VTNE exam format: questions, time, scoring and windows

The basics of the Veterinary Technician National Exam, taken from the AAVSB, which owns and administers it. Facts as of October 8, 2026; always confirm the details on the AAVSB site before you apply.

Questions and time: A three-hour (180-minute) exam with 170 multiple-choice questions. Source: AAVSB: Scheduling and Taking the VTNE
Scored and pilot questions: Your score is based on 150 scored items. The other 20 are pilot questions used to build future exams; they do not count, and they are not marked any differently, so you cannot tell which ones they are. Source: VTNE Candidate Information Handbook
Scoring: Results are reported as scaled scores from 200 to 800, and the passing scaled score is 425. The AAVSB does not report scores as a number or percentage correct. Source: VTNE Candidate Information Handbook
Getting your score: Your score is available in your MyAAVSB portal within three days, and the jurisdiction you selected receives its report within three days. Source: AAVSB: Getting Your VTNE Score
Content: 10 domains of practice, each with a fixed number of the 150 scored items. See the 10 VTNE domains explained. Source: VTNE Candidate Information Handbook
Where you take it: In person at a PSI test center (PSI has centers throughout the U.S. and Canada) or at home by live remote proctoring. Source: AAVSB: Scheduling and Taking the VTNE
Language: Offered in English; candidates residing in Canada may request French. Source: VTNE Candidate Information Handbook

Testing windows

The exam is given four times a year, in set windows, and each window has a cutoff for completed applications. Source: VTNE Candidate Information Handbook

Exam window	Completed application cutoff
February 15 to April 15	March 15
May 15 to July 15	June 15
August 15 to October 15	September 15
November 15 to January 15	December 15

You must test during the window you applied for or forfeit the exam fee. You can move to the next window once, for a $90 fee, up to 48 hours before your scheduled exam. Source: AAVSB: Applying to Take the VTNE

Eligibility basics

There are three pathways to sit for the VTNE: Accredited (graduating from an AVMA-CVTEA or CVMA accredited program, which most jurisdictions require), On-the-Job Training where a jurisdiction allows it, and an Alternate pathway in some jurisdictions. The OJT and Alternate pathways may limit where you can practice, because some jurisdictions do not recognize them. Source: AAVSB: Review Your Pathway

The application fee is $375 (or a voucher), and sales are final. Source: AAVSB: Applying to Take the VTNE

The AAVSB administers the exam and sends your score to your state or province, but it does not license technicians; your credential comes from the state or province where you will practice. Source: AAVSB: Veterinary Technician National Exam

Retakes

You can take the VTNE once in any 30-day period, and each retake needs a new application and the full fee. The AAVSB allows up to five attempts (more with approval), and some jurisdictions set stricter limits. Source: AAVSB: Retake the VTNE

Want to see the question style first? Try the free 10-question VTNE practice test, one question from each domain.

How VetTech Pro fits in

VetTech Pro is an independent study aid. Its mock exams are weighted like the real VTNE, using the same 150-item domain split, and every practice question has a written rationale. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the AAVSB.

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