Phlebotomy (CPT) exam guides
Everything about the Phlebotomy (CPT) exam, answered straight
How many questions are on the NHA CPT phlebotomy exam?
The NHA CPT exam has 120 multiple-choice questions, of which 100 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items, and you get 2 hours to answer them. The 100 scored items are split across five domains, with Routine Blood Collections the largest at 28 items.
What is the passing score for the NHA CPT exam?
You pass the NHA CPT exam with a scaled score of 390 or higher on a scale that tops out at 500. NHA sets that cut score with a panel of experts and converts raw scores to the scale, so there is no fixed percentage of correct answers that guarantees a pass.
NHA CPT test plan: the five domains explained
The NHA CPT exam follows a test plan built on a 2024 job analysis and live since January 7, 2026. Its 100 scored items are split into Safety and Compliance (26), Patient Preparation (20), Routine Blood Collections (28), Special Collections (12) and Processing (14).
How long to study for the NHA CPT exam, and a plan that fits
Most people who have just finished a phlebotomy program need about 3 to 4 weeks of focused review for the NHA CPT, at around an hour a day. Spend the most time on Routine Blood Collections (28 items) and Safety and Compliance (26 items), and finish with at least one full 120-question timed mock.
NHA CPT eligibility, cost and retake policy
To sit the NHA CPT exam you need a high school diploma or GED, a phlebotomy training program or at least one year of supervised work experience, and documented proof of at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary or finger sticks on live people. If you fail you can retest after 30 days, up to three attempts, and each attempt is paid in full.
Order of draw: the one list every CPT candidate must know
For venipuncture, CLSI sets this order: blood cultures or sterile tubes, light blue (sodium citrate), red or gold serum tubes, green (heparin), lavender (EDTA), then gray (sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate). For capillary collection the order changes: EDTA first, then other additive tubes, then serum.
Specimen processing and handling: the CPT Processing domain
Processing is 14 of the 100 scored items on the NHA CPT exam. It covers letting serum tubes clot before centrifuging, separating serum or plasma on time, keeping temperature- and light-sensitive specimens in the right conditions, chain of custody, and recognizing when a specimen must be rejected and recollected.
NHA and National Healthcareer Association are trademarks of the National Healthcareer Association. ExamWeight is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NHA. Questions are original and written against the published Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) test plan.