Short answer
$600first-time application
$600 USD for a first-time BCPS certification application. A retake application is $300 USD, a reduced rate open only to candidates who failed the exam within the past year.
Source: BPS, Upcoming Deadlines, Dates, and Fees · as of October 27, 2026
1Every BCPS fee in one place
| Fee | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Certification application | $600 | First attempt; also a fresh start after a third failed attempt |
| Retake application | $300 | Only after a fail within the past year |
| Reschedule or cancel, 30+ days out | $0 | Booked through Pearson VUE |
| Reschedule or cancel, 5–29 days out | $60 | Collected by Pearson |
| Reschedule or cancel, under 5 days | Not allowed | The test fee is kept |
| Approved withdrawal | Fee less $200 | BPS keeps $50 more if you had already scheduled |
| Hand-score review | $50 | Requested within 30 days of the score report |
| Annual maintenance | $125 | Years 1 to 6, due July 1; $5 late fee |
| Recertification application | $400 | Year 7, exam route or CE route |
| Recertification exam retake | $200 | After a failed recertification exam |
Sources: BPS fees page and BPS Candidate’s Guide, both as of October 27, 2026. BPS states that fees may change at its discretion.
2What one certification cycle costs
Application
$600
Paid with the application; a $300 retake applies after a fail within a year.
Years 1 to 6
$125 a year, due July 1
A $5 late fee applies if it is paid after July 1.
Year 7
$400 to recertify
The same fee for the exam route or the CE route; the routes are explained on BCPS recertification.
3What changes the bill
Veterans, service members and qualified dependents may be able to recover exam fees: BPS is an approved provider for the VA Licensing and Certification Test Reimbursement program (Candidate’s Guide). Candidates outside the United States pay the same $600; BPS publishes no separate international fee.
Repeated attempts have their own arithmetic. The $300 rate covers retakes within the attempt limit; after a third failed attempt you wait 12 months and pay the $600 application fee again. The waiting periods are laid out on the BCPS retake policy page.
Our sum on current BPS fees: one first attempt plus the upkeep of a seven-year cycle comes to $1,750 ($600, six years at $125, then $400), before any review course or continuing education.
4Refunds and the annual fee
Is the $600 refundable?
In part. An approved withdrawal refunds the fee minus $200 for administration, and BPS keeps $50 more if you had already scheduled with Pearson (Candidate’s Guide).
When does the annual fee start?
The $125 maintenance fee is due by July 1 in each of years 1 through 6 of the cycle; year 7 carries the $400 recertification fee instead (BPS fees page).
Next step
Study where the shift leaves you time
The iPhone app fits the gaps; the practice set on this site works in any browser.
Pharmacotherapy Exam Prep 2026 is an app for iPhone and iPad only; there is no Android version. On any other phone or a computer, use the free practice set on this site in your browser.