Your Path to becoming a Patient Care Technician.

Patient care technicians are allied health professionals who provide direct patient care within their regulated scope of practice. They perform basic nursing assistant tasks (as delegated by the nursing or medical staff) which may include obtaining patient vital signs and other data, communicating with the healthcare team and patients, assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs), complying with confidentiality requirements, and performing ECGs and phlebotomy tasks.

Choose Your Route

There are THREE (3) routes of eligibility to take the NCPCT exam. Select your route of eligibility from the following:

Route 1A - Current Student

Are you a CURRENT STUDENT in a Patient Care Technician program from an NCCT (authorized) school?

  • You must be a United States high school student, graduate or hold equivalent credentials (e.g., GED).
  • You must submit a copy of your Patient Care Technician diploma, certificate of completion, or official (signed) transcript with graduation date to obtain full accreditation.
  • All required documents must be submitted within two years after successful program completion in order for your certification to be released.

Exam Fee: $119.00

Route 1B - Graduate

Are you a GRADUATE from a Patient Care Technician program from an NCCT (authorized) school, within the past FIVE years?

  • You must be a United States high school student, graduate or hold equivalent credentials (e.g., GED).
  • You must submit a copy of your Patient Care Technician diploma, certificate of completion, or transcript with graduation date. This includes U.S. Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeship programs.

Exam Fee: $119.00

Route 2 - Experience

You have one year of verifiable full-time experience as a Patient Care Technician practitioner within the past FIVE years.

  • You must be a United States high school student, graduate or hold equivalent credentials (e.g., GED).
  • You must have one (1) year of full-time employment or equivalent (2080 hours) as a Patient Care Technician under the direct supervision of a certified/licensed physician or primary care provider within the past FIVE years.
  • You must submit a copy of your high school diploma (or equivalent) and the Patient Care Technician Certification Qualification by Experience form completed by your employer.
  • NOTE: Working as an instructor is not equivalent to working as a practitioner.

Exam Fee: $119.00

Route 3 - Military

Have you completed Patient Care Technician training or its equivalent during U.S. Military service within the past FIVE years?

  • You must be a United States high school student, graduate or hold equivalent credentials (e.g., GED).
  • You must provide a copy of a SMART transcript or DD214 indicating you have successfully completed a formal medical services training program of the United States Armed Forces relating to the discipline for which you are testing. The DD214 or SMART transcript must be current within the past FIVE years.

OR

You are a member [active-duty, retired, veteran] of the United States Armed Forces, or a spouse thereof, and have one year of verifiable full-time experience as a Patient Care Technician practitioner within the past FIVE years.

  • You must be a United States high school student, graduate or hold equivalent credentials (e.g., GED).
  • You must have one (1) year of full-time employment or equivalent (2080 hours) as a Patient Care Technician under the direct supervision of a certified/licensed physician or primary care provider within the past FIVE years.
  • You must submit a copy of your high school diploma (or equivalent) and the Patient Care Technician Certification Qualification by Experience form completed by your employer.
  • NOTE: Working as an instructor is not equivalent to working as a practitioner.

Exam Fee: $119.00

Application Information

    In order for NCCT to process your application in a timely manner your application and all required documentation must be submitted 14 days prior to your anticipated test date.

    Applications and payments are valid for one year from the date of submission to NCCT.

    The practice of some professions may be regulated in certain states and it is your responsibility to determine whether this certification meets your state requirements for practice before taking it.

    For information regarding requests for ADA accommodations, download the following documents:

To complete your application; a test site & test date will be required.

Please contact NCCT 800-875-4404 as needed for this information.