What to expect on ACHPN exam day, and how it is scored
- Awarded by
- Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC)
- Holders
- 2,628 current ACHPN holders as of February 19, 2026 [2]
- Facts taken from
- HPCC: ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook, December 2025 + 6 more documents under Sources
- Last read
The ACHPN exam runs 3½ hours, half an hour longer than the RN exam, for 175 questions; 150 are scored. Its pass point is a scaled 500, and for 2025 HPCC puts the first-time pass rate at 70.4%.
On this page 8 sections
ACHPN format and scoring, December 2025 handbook
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Question format | Multiple choice: each question has four answer options and one best response. One untimed practice question comes first. You can skip and bookmark questions. | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Answer options | Four options per question (A, B, C, D) | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Questions | 175 questions | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Scored questions | 150 scored questions | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Unscored questions | 25 unscored pretest questions, mixed in with the scored ones | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Exam time | 3½ hours | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| How it is scored | Scaled scoring: forms are equated and the passing point comes from a standard-setting study | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 500 on a 200–800 scale. All 150 scored questions carry the same weight; 500 marks the cut on a converted scale and is not a percentage. | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Score report | Pass or fail, a scaled score, and the percent correct in each content domain | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Results | Pass or fail on screen when you finish; PSI emails the score report within 24 hours | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Pass rate | 70.4% of first-time candidates passed in 2025 (200 of 284). Repeat candidates passed at 54.2%; all candidates, 68.1%. | Exam statistics (2025 exam results) [2] |
| Retake limit | Unlimited attempts | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Wait before a retake | No set wait: apply again for any later window | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1] |
| Retake fee | $135 once through reTEST Assured, taken in one of the next three windows; after that, the full fee | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1][3] |
| Content outline in force | Detailed Content Outline from the 2021 job analysis, printed in the December 2025 handbook | ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook [1][4] |
| Upcoming change | HPCC has posted a 2027 content outline but no date when it takes effect. Checked on the credential page (read Nov 11, 2026). | ACHPN (Advanced Practice RN) credential page [5][6] |
For windows, the audit and fees, see registration.
Four hours and 70 percent: two numbers the handbook does not use
Two figures circulate for this exam: a four-hour sitting and a 70 percent pass mark. The December 2025 handbook gives 3½ hours for 175 questions, with 25 of them left unscored as pretest items. It sets no percentage at all. Raw results go onto a scale, and passing requires a scaled score of 500 on a 200–800 scale. Since forms are equated, the number of right answers behind that cut is not fixed.
After the last question
The report's domain percentages matter most here: with four domains of different sizes, a weak showing in the largest one costs the most points, so read them against the weights on the study guide. The timing of the result is in the table.
First-time and repeat results, 2025
The 2025 figure covers a small group, a few hundred first-time candidates, so the rate can move from one year to the next. Repeat candidates passed less often; the table has both figures.
Retaking the advanced exam
Attempts are not capped. A second sitting goes through reTEST Assured at $135 (as of Nov 11, 2026) if it falls within three windows of the first; any attempt after that is charged at the full exam fee.
Outline in use
Format and scoring follow the December 2025 handbook, whose outline comes from the 2021 job analysis. The next outline keeps 150 scored questions with new domain weights (see the study guide).
Also on the ACHPN
- ACHPN
Who qualifies for the advanced practice exam, the audit, licensure and renewal
- ACHPN practice test
Free APRN-level questions on prognosis, prescribing, emergencies and ethics
- ACHPN registration
The application audit, testing windows, PSI or remote testing, and fees
- ACHPN study guide
The four domains of the APRN exam, their traps, and the 2027 reweighting
Sources
- [1]HPCC: ACHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook, December 2025 (PDF) advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [2]HPCC: Exam statistics (2025 exam results) advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [3]HPCC: reTEST Assured program advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [4]HPCC: ACHPN Detailed Content Outline, current exam (PDF) advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [5]HPCC: ACHPN (Advanced Practice RN) credential page advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [6]HPCC: 2027 ACHPN Exam Content Outline (PDF, posted 2026) advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [7]HPCC: CHPN Computer Based Examination Candidate Handbook, December 2025 (PDF) advancingexpertcare.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
ACHPN scoring and exam-day questions
How much longer is the ACHPN than the CHPN?
The advanced exam takes 3½ hours and has 175 questions; the RN exam takes 3 hours and has 150 questions.
How soon do results arrive after the advanced exam?
The pass or fail result shows on screen as you finish, and PSI follows up with an emailed report; the table has the timing.
Is there a cap on ACHPN attempts?
No cap. Every attempt needs a fresh application for a later window, and reTEST Assured lowers the price of one retake.
Facts in this part come from [7]