Inside the IC&RC ADC exam: 150 questions, one scaled cut
- Awarded by
- International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC)
- Facts taken from
- IC&RC: Alcohol and Drug Counselor Candidate Guide, effective November 2022 + 5 more documents under Sources
- Last read
The IC&RC exam that boards require for the CADC, the CASAC and similar titles is 150 questions with 3 h to answer them. Only 125 are scored; 25 more are tryouts mixed in unmarked. Passing means reaching 500 on the consortium's scale, which is not a percent.
On this page 8 sections
Format, scoring and results
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Question format | Multiple choice: each question has three or four answer options and one best answer. There is no penalty for guessing. A short tutorial and a closing survey run outside the exam time. | Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Candidate Guide [1][2] |
| Questions | 150 questions | Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Candidate Guide [1] |
| Scored questions | 125 scored questions | Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Candidate Guide [1] |
| Unscored questions | 25 unscored pretest questions, not identified on the exam | Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Candidate Guide [1] |
| Exam time | 3 hours | Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Candidate Guide [1] |
| How it is scored | Scaled scoring: the cut score is set with the modified Angoff method, forms are equated, and every question carries equal weight | General Candidate Guide [2][3] |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 500 on a 200–800 scale. IC&RC reports all of its exams on this scale; 500 is a converted cut, not a share of questions answered correctly. | IC&RC: Scores and verification [2][3] |
| Score report | Pass or fail; a candidate who fails also gets the scaled score and the percentage correct in each domain. No raw score is reported. | IC&RC: Scores and verification [2][3] |
| Results | A preliminary result on screen right after the exam; the final score report goes through your board, which takes about two to three weeks | IC&RC: Scores and verification [2][3] |
| Test provider | Prometric, which delivers IC&RC exams through its ISO-Quality Testing (IQT) division | General Candidate Guide [2] |
| Where you test | Prometric test centers, or remote proctoring at home if your board allows it | General Candidate Guide [2] |
| Wait before a retake | At least 90 days after the previous attempt; a board may set a longer wait, and the wait cannot be waived | General Candidate Guide [2][4] |
| Retake limit | No fixed number of attempts, but after four failed attempts in a row your board must require remedial action before the next try (some boards after three). The retake is booked through your board, not directly with IQT. | General Candidate Guide [2][4] |
| Other charges | $35 to reschedule or cancel with IQT; $25 for a score verification letter. A hand-score request, filed within 30 days, carries its own fee. | General Candidate Guide [2][3] |
Board fees and the booking steps are covered on the cost and registration page.
A scaled pass point of 500, not a percent
Every exam from the consortium reports on the same scaled range, and the cut point is the same scaled number on all of them. Behind it is a standard-setting study: experienced counselors rate each item, their ratings fix the raw cut for minimal competence, and that cut is mapped onto the scale. Equating keeps forms fair: on a tougher form, the raw cut drops a little to land on the same scaled pass point.
Two consequences matter when you prepare. All scored questions count the same, so there is no reason to spend extra minutes on a long case at the cost of three short items. And pages promising that "75 percent passes" are guessing; the consortium publishes no such figure.
The score report and what it shows
The screen tells you right away whether you passed, but that first verdict is provisional. The final report comes later and through your board, not straight from the consortium; the table gives the usual wait.
A pass shows only that you passed. If you fail, the report adds your scaled score and your percent correct in each of the four domains, which is the most useful map for a retake. Raw scores are never released. Proof of your score for a second board comes as a verification letter, which is billed separately (see the table).
Retakes: the waiting period and the remediation rule
Between two sittings, 90 days must go by, and a board may lengthen that gap. The retake is arranged through your board again, not booked directly with the test provider.
Attempts are not capped. Instead, after a run of failed attempts your board must require remedial action before the next try; the table gives the count, and some boards set it lower. What counts as remedial action, such as extra coursework or supervised study, is up to the board, so ask early.
Prometric delivers it, at a center or online
Prometric delivers the exam through its ISO-Quality Testing (IQT) division. Some prep sites still name Pearson VUE; for this exam that is out of date.
Seats are offered in Prometric centers and, where your board permits, through remote proctoring at home. In Pennsylvania, for example, you choose online or in person when the board schedules your exam. If your board offers only test centers, the online route is not available to you even though IQT runs it for other boards.
Domains changed in 2023
The exam has followed new domains since the 2023 update, and no newer outline had been announced as of Nov 11, 2026. Prep built on the 2015 domains covers much of the same ground, but has no separate domain for the science of substance use; the study guide lines up the two versions.
Where to go from the exam facts
- IC&RC ADC
CADC and similar titles on the IC&RC ADC exam: who issues them, minimum hours, renewal
- IC&RC ADC practice test
Free IC&RC ADC practice questions on the 2023 domains, each option explained
- IC&RC ADC registration
What the IC&RC ADC exam costs at six boards, and the order from application to seat
- IC&RC ADC study guide
The four IC&RC ADC domains, their traps, and the 12 core functions mapped onto them
Sources
- [1]IC&RC: Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) Candidate Guide, effective November 2022 (PDF) internationalcredentialing.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [2]IC&RC: General Candidate Guide, updated April 1, 2025 (PDF) internationalcredentialing.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [3]IC&RC: Scores and verification internationalcredentialing.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [4]IC&RC: Retakes, disclosure, grievance and appeals internationalcredentialing.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [5]PCB: Certification process pacertboard.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
- [6]Florida Certification Board: Fees flcertificationboard.org, consulted Nov 11, 2026
Questions about the exam itself
How many questions are on the CADC exam?
Where the CADC rests on this exam, it has 150 questions, and 125 of them are scored. The 25 unscored tryouts are not labeled as such.
What score do you need to pass the IC&RC exam?
A scaled 500. The consortium uses that number on all its exams, and it stands for no particular percent right.
After a failed attempt, when may I sit the ADC exam again?
Not before 90 days have passed; a board can stretch that. The waiting period cannot be waived.
Can I sit the ADC exam online from home?
Only where your board permits remote proctoring. If it does not, a Prometric center is the venue, and the approval notice from your board lists what is open to you.