1From a fail result to the next sitting
Exam day
Preliminary result on screen
Shown before you leave the test center since January 2026.
Within 45 days
Score report in MyBPS
A fail report gives your total scaled score and a high, moderate or low rating for each domain.
Within 30 days of report
Optional hand-score review
$50 for a comparative check of your scoring.
90 days after the attempt
Waiting period ends
No retest is possible before this.
The next 90 days
Sit the retake
Schedule and complete the next attempt inside this window.
After a third fail
Wait 12 months
Then apply again as a first-time candidate.
2Build the next attempt from the domain ratings
A fail after months of evenings given to study is a real blow, and the week it arrives is a poor time to make decisions about the next attempt. Give it that week. When the score report comes, it holds something a passing candidate never sees: a high, moderate or low rating for each domain.
Spend the waiting period where the report says low. The outline weights are 36% patient care specialty areas, 36% therapeutics and patient management and 28% professional practice (BPS specifications), so a low rating in one of the first two domains covers more scored items than the same rating in the third. The 12-week BCPS study plan fits inside the 90-day wait with a few days to spare and can be reordered to start with your weakest domains.
For context, BPS reported that 1,184 of 2,308 BCPS candidates passed in 2025 (BPS 2025 results release, published January 28, 2026); there is more on BCPS pass rates by year and cohort. The BCPS passing score page explains what the scaled result means.
3Fees and rules around a retake
| Item | Amount or rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Retake application | $300, only if you failed within the past year | BPS fees page |
| Attempts | Three in total: the first plus two retakes | Candidate’s Guide |
| After a third fail | Wait 12 months, then a new $600 application | Candidate’s Guide |
| Hand-score review | $50, requested within 30 days | Candidate’s Guide |
| Reschedule or cancel, 30+ days out | No charge | BPS fees page |
| Reschedule or cancel, 5 to 29 days out | $60, charged by Pearson VUE | BPS fees page |
| Under 5 days | Not allowed; the fee is kept | BPS fees page |
The BCPS exam cost page lists every fee, including the withdrawal refund.
4Retakes, answered
How soon can I retake the BCPS exam?
After a 90-day waiting period from your attempt. You then have 90 days to schedule and sit the retake (Candidate’s Guide).
How many times can you take the BCPS exam?
Three attempts: the first and two retakes. After a third fail you wait 12 months and reapply at the $600 first-time fee (Candidate’s Guide and BPS fees page).
Will I see my score if I fail?
Yes. A fail report includes your total scaled score and a high, moderate or low rating for each domain; passing candidates get no numeric score (Candidate’s Guide).
Can my exam be hand-scored?
Yes, for $50, requested within 30 days of your score report (Candidate’s Guide).
5Sources
- BPS, Candidate’s Guide. As of October 27, 2026.
- BPS, Upcoming deadlines, dates and fees. As of October 27, 2026.
- BPS, BCPS Examination Specifications (effective September 2024). As of October 27, 2026.
- BPS, Continuous testing 2025 results. As of October 27, 2026.
Next step
Turn reading into recall
Reading a monograph is half the work; answering cases is the other half.
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.