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NP Board Prep

NNP-BCCost · NCC fees read Nov 7, 2026

What the NNP-BC costs, exam to maintenance

Facts read from nccwebsite.org · last checked Nov 7, 2026

One exam fee for everyone, $325 as of November 2026, because there is no membership to discount it. What makes the total differ between candidates is a missed window, a second attempt, and how you handle maintenance every 3 years.

Practice questions

60 questions written to the NNP-BC outline; each choice is explained once you pick.

Start the NNP-BC practice testExam rules and dates
Questions
175150 scored
Time
3 h
Cut score
No set percentage
Exam fee
$325
Pass rate
84% (2025)
Valid for
3 years

Figure 1.Test content outline: 150 scored questions, one mark each

2026 guide · checked Nov 7, 2026
  1. I. General Assessment23 Q · 15%
  2. II. General Management29 Q · 19%
  3. III. Neonatal pharmacology13 Q · 9%
  4. IV. Embryology, Physiology, Pathophysiology and Systems Management81 Q · 54%
  5. V. Professional Issues4 Q · 3%

All exams on NP Board Prep

9 more listed · every exam by population

Each charge and where it is printed

sources [1]–[5]
Table 1. Fees from NCC's exam fees page, the 2026 NNP candidate guide and the 2026 maintenance catalog, read November 7, 2026. Confirm in your NCC account on the day you pay.[1]–[5]
FactValueSourceRead on
Exam fee$325, including a $50 non-refundable application feeNCC has no membership, so there is one price.NCC · NNP-BC candidate guide, 2026 edition (NCC PDF), pp. 2–9, 20–21 [1][2][3]
Other charges$125 for a change request outside the window; withdrawing refunds $160Hand scoring costs $55 within 60 days; third-party verification costs $30.NNP-BC candidate guide, 2026 edition (NCC PDF), pp. 2–9, 20–21 [3]
RetestingWait 45 days after the test, then reapply with the full fee; at most 2 attempts in a calendar yearNNP-BC candidate guide, 2026 edition (NCC PDF), pp. 2–9, 20–21 [3]
Keeping it currentEvery 3 years: a free Continuing Competency Assessment, then an education plan of 15 to 50 CE hoursCE counts only if earned after the assessment. Skipping the assessment means 50 CE hours and a $175 fee.NNP-BC candidate guide, 2026 edition (NCC PDF), pp. 2–9, 20–21 · NCC · NCC NNP continuing-education coding book (PDF), pp. 5, 8 [3][4][5]
Renewal fee$100, less with NCC continuing education ($80, $70 or $60 for 15, 30 or 45 hours)NCC [4]
Reinstating a lapsed credential$215maintenance catalog, p. 18—

The NNP-BC bill in the order you pay it

  1. Application and exam: $325, including a $50 non-refundable application fee, paid once when you apply.
  2. Changes inside your window: free, whether you move the date or switch between remote and a PSI center.
  3. A new window or a withdrawal: $125 for a change request outside the window; withdrawing refunds $160.
  4. A second attempt: wait 45 days after the test, then reapply with the full fee; at most 2 attempts in a calendar year.
  5. Optional extras: hand scoring after the test and verification sent to an employer or board, both priced in the table.
  6. Maintenance: $100, less with NCC continuing education ($80, $70 or $60 for 15, 30 or 45 hours), due every 3 years.

Six years of the credential, priced

A first-attempt pass, followed by two maintenance cycles at the standard fee.

  1. Exam fee$325
  2. First maintenance, year 3$100
  3. Second maintenance, year 6$100
  4. Total paid to NCC$525, before the cost of CE hours

One retake adds a second exam fee; skipping the assessment raises each maintenance fee.

Where an NNP spends less, or more

  • CE that you already earn: NRP or NALS counts once per cycle, up to 5 hours; so does S.T.A.B.L.E. The rest of the plan has to come from coded CE (coding book, p. 8).
  • The board's own CE modules: taking them lowers the maintenance fee step by step, which only pays if those modules match your plan.
  • The assessment itself: it is free, and a strong result shortens your education plan. Skipping it fixes the requirement at the maximum and raises the fee.
  • A missed window: the change request is cheaper than a forfeited exam fee; withdrawing returns about half.

Fees and retest rules of every NP board are compared in the fee table on the home page.

After the fees are paid

Study on a phone

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Next NNP-BC stops

Paying for the NNP-BC, quick answers

Is there a member discount on the neonatal NP exam?

No. The board is not a membership association, so every candidate pays the same fee.

Does a second NNP-BC attempt cost less?

No. You apply again and pay the whole fee, after the required wait.

Can my employer pay the NCC fee directly?

The board sells bulk institutional exam purchases; ask your unit's education office whether it takes part.

Sources

all read Nov 7, 2026
  1. [1]NCC: Neonatal Nurse Practitioner exam nccwebsite.org read Nov 7, 2026
  2. [2]NCC: Exam fees and eligibility nccwebsite.org read Nov 7, 2026
  3. [3]NNP-BC candidate guide, 2026 edition (NCC PDF), pp. 2–9, 20–21 nccwebsite.org read Nov 7, 2026
  4. [4]NCC: 2026 Maintenance Catalog (PDF), pp. 7, 14, 18 nccwebsite.org read Nov 7, 2026
  5. [5]NCC NNP continuing-education coding book (PDF), pp. 5, 8 nccwebsite.org read Nov 7, 2026