NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy)
NAPLEX
North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination
The licensure exam every pharmacist in the US must pass to practice. Tests whether a PharmD graduate can safely select, dispense, and manage drug therapy — the single national gateway to a pharmacist license.
Blueprint-complete program: 11 decks, 1,194 cards.
What's on the exam
NAPLEX Content Outline (effective May 1, 2025)
Foundational Knowledge for Pharmacy Practice
25% (≈50 of 200 scored questions)Pharmacology and mechanism of action · Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacogenomics · Pharmaceutics · Sterile and nonsterile compounding · Pharmaceutical calculations · Biostatistics and epidemiology
Medication Use Process (Prescribing, Transcribing and Documenting, Dispensing, Administering, and Monitoring)
25% (≈50 of 200 scored questions)Prescription/order interpretation and documentation · Dispensing and product verification · Routes and devices of administration · Stability and compatibility · Therapeutic monitoring and follow-up
Person-Centered Assessment and Treatment Planning
40% (≈80 of 200 scored questions)Patient data and laboratory assessment · Drug therapy selection · Dosing and dose adjustments · Drug interactions and contraindications · Evidence-based treatment guidelines · Therapy modification and discontinuation
Professional Practice
5% (≈10 of 200 scored questions)Patient safety and medication error prevention · Patient communication and education · Legal and professional standards
Pharmacy Management and Leadership
5% (≈10 of 200 scored questions)Medication-use systems and operations · Quality improvement · Hazardous drug handling · Inventory and formulary management
Frequently asked questions
How much does the NAPLEX cost?
The NAPLEX costs $620. $100 NABP application fee + $520 exam fee, plus state board licensure fees.
How long is the NAPLEX and how many questions does it have?
225 items (200 scored, 25 unscored) — 6 hours (with scheduled breaks).
What do you need to pass the NAPLEX?
Scaled score of 75 or higher.
Can you retake the NAPLEX?
After 45 days; up to 5 attempts (NABP limit; state boards may be stricter).
What is the best way to study for the NAPLEX?
Study the official blueprint, not random material: the exam is weighted by domain (Foundational Knowledge for Pharmacy Practice 25% (≈50 of 200 scored questions), Medication Use Process (Prescribing, Transcribing and Documenting, Dispensing, Administering, and Monitoring) 25% (≈50 of 200 scored questions), Person-Centered Assessment and Treatment Planning 40% (≈80 of 200 scored questions), Professional Practice 5% (≈10 of 200 scored questions), Pharmacy Management and Leadership 5% (≈10 of 200 scored questions)). Spaced-repetition flashcards built domain-by-domain against that blueprint are the most time-efficient way to cover everything the exam tests.
Ready to prepare?
Our NAPLEX program follows this exact blueprint — every domain covered, scheduled by spaced repetition, with a journey from first card to test day.