026Dec 23, 2025Jan 5, 2026Feb 4, 2026Feb 11, 2026
Apr 28–29, 2026Mar 24, 2026Mar 31, 2026May 6, 2026May 13, 2026
Jul 28–29, 2026Jun 23, 2026Jun 30, 2026Aug 5, 2026Aug 12, 2026
Oct 27–28, 2026Sep 22, 2026Sep 29, 2026Nov 4, 2026Nov 12, 2026

The January 2026 registration deadline fell on December 23, 2025. Deadlines for January windows always fall in the previous calendar year.

NPTE-PT exam dates 2027

NPTE-PT 2027 — all deadlines 11:59 PM Eastern
Test datesRegister & pay byState approval byScores to stateFree score report
Jan 26–27, 2027Dec 22, 2026Jan 5, 2027Feb 3, 2027Feb 10, 2027
Apr 27–28, 2027Mar 23, 2027Mar 30, 2027May 5, 2027May 12, 2027
Jul 27–28, 2027Jun 22, 2027Jun 29, 2027Aug 4, 2027Aug 11, 2027
Oct 26–27, 2027Sep 21, 2027Sep 28, 2027Nov 3, 2027Nov 10, 2027

NPTE-PT exam dates 2028

NPTE-PT 2028 — all deadlines 11:59 PM Eastern
Test datesRegister & pay byState approval byScores to stateFree score report
Jan 25–26, 2028Dec 15, 2027Jan 4, 2028Feb 2, 2028Feb 9, 2028
Apr 25–26, 2028Mar 21, 2028Mar 28, 2028May 3, 2028May 10, 2028
Jul 25–26, 2028Jun 20, 2028Jun 27, 2028Aug 2, 2028Aug 9, 2028
Oct 24–25, 2028Sep 19, 2028Sep 26, 2028Nov 1, 2028Nov 8, 2028

NPTE-PTA exam dates

The physical therapist assistant exam has its own schedule, usually a few weeks before the PT exam in the same month. In October 2026, for example, the PTA exam is October 6–7. All twelve PTA windows through 2028 are on the NPTE-PTA exam dates page.

What each NPTE deadline means

FSBPT lists five dates for every window. Two of them decide whether you test at all.

  1. Registration and payment deadline. Register on your FSBPT dashboard and pay the $485 fee by 11:59 PM Eastern on this date. The Handbook is blunt about it: if you've registered but haven't paid by the deadline, "your registration will be closed, and you will have to wait until the next exam date."
  2. Jurisdiction approval deadline. About a week later, your state board (or FSBPT, in states that use the Alternate Approval Pathway) has to confirm you're eligible. If approval hasn't come through, FSBPT closes your registration and refunds the fee minus $50. State processing times vary, and some states set earlier application deadlines of their own, so send your paperwork well before this date.
  3. Seats reserved until. FSBPT holds Prometric seats for NPTE candidates until this date. Once your Authorization to Test (ATT) letter arrives, schedule straight away; the Handbook warns that "Prometric testing centers fill up quickly."
  4. Scores reported to jurisdictions. Your pass/fail status appears on your FSBPT dashboard and goes to your state board on the same day, roughly five business days after the window closes.
  5. Free candidate report. The report with your numeric scaled score posts about a week after that. It stays free for 30 days; after that you'd have to buy it.

How to choose your NPTE test date

Work backwards from three constraints: when you'll finish your degree, how long your state takes to approve you, and how many weeks of focused study you need. For most US graduates, that points to a window 8–12 weeks after coursework ends, registered as soon as your school validates your graduation date.

  • You can sit up to 90 days before graduation. FSBPT allows CAPTE-program candidates to test up to 90 days before their graduation date, once the school has validated that they're on track. Twelve jurisdictions don't allow it; see the state-by-state rules.
  • Leave room for state approval. If your state isn't an Alternate Approval Pathway state, it needs your licensure application, transcripts and fee before it can approve you. That's often the slowest step.
  • Match the date to your study plan. Our 6-, 8- and 12-week NPTE study plans are built around the FSBPT blueprint. Choose the window your plan actually finishes in, not the earliest one available.
  • Know the retake spacing before you need it. You can't test more than three consecutive times in 12 months, and after three in a row you must skip the next date. Our retake rules page covers the six-attempt lifetime limit and the rule about two scores below 400.

How to register for the NPTE

  1. Apply for licensure with your state board. FSBPT calls licensing "a two-step process": the state application comes first.
  2. Set up your FSBPT account. If you're graduating from a CAPTE-accredited program, your school creates your FSBPT profile and you finish it. Graduates of non-CAPTE programs request a profile through FSBPT's customer login page.
  3. Register and pay on your FSBPT dashboard before the registration deadline: $485 by Visa, MasterCard or Discover, plus a 1.6% processing fee rounded up to the nearest dollar.
  4. Wait for approval and your ATT letter. The Authorization to Test email arrives once your jurisdiction approves you and your payment is complete.
  5. Schedule with Prometric using the link on your dashboard, and pay the Prometric fee ($112 for PT). Make sure the name on your ATT letter matches your ID exactly.

Changing or cancelling costs money

Prometric charges nothing to reschedule 30 or more days out, $60 at 5–29 days, and the full sitting fee inside 5 days. Withdrawing from FSBPT costs a $50 processing fee 30+ days before exam day and $120 after that. FSBPT doesn't make exceptions for illness, so if you're sick on test day, withdraw before the window closes to get a partial refund. No-shows don't count toward your attempt limits.

NPTE exam dates: frequently asked questions

Are NPTE dates the same in every state?

Yes. The NPTE is given on the same fixed dates nationwide, and you can test at any Prometric center that offers it, whatever state you applied to. Registration deadlines are set by FSBPT, but your state board may set an earlier deadline for its own licensure application.

How far in advance should I register for the NPTE?

Register as soon as your school has validated your graduation date and your state application is in. FSBPT's registration deadline is about five weeks before each test window, and Prometric seats near you can fill before that.

What happens if I miss the NPTE registration deadline?

Your registration can't go through for that window. You'll need to register for the next one, about three months later. FSBPT doesn't extend deadlines.

Can I change my NPTE test date?

You can reschedule your Prometric appointment only within the testing window on your ATT letter. To move to a different window, you withdraw from the current exam on your FSBPT dashboard and choose either a refund or to apply the fee to a future registration; either way a $50 (30+ days out) or $120 processing fee applies.

When do NPTE scores come out?

Pass/fail status is posted to your FSBPT dashboard and sent to your state about five business days after the window ends. The free report with your scaled score follows about a week later. See the exact dates in the tables above.

How long is the NPTE-PT on test day?

Five hours of testing time for 225 questions across five sections. The full appointment is 5 hours 30 minutes, which includes the scheduled 15-minute break, a tutorial and a short survey.

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Sources

Every figure on this page comes from the primary sources below, checked on September 27, 2026. If an official source changes, it overrides this page.

  1. 2026 Dates & Deadlines — FSBPT
  2. Future Test Dates (2027 and 2028) — FSBPT
  3. NPTE Candidate Handbook, Version 2025.02 — Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT)