The NPA exam is the certification test from the National Phlebotomy Association for people who draw blood for laboratory testing. This page has free practice sets by topic and worked answers that explain every option. It also lists the exam facts from the NPA handbook: the $170 fee, the 70% passing score, the 2-hour written exam and the yearly renewal rules.

NPA Exam at a Glance

What changed for NPA in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Exam fee changed to $170 application and certification fee (previously $170 application/certification fee).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Retake policy changed to Reapply within 2 to 3 months; maximum 3 attempts (previously Reapply 2–3 months after a fail; max 3 attempts).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Passing score changed to 70% combined (written and practical) (previously 70% (written + practical combined)).^[1]

What the NPA is and how it works

According to National Phlebotomy Association, “The passing score is 70% (combination of written and practical parts of the exam).”^[1]

The National Phlebotomy Association certifies phlebotomists, the healthcare workers who collect blood specimens. You take the exam in person at a scheduled exam site. It has a written part and a practical part. The written examination is timed at 2 hours. Your result combines the written and practical parts, and the passing score is 70% of that combined result. Your hands-on skill counts toward passing as well as your answers to the questions.

Your application and the $170 application and certification fee must reach the NPA national office 30 days before the exam date. On exam day, get to the site at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time.

If you do not pass, you may reapply within 2 to 3 months after the exam. You need to send a full new application and pay the full fee again, and you get 3 attempts in total to pass.

Certification is valid for 1 year. You must renew it every year and complete 1.8 CEUs (continuing education units) each year.

Eligibility and training requirements, exam dates and site locations are set by NPA and the testing sites, and state rules for phlebotomists differ. Before you apply, read the current Application Handbook and Site Testing Guidelines on nationalphlebotomy.org.

Worked examples: how to reason through NPA 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: Which evidence-based approach is most important when applying documentation standards principles?

1. Following personal clinical intuition only
2. Using the most expensive available treatment
3. Integrating current research with clinical expertise and patient values
4. Relying solely on textbook guidelines from any era

Answer: C. Integrating current research with clinical expertise and patient values

Explanation:

C is correct. Evidence-based practice means combining current research with clinical judgment and the needs and values of the individual patient. None of these is enough by itself. In documentation, this means you record care that follows current, evidence-backed policy and fits the patient in front of you.

• A is wrong because intuition by itself ignores research and can carry personal bias.
• B is wrong because price says nothing about whether something is supported by evidence or right for the patient.
• D is wrong because guidelines "from any era" may be out of date. Evidence-based practice depends on current sources.

Rule to remember: distrust options that say "only" or "solely", or that link quality to cost. The best answer usually combines current evidence, professional judgment and the patient.

Example 2

Question: A patient has an MRSA-infected wound and is on contact precautions. What PPE is required to enter the room for a venipuncture?

1. Gown and gloves
2. N95 respirator
3. Negative-pressure room and mask
4. Surgical mask only

Answer: A. Gown and gloves

Explanation:

A is correct. MRSA spreads by direct contact with the patient and by indirect contact with items in the room. Contact precautions call for a gown, to protect your clothing, and gloves, to protect your hands. Put both on before you enter, take them off before you leave, and then clean your hands.

• B is wrong because an N95 respirator is for airborne precautions, such as tuberculosis, and does not protect against contact spread.
• C is wrong because a negative-pressure room is an airborne-isolation room, not PPE that you wear.
• D is wrong because a surgical mask is used for droplet precautions and leaves your hands and clothing unprotected.

Rule to remember: choose PPE by how the germ spreads. Contact means gown and gloves. Droplet means a mask. Airborne means an N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room.

Example 3

Question: How should contaminated equipment be cleaned?

1. Using an approved disinfectant solution
2. Rinse with water only
3. Wipe with a dry cloth
4. Use a mild soap solution

Answer: A. Using an approved disinfectant solution

Explanation:

A is correct. Contaminated equipment must be cleaned with a disinfectant approved for healthcare use. These products are made to kill or inactivate a wide range of pathogens, so the equipment is safe to use again. Follow the label and your facility's policy, including how long the disinfectant must stay wet on the equipment.

• B is wrong because water rinses away some visible dirt but does not kill pathogens.
• C is wrong because a dry cloth can spread contamination to other items and to your hands.
• D is wrong because mild soap helps remove dirt but is not a disinfectant.

Rule to remember: cleaning removes visible dirt and disinfecting kills pathogens. Contaminated equipment needs disinfecting with an approved product, used exactly as directed.

How to use these practice tests

Begin with the Start Practice Test to see which topics you already know. Next, work through the sets closest to everyday phlebotomy work:

• Blood Collection Techniques & Procedures
• Infection Control & Safety Standards
• Laboratory Practices & Specimen Handling
• Anatomy & Physiology of the Circulatory System
• Patient Interaction & Communication

When you get a question wrong, write down why the correct option is right before you move on. Sets such as Pharmacology Basics and Treatment Planning cover general healthcare and are less central to phlebotomy, so leave them until after the core sets.

The practical part counts toward your 70% combined score. Practise the full collection procedure under supervision in your training program, and say each step aloud: identifying the patient, hand hygiene, PPE, site selection and labeling. Read the NPA Application Handbook so you know the rules for exam day. Before test day, take the Start Practice Test again in a single 2-hour sitting to practise the pace of the written exam.

Sources & last verified

1. National Phlebotomy Association — time limit, passing score, exam fee, retake policy (official source). “The National Phlebotomy Association Certification Written Examination is a two-hour timed examination.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.
2. National Phlebotomy Association — registration deadline (official source). “APPLICATIONS MUST BE IN NPA’S NATIONAL OFFICE THIRTY (30) DAYS PRIOR TO THE EXAMINATION DATE.” Verified Oct 27, 2026.

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