The NBCRNA National Certification Examination (NCE) is taken by nurse anesthesia graduates who want to become certified. This page gives you free practice sets by topic, three worked questions with full explanations, a breakdown of the official content outline, and a short summary of the format, fees and retake rules taken from NBCRNA sources.
The NBCRNA has 170 questions, takes about 3 hours and costs $1,310[1][2][3] (National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, verified Oct 28, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 100–170 questions (incl. 30 unscored pretest)[1] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit | 3 hours maximum[2] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Passing score | Pass/fail based on IRT ability estimate (standard updated July 1, 2026)[4] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $1,310 (includes $160 MAC Check enrollment)[3] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $1,150 per retake[3] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Up to 4 attempts per 12 months, 8 total within 2 years[5] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Validity | 4-year MAC cycle[6] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Renewal | $445 every 4 years + 60 Class A and 40 Class B credits + 13 MAC Check quarters[7] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test centers (including select US military bases)[2] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Unrestricted RN license + COA-accredited nurse anesthesia program completed within 2 calendar years[1] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Score release | Preliminary at checkout; official in 2–4 weeks by mail[5] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline | Up to 3 calendar days before test date[8] | pearsonvue.com · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | Within 90 days of eligibility notice[1] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Testing window | Year-round[1] | National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists · Oct 28, 2026 |
According to National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, “Each candidate will take a minimum of 100 test questions — 70 questions representing the NCE content outline and 30 random, non-graded pretest questions. The maximum number of questions is 170 questions, which includes the 30 random, non- graded pretest questions.”[1]
The NCE is the certification exam run by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. To be eligible, you need an unrestricted RN license and a nurse anesthesia program accredited by the COA, completed within the previous 2 calendar years. Rules and paperwork can differ for individual situations, so read the NBCRNA candidate handbook before you apply.
The exam is a variable-length, computerized adaptive test. Each candidate sees between 100 and 170 questions, and 30 of them are unscored pretest items. You have a maximum of 3 hours. It is delivered at Pearson VUE test centers, including select US military bases, and is offered year-round. Your eligibility notice expires 90 days after it is issued, so schedule within that window. Appointments can be made up to 3 calendar days before the day you want to test, subject to availability.
Results are pass/fail based on an IRT ability estimate. The passing standard was adjusted on July 1, 2026, while content and format stayed the same. You get preliminary results at checkout, and official results arrive by mail in 2–4 weeks.
The fee is $1,310, which includes the $160 MAC Check enrollment. A retake costs $1,150. You can sit the exam up to 4 times in each 12-month period and 8 times in total. Confirm current fees and policies on the NBCRNA website.
The content areas below are copied from the official NBCRNA content outline published by National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Anesthesia for Surgical Procedures and Special Populations[10] | 25% | NBCRNA Obstetric Anesthesia Practise how anesthetic plans change for obstetric patients and other special populations, including the physiology behind each change. |
| Basic Sciences[10] | 20% | NBCRNA Pharmacology for Nurse Anesthetists Practise drug classes, mechanisms, reversal agents and how they interact, since pharmacology underlies many scenario questions. |
| Equipment, Instrumentation and Technology[10] | 20% | NBCRNA Anesthesia Equipment and Technology Practise how machines, monitors and delivery systems work and what a reading or alarm is telling you. |
| General Principles of Anesthesia[10] | 35% | NBCRNA Perioperative Patient Assessment Practise preoperative assessment, risk stratification and choosing a safe plan from the patient's history. |
Prepare for the NBCRNA - National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
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.
Question: According to current ASA fasting guidelines, clear liquids may be consumed up to how many hours before elective anesthesia in adults?
Answer: A. 2 hours
Explanation:
The correct answer is 2 hours. Clear liquids leave the stomach quickly, so the fasting guidelines allow them up to 2 hours before elective anesthesia in healthy adults. Water, pulp-free juice, tea and black coffee all count.
The 4 hour, 6 hour and 8 hour options are wrong for clear liquids because they demand a longer fast than the guidelines require. Longer intervals belong to heavier intake such as solid food or fatty meals, which empty more slowly.
Rule to remember: the fasting interval grows with the density and fat content of what was consumed. Clear liquids have the shortest interval, and keeping patients hydrated up to that point improves comfort without raising aspiration risk in a routine patient.
Question: Which medication should be administered to a patient who is unresponsive and hypoxic after receiving midazolam (Versed) for a 20-minute gastrointestinal procedure?
Answer: B. Flumazenil (Romazicon)
Explanation:
Flumazenil is correct. The patient is unresponsive and hypoxic after midazolam, a benzodiazepine, and flumazenil is the specific competitive antagonist at the benzodiazepine receptor. It reverses the sedation, though it should not be used routinely.
Atropine is an anticholinergic used for bradycardia or secretions, and it does nothing for benzodiazepine sedation. Naloxone reverses opioids, and this scenario describes no opioid. Neostigmine is a cholinesterase inhibitor used to reverse nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers, so it would not help here.
Rule to remember: match the reversal agent to the drug class that caused the problem. Support the airway and breathing first, then give the antagonist.
Question: Which neuromuscular blocking agent is a benzylisoquinoline compound?
Answer: D. Mivacurium
Explanation:
Mivacurium is correct. It is a short-acting nondepolarizing relaxant in the benzylisoquinoline class, along with atracurium and cisatracurium.
Vecuronium and pancuronium are wrong because both are aminosteroid compounds, a different chemical family. Succinylcholine is wrong because it is a depolarizing agent built from two acetylcholine molecules, not a benzylisoquinoline.
Rule to remember: the name ending helps. Names ending in -curium are benzylisoquinolines, and names ending in -curonium are aminosteroids. Chemical class matters because it predicts how the drug is metabolized, whether it releases histamine, and how it behaves in organ dysfunction.
Start by reading the official NBCRNA candidate handbook and the content outline so you know what is tested and how the adaptive format works. Then take a practice set in each topic area without time pressure, and write down every question you miss along with the reason you missed it: a knowledge gap, a misread stem, or a rushed guess.
Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions, so use them to check understanding, not to predict the exam. The official NBCRNA materials remain the reference for policies and content.
The NCE is a variable-length adaptive test with 100 to 170 questions. Of these, 30 are unscored pretest questions. You have a maximum of 3 hours to finish. The number of questions you see depends on how the adaptive test responds to your answers.
The fee is $1,310, which includes the $160 MAC Check enrollment fee. A retake costs $1,150 per attempt. Fees can change, so check the current NBCRNA fee schedule before you pay.
You need an unrestricted RN license and must have completed a COA-accredited nurse anesthesia program within the previous 2 calendar years. After NBCRNA issues your eligibility notice, you have 90 days to take the exam. The candidate handbook has the full requirements.
Results are pass/fail based on an IRT ability estimate. The passing standard was adjusted on July 1, 2026, with content and format unchanged. You receive preliminary results at checkout, and official results come by mail in 2–4 weeks.
You can take the NCE up to 4 times in each 12-month period and 8 times in total after completing your program. Each retake costs $1,150. Check the NBCRNA candidate information for how the limits are counted.
Certification runs on a 4-year MAC cycle. Renewal costs $445 every 4 years, which includes $160 for MAC Check access, and requires 60 Class A credits, 40 Class B credits and 13 MAC Check quarters. See the NBCRNA MAC handbook for details.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.