The short answer
- By year: 2026 most often 66, 2025 most often 61 and 62, 2024 most often 66.
- Now: about 59 to 66 correct out of 100 scored questions. 66 is most common, so plan for 66.
- From July 1, 2027: 360 on a 100–500 scale. Not a percentage.
- People who passed scored a median of 74, about ten points over their cut.
| Year | Reports | Cuts reported (how many) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026, so far | 8 | 66 (5), 65 (3) |
| 2025 | 17 | 61 (6), 62 (5), 66 (4), 65 (2) |
| 2024 | 76 | 66 (38), 62 (15), 65 (12), 61 (10), 64 (1) |
| 2023 | 15 | 59 (4), 62 (4), 66 (4), 64 (3) |
| Late 2022 | 1 | 64 (1) |
The year doesn’t set your cut. Each exam form has its own, so two people testing the same month can see different numbers.
Which scoring rules apply to you?
Enter the date you plan to test. Nothing you enter leaves this page.
The points come from picking the best next step for the client. Practice it on one free case, with every answer explained.
Try a free caseThe passing scores people saw: 59 to 66, most often 66
Your score report shows your total and the cut for your form. In 117 reports people shared, late 2022 to 2026:
Self-reported, so a person may appear twice, and people who post are not a random sample.
- Plan for 66. It’s the most common cut and the top of the range.
- People who passed had room to spare: middle score 74 (94 people).
- People who failed were close: 10 of 12 missed by 5 points or fewer. See the retake plan.
- It’s out of 100 scored, not out of all 130 to 150 questions.
How the current NCMHCE is scored: only your total counts
| Questions | 130 to 150; 100 scored. One case and some questions are unscored. |
|---|---|
| Points | 1 per scored question, no penalty for guessing |
| Pass or fail | Your total vs the cut. No pass mark per domain. |
| Curve | None. Your result depends only on you. |
| Domain | Share of scored questions |
|---|---|
| Counseling Skills and Interventions | 30% |
| Intake, Assessment, and Diagnosis | 25% |
| Professional Practice and Ethics | 15% |
| Treatment Planning | 15% |
| Core Counseling Attributes | 15% |
| Areas of Clinical Focus | 0%* |
* Areas of Clinical Focus covers clients' areas of concern. NBCC evaluates it through the diagnoses and case scenarios across each form rather than through scored questions of its own.
Why the cut changes from form to form
Experts judge what a minimally qualified counselor would score, and statistics adjust that standard to each form’s difficulty. A harder form gets a lower cut, so it doesn’t count against you. That’s why people report different numbers.
You can’t tell which questions are unscored, so give every question your full effort.
How scoring changes on July 1, 2027
NBCC's 2027 specification replaces the raw total with a scaled score and publishes the pass point.
| Before July 1, 2027 | From July 1, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Reported score | Total correct on 100 scored questions | Scaled score, 100 to 500 |
| Passing score | Form-specific cut, not published | 360 or higher on every form |
| Case studies | 11 | 10 |
| Unscored questions | One full case plus some questions | 30 to 50 field-test questions spread through the exam |
| Score report | Unofficial report after testing; domain feedback not confirmed | Scaled score, preliminary pass or fail, and general feedback by domain |
| Questions and time | No change: 130 to 150 questions, 9 to 15 per case, 3 hours 45 minutes | |
360 is not a percentage: a 400 doesn’t mean 80% correct. The scale makes 360 the same standard on every form, set by experts and adjusted for each form’s difficulty.
NBCC has not published what happens to an authorization, application or retake that spans July 1, 2027. If your window crosses that date, confirm with NBCC which version you will take before you plan your studying.
When you get your result
| Test center | Unofficial report as you leave |
|---|---|
| Online (OnVUE) | On your Pearson VUE dashboard |
| Official result | Sent to your state board within 30 days after the month ends |
| If you don’t pass | Retest after 30 days or your state’s longer wait; $275 again. See the retake plan. |
NCMHCE passing score FAQ
What is the passing score for the NCMHCE?
For exams before July 1, 2027, you need a total on the 100 scored questions at or above a cut score that varies slightly by exam form. NBCC doesn’t publish it in advance; on score reports people shared since November 2022 it ranged from 59 to 66, most often 66. From July 1, 2027, scores are reported from 100 to 500 and 360 or higher passes.
Is the NCMHCE passing score a percentage?
No. The current exam counts correct answers on 100 scored questions against a form-specific cut. The 2027 scale runs from 100 to 500 and NBCC states it is not a percentage: 400 does not mean 80% correct.
Do you have to pass each domain of the NCMHCE?
No. On the current exam, pass or fail is decided by your total on the scored questions, not by passing each domain separately. The domain weights only set how many scored questions come from each area.
Is there a penalty for guessing on the NCMHCE?
No. NBCC states there is no penalty for guessing, and each scored question is worth one point on the current exam. Answer every question.
Can I tell which questions are unscored?
NBCC does not publish a way to identify them on the current exam. On the 2027 exam, the field-test questions are randomly placed and look the same as scored ones. Treat every question as scored.
Is there an official NCMHCE passing score PDF?
Not for the current exam. NBCC does not publish a list of cut scores, in a PDF or anywhere else; you see the cut for your form on your score report. The only official PDF with a number is the specification for the July 2027 exam, which sets 360 on a 100 to 500 scale.
Do I need to pass Information Gathering and Decision Making separately?
No. That was the old format, which ended in October 2022 for licensure candidates. It required a passing score on both sections. The current exam uses one total: the number of correct answers against the cut. Any guide that still talks about both sections is out of date.
Sources
- NBCC, NCMHCE handbook: scoring, standard setting, equating, score reports, retakes. Accessed August 12, 2026.
- NBCC, NCMHCE content outline: scored-question count, domain weights, unscored case. Accessed August 12, 2026.
- NBCC, NCMHCE examination specification, effective July 1, 2027: scaled scores, 360 pass point, field-test items, score report contents. Accessed August 12, 2026.
- NBCC, old and new format comparison: the old cut on both sections, the new cut on total correct. Accessed November 1, 2026.
- NBCC, state licensure supplement (Arizona): $275 exam fee and retake registration. Accessed August 10, 2026.
The free practice case is one full NCMHCE-style case: 14 questions, about 20 minutes, no account needed.
Try the free case