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Alberta

The APEGA NPPE: fee, attempts and how to prepare

APEGA manages the NPPE for every participating regulator. For Alberta applicants, that means one national exam, a fee of $250 plus GST, and up to four attempts.

What it means that APEGA manages the NPPE

APEGA manages the NPPE on behalf of the regulators that use it, and Meazure Learning delivers the exam online. APEGA's NPPE page lists the national sittings and their booking windows. Managing the exam does not make it an Alberta exam, though: what an Alberta applicant writes is the same national NPPE written in Ontario, BC or Nova Scotia.

The content, format and pass standard are national: 110 multiple choice questions in 2.5 hours, six sections from professionalism to discipline, and a pass mark that is a scaled score of 65, not 65 percent. What APEGA sets for its own applicants is narrower: the fee, the registration deadline for each sitting, and the number of attempts you get. The NPPE exam format page covers the exam itself.

Sources:APEGA: National Professional Practice ExamNPPE administration (nppexam.ca)NPPE scoring (nppexam.ca)

The APEGA NPPE at a glance

Three of these are APEGA's to set. The rest are the same for every NPPE candidate in Canada.

  • Exam fee

    For APEGA applicants
    $250 plus GST, paid for every attempt
    Who decides
    APEGA

  • Attempts

    For APEGA applicants
    Up to four
    Who decides
    APEGA

  • Registration deadline

    For APEGA applicants
    APEGA's own date for each sitting
    Who decides
    APEGA

  • Questions

    For APEGA applicants
    110 multiple choice: 100 scored, 10 experimental
    Who decides
    National exam

  • Time

    For APEGA applicants
    2.5 hours, closed book
    Who decides
    National exam

  • Pass mark

    For APEGA applicants
    A scaled score of 65, not 65 percent
    Who decides
    National exam

  • Where you write

    For APEGA applicants
    Online, with a remote proctor and a phone or tablet as a second camera
    Who decides
    National exam

  • Results

    For APEGA applicants
    Pass or fail, about 2 to 3 weeks after the sitting
    Who decides
    National exam, sent by APEGA

Sources:APEGA: National Professional Practice ExamNPPE exam format (nppexam.ca)NPPE results (nppexam.ca)

Four attempts: make each sitting count

APEGA allows up to four attempts at the NPPE, and each one is registered and paid for separately at $250 plus GST. Four is room for a bad day, but not for writing the exam just to see what it is like. Treat every sitting as the real attempt, and book it once your practice results say you are ready rather than because a sitting is next on the calendar.

If a sitting does not go your way, the result comes with a report by content area. Use it: rebuild your plan around the weakest sections, sit fresh timed mocks, and register again when the gaps are closed. Results arrive at least a week before the next registration deadline, so you can usually go straight into the next cycle. Our NPPE retake guide covers the details.

Sources:APEGA: National Professional Practice ExamNPPE results (nppexam.ca)

How to write the NPPE as an APEGA applicant

The route from registration to result. APEGA's NPPE page has the current deadlines and rules.

  1. 1

    Confirm your eligibility with APEGA

    Check APEGA's NPPE page for who can register and when the exam fits into your application. APEGA sets these rules for its applicants.

  2. 2

    Register with APEGA before its deadline

    Register through APEGA for the sitting you want, by APEGA's deadline, and pay the $250 plus GST fee. Each attempt is a new registration.

  3. 3

    Book your seat in the booking window

    Once you are registered, book an exam time during the booking window, which opens about a month before the sitting. APEGA's page lists the windows.

  4. 4

    Write online with a remote proctor

    On the day you answer 110 questions in 2.5 hours at your own computer. A remote proctor watches through your webcam and a phone or tablet set up as a second camera.

  5. 5

    Get your result through APEGA

    About 2 to 3 weeks later, APEGA sends a pass or fail result. Candidates who fail get a report by content area; a pass comes without a score breakdown.

NPPE sittings and booking windows

APEGA's calendar covers every participating regulator: 5 sittings a year, each over three days. Register with APEGA by its deadline for your sitting, then book a seat in the window shown here.

NPPE exam dates (nppexam.ca) (opens in a new tab)APEGA: National Professional Practice Exam (opens in a new tab)

  1. November 2 to 4, 2026

    Booking window Oct 2 to Oct 18

  2. January 11 to 13, 2027

    Booking window Dec 11 to Dec 27

  3. March 22 to 24, 2027

    Booking window Feb 26 to Mar 14

  4. June 7 to 9, 2027

    Booking window May 7 to May 23

  5. August 23 to 25, 2027

    Booking window Jul 23 to Aug 8

  6. November 1 to 3, 2027

    Booking window Oct 8 to Oct 24

How Alberta applicants prepare with NPPE Pro

With attempts limited, the aim is to arrive at the sitting already knowing you are ready.

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Questions people ask

More answers in the NPPE FAQ.

How much does the NPPE cost through APEGA?

APEGA's NPPE fee is $250 plus GST, and you pay it for each attempt. The fee goes to APEGA, not to any prep provider. Fees change, so confirm the current amount on APEGA's NPPE page before you register for a sitting.

How many times can I write the NPPE with APEGA?

APEGA allows up to four attempts at the NPPE, and each one means registering and paying the fee again. Because attempts are limited, it is worth writing when your practice results are steady, and using the content-area report after a fail to plan the next try.

Is the APEGA NPPE different from the NPPE in other provinces?

No. APEGA manages the NPPE for all participating regulators, but the exam is the same national test everywhere, with the same blueprint and pass standard. What APEGA sets for Alberta applicants is its own fee, registration deadline and attempt limit.

Who runs the NPPE?

APEGA manages the NPPE on behalf of the participating regulators, and Meazure Learning delivers it online with remote proctoring. You register through your own regulator, which also sends you your result.

What is the format of the NPPE?

The NPPE has 110 multiple choice questions, each with four options and one correct answer, to be answered in 2.5 hours. 100 questions are scored and 10 are experimental questions that do not count, and there is no penalty for guessing. It is closed book and remotely proctored, and since June 2026 candidates need a phone or tablet as a second camera.

What is the pass mark for the NPPE?

The pass mark is a scaled score of 65, which is not the same as 65 percent. Scores are scaled so that a pass means the same thing at every sitting, and results are reported only as pass or fail. Candidates who fail receive a report showing their performance by content area.

What happens if I fail the NPPE?

You receive a report showing how you did in each content area, and you can register for a later sitting. You pay the exam fee again for each attempt. Limits differ by regulator: APEGA and APEGS allow four attempts, while EGBC sets no limit but may ask for a 12-month wait after three consecutive fails.

Is NPPE Pro affiliated with my regulator or the NPPE?

No. NPPE Pro is an independent study platform built by CertNova, the team behind CBA Pro and competencybasedassessment.ca. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any engineering or geoscience regulator, or by the administrators of the NPPE.

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