CRC Practice Test

This page is for candidates preparing for the Certified Addiction Recovery Coach credential from the Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification, which uses an IC&RC exam. It lists the verified exam format, fees and retake rule, matches our practice sets to the official content areas, and walks through sample questions with explanations. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions.

CRC Exam at a Glance

What the CRC is and how it works

According to Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC), the IC&RC member board; exam by IC&RC (Internat, “Number of Scored Questions 65 Number of Pre-test Questions 10 Total Number of Questions 75”^[1]

The Certified Addiction Recovery Coach credential is issued through the Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC), a member board of IC&RC. The exam itself is an IC&RC exam. It has 75 questions, made up of 65 scored questions and 10 pre-test questions, and the time limit is 2 hours.

The exam is computer-based. It is given in person at a Prometric testing center, or by remote proctoring only if the administering board allows it. Scores are reported on a 200 to 800 scale, and the minimum passing scaled score is 500. A preliminary score is shown right after you finish. The official report comes from the board.

The listed costs are a $125 exam fee and a $250 application review fee. You can register at any time, and you need to test within 12 months of the date on your pre-registration letter. If you do not pass, you must wait at least 90 days before retesting, and an individual board may set a longer wait.

Once issued, the credential covers 2 years. Renewal takes 30 CE hours and a $150 fee.

Eligibility requirements, current fees and forms can change, so confirm them with MBSACC and IC&RC before you apply. This site writes its content with AI tools, so treat it as practice material and not as an official source.

CRC content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CRC content outline published by Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC), the IC&RC member board; exam by IC&RC (Internat, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CRC questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Research on recovery housing with abstinence requirements and peer accountability shows:

1. Higher rates of continued substance use
2. Improved employment outcomes and reduced relapse rates
3. Increased involvement with the criminal justice system
4. Greater social isolation among residents

Answer: B. Improved employment outcomes and reduced relapse rates

Explanation:

The correct answer is that this housing is linked to improved employment outcomes and reduced relapse rates. Structured recovery housing combines a stable place to live with shared expectations, and that mix tends to support steady work and lasting recovery.

Higher rates of continued substance use is wrong because it reverses the finding. Increased involvement with the criminal justice system is wrong because the research does not describe the model that way. Greater social isolation is wrong because peer accountability is built on connection with other residents.

Rule to remember: when a question describes a supportive, structured, peer-based setting, look for the option that shows better stability and recovery, and rule out options that describe the opposite of what the setting is designed to do.

Example 2

Question: What is the BEST approach to documentation & health records standardization in Certified Addiction Recovery Coach?

1. Implementing consistent formats, terminology, and processes across the organization
2. Allowing each department to create its own standards
3. Using whatever format is most convenient at the time
4. Standardizing only external-facing documents

Answer: A. Implementing consistent formats, terminology, and processes across the organization

Explanation:

The correct answer is implementing consistent formats, terminology and processes across the organization. When everyone records information the same way, records can be shared, compared and reviewed without guesswork.

Letting each department create its own standards is wrong because the same information ends up recorded in conflicting ways. Using whatever format is convenient at the time is wrong because the records become unreliable and hard to audit. Standardizing only external-facing documents is wrong because internal records are the ones coaches and staff depend on every day.

Rule to remember: on documentation questions, the best answer is usually the consistent, organization-wide approach. Be wary of options that rely on convenience, individual preference or partial coverage.

Example 3

Question: Which diagnostic procedures & interpretation method provides the MOST reliable results in Certified Addiction Recovery Coach?

1. Standardized protocols with validated measurement tools
2. Informal observation without documentation
3. Single-point assessments without follow-up
4. Assessments based solely on self-reporting

Answer: A. Standardized protocols with validated measurement tools

Explanation:

The correct answer is standardized protocols with validated measurement tools. A validated tool has been tested to measure what it claims to measure, and a standard protocol means different people can use it the same way and compare results over time.

Informal observation without documentation is wrong because nothing can be checked or compared later. Single-point assessments without follow-up are wrong because they miss change over time. Assessments based solely on self-reporting are wrong because they rely on one source, which can be incomplete even when the person is honest.

Rule to remember: for reliability questions, choose structured, validated and repeatable methods over informal, one-time or single-source ones.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official candidate guide and the MBSACC pages, so you know the exam format, the content areas and the fees before you practise. Then take a short set from the area where you feel least certain, and read every explanation, including the ones for questions you got right.

Keep a short list of the reasons you miss questions. Most misses fall into a few patterns, such as choosing an option that fixes the problem for the person instead of supporting their own choices, or overlooking a boundary issue. Review that list before each new session.

Give extra time to Ethical Responsibility, since it carries the largest share of the outline. Work through the ethics and legal set, then return to it later to check what stuck.

Some of our sets are clinical or general health topics, such as infection control, so use the content area table above to decide which sets matter most for your exam. Closer to test day, do a timed run that matches the 2 hour limit, and rest the day before. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find weak spots, not to predict your score.

Sources & last verified

1. internationalcredentialing.org — number of questions, time limit, other (official source). “Number of Scored Questions 65 Number of Pre-test Questions 10 Total Number of Questions 75” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
2. pci.jotform.com — exam fee, testing window (official source). “In order to sit for the IC&RC Peer Recovery exam, please complete the form below and provide payment for the $125.00 examination fee.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
3. internationalcredentialing.org — passing score, retake policy, delivery, score release (official source). “For IC&RC exams, scores are reported on a scale ranging from 200 - 800, with a minimum scaled passing score of 500 for all examinations.” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 16, 2026.
4. Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC), the IC&RC member board; exam by IC&RC (Internat — validity (official source). “Once issued the Certified Addiction Recovery Coach (CARC) Certification covers a two-year period, after which it must be renewed.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
5. Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC), the IC&RC member board; exam by IC&RC (Internat — renewal (official source). “NOTE: Please enclose your Recertification fee ($150 payable to: MBSACC) with this form and mail it to the letterhead address by the deadline date.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
6. Massachusetts Board of Substance Abuse Counselor Certification (MBSACC), the IC&RC member board; exam by IC&RC (Internat — registration opens (official source). “Candidates can register to test at any time by clicking the CARC Test Application link below.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.