The Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) exam from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) tests what a phlebotomist does on every shift: safety and infection control, patient identification and preparation, venipuncture and capillary collection, special collections, and specimen processing.
Exam format at a glance
| Format | 120 questions (100 scored, 20 unscored pretest) in 2 hours, computer-based. |
| Cost | NHA lists the exam fee on its website — check NHA for current pricing. |
| Scoring | Scaled score from 200 to 500; 390 or higher is passing. NHA does not publish a percent-correct equivalent, so practice scores here are an estimate, not a prediction of your scaled score. |
| Validity | Renewed every two years with 10 continuing education (CE) credits, per NHA's renewal requirements. |
Who this exam is for
- Phlebotomy students finishing a training program
- Healthcare workers adding a phlebotomy credential
- Anyone retaking the CPT who wants to target the domains they missed
How to actually study for it
- Know the order of draw for venipuncture and for capillary collection — they differ.
- Learn which tube color and additive goes with which test, and the right number of inversions.
- Practice complications: hematoma, syncope, no blood flow, and when to stop a draw.
- Review special handling: chilled, light-protected and body-temperature specimens, blood cultures, and chain of custody.
Where to go next
Start with the free 10-question diagnostic to see where you actually stand, or go straight to the one-page CPT cheat sheet. The full CPT practice exam covers every domain at the real exam's weighting, with every answer explained.