Writing it again
Your NPPE retake: a practical plan for the next sitting
A fail is a setback, not a verdict, and your report shows where to start. Here is how retakes work and how to use the weeks before your next sitting.
What your fail report tells you
NPPE results are pass or fail. Candidates who pass get no score detail, but candidates who fail receive a mastery report showing how they did in each content area of the exam. For a retake, that report is the most useful document you have, because it tells you where the marks went missing instead of leaving you to guess.
Read it for ranking, not for a verdict. The pass mark is a scaled score of 65, which is not 65 percent, and scores are equated so a pass means the same thing at every sitting. Rather than trying to work out how close you came, list the content areas from weakest to strongest and plan your weeks in that order.
Also note what the report cannot show: whether time ran short, or whether you knew the rules but misread the scenarios. Only you know that, so write it down while the sitting is fresh. Each problem has its own fix: timed mock exams for pace, and scenario practice with explanations for reading.
Attempts and fees by regulator
Limits and fees are set by each regulator and can change, so confirm yours on its own NPPE page before you register again.
APEGA (Alberta)
- Attempts allowed
- 4
- Fee per attempt
- $250 plus GST
APEGS (Saskatchewan)
- Attempts allowed
- 4, then a one-year wait before a fifth
- Fee per attempt
- $175.09 including GST and fees
EGBC (British Columbia)
- Attempts allowed
- No set limit; a 12-month wait may be required after 3 consecutive fails
- Fee per attempt
- $300 plus GST (from July 2026)
PEO (Ontario)
- Attempts allowed
- As many as needed, according to PEO's FAQ
- Fee per attempt
- Set by PEO; see its NPPE page
Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba
- Attempts allowed
- Check with the regulator
- Fee per attempt
- $260
APEGNB (New Brunswick)
- Attempts allowed
- Check with the regulator
- Fee per attempt
- $264.50 including HST
PEGNL (Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Attempts allowed
- Check with the regulator
- Fee per attempt
- $262.50 including HST
Engineers Nova Scotia
- Attempts allowed
- Check with the regulator
- Fee per attempt
- $235
Sources:APEGA: NPPEAPEGS: professional practice examEGBC: NPPEPEO: NPPE
Passed after three failed attempts
5.0 on Google(read the reviews on Google, opens in a new tab)“I had already attempted the NPPE exam 3 times... the practice questions, flashcards, and review tools helped me focus on my weak areas. This time, I passed successfully.”
Omer Kanam
Passed after 3 failed attempts. Google review
Why a retake needs a different plan
On a second or third attempt you already know the format, the clock and the kind of scenarios the exam uses. The temptation is to reread everything from the start, evenly. That spends most of your time on content areas you have already shown you know, and too little on the ones your report flagged.
Sittings run 5 times a year, about ten weeks apart, and results arrive 2 to 3 weeks after a sitting. That usually leaves around seven weeks before the next one: enough for a focused plan, not for starting over. If your report shows several weak areas, or the coming weeks are busy, a later sitting can be the better choice.
- Start narrow. Your weakest content area first, not page one of the textbook.
- Practise under time sooner. You have seen the material; the exam rewards applying it at pace.
- Measure, then adjust. A timed mock early in the plan tells you whether the report still matches where you are.
A retake plan that starts from your report
The same steps work whether you have one weak area or four. When you tell NPPE Pro you have written the NPPE before, its plan gives less time to first-pass lessons and more to practice and mock exams.
- 1
Rank your content areas
List the areas on your report from weakest to strongest. Add anything the report cannot show, such as running out of time.
- 2
Choose your sitting and register
Check your regulator's registration deadline and attempt limit, then book a seat in the booking window. See the exam dates.
- 3
Start with your weakest area
Relearn its topics in short lessons, then practise them weakest first. Questions you miss come back until you answer them right twice in a row.
- 4
Take a timed mock early
A full mock on the 2.5-hour clock in your first two weeks checks your pace and shows whether your report still matches where you are.
- 5
Work down the list
Move to the next area once the questions you missed in the first stop coming back. Your readiness score shows coverage and accuracy by domain.
- 6
Rehearse the whole exam again
Sit the remaining mock exams under exam conditions. NPPE Pro's target on them is 65%, its own benchmark and not the NPPE's scaled pass mark.
- 7
Use the final week on weak spots
Review your lowest-scoring topics and the questions you starred, then rest. Go in knowing where you stand.
Upcoming sittings to plan your retake around
The NPPE runs in 5 sittings a year, each over three days. You register with your regulator first, then book a seat in the booking window. Registration deadlines differ by regulator, so check yours.
NPPE exam dates (nppexam.ca)APEGA: National Professional Practice Exam
November 2 to 4, 2026
Booking window Oct 2 to Oct 18
January 11 to 13, 2027
Booking window Dec 11 to Dec 27
March 22 to 24, 2027
Booking window Feb 26 to Mar 14
June 7 to 9, 2027
Booking window May 7 to May 23
August 23 to 25, 2027
Booking window Jul 23 to Aug 8
November 1 to 3, 2027
Booking window Oct 8 to Oct 24
Try NPPE Pro first, then pick your plan.
The 14-day trial starts from your first finished lesson. Then pick the plan that matches where you are starting from, and pay once, by card or in 4 payments with Klarna.*
NPPE Guided
Full preparation
$297
NPPE Pass Assurance
Practice & exam
$197
NPPE Practice Questions
Exam practice
$97
- Plans from $97. Prices in Canadian dollars, before tax.
*See Canadian payment terms. (Klarna, opens in a new tab) A higher initial payment may be required for some consumers.
Questions people ask
More answers in the NPPE FAQ.
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.
How soon can I rewrite the NPPE after failing?
Often at the next sitting. Results arrive about 2 to 3 weeks after the exam and at least a week before the next registration deadline, so you can usually register again straight away. Whether you should depends on your report: one weak area can be rebuilt in the weeks available, while several may need a later sitting.
How many times can I take the NPPE?
It depends on your regulator. APEGA and APEGS allow four attempts, and APEGS then asks for a one-year wait before a fifth. EGBC sets no limit but may require a 12-month wait after three consecutive fails, and PEO's FAQ says you can retake it as many times as needed. Check your own regulator before you register.
How much does the NPPE cost?
The NPPE fee is set by each regulator and is about $175 to $300 CAD plus tax, set by each regulator. For example, APEGA charges $250 plus GST and EGBC $300 plus GST. You pay the fee again for each attempt, and it goes to your regulator, not to any prep provider.
Should I start studying from scratch for an NPPE retake?
Usually not. You have already covered the material once, and your mastery report shows which content areas cost you marks. Start with the weakest area, rebuild it with short lessons and practice questions, then take a timed mock to check your pace. Come back to the stronger areas later through mixed practice and full mock exams.
How does NPPE Pro help if I have failed the NPPE before?
When you tell NPPE Pro you have written the NPPE before, its plan gives less time to first-pass lessons and more to practice and mock exams. You can practise your weakest topics first, missed questions come back until you get them right twice in a row, and 4 timed mocks show whether the gaps from your report have closed.
When do NPPE results come out?
Results usually arrive about 2 to 3 weeks after the sitting, and they come through your regulator rather than from the exam administrator. They are released at least a week before the next registration deadline, so a candidate who fails can usually register for the next sitting.
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.
Your first session takes fifteen minutes.
Tell NPPE Pro your sitting and it builds the plan. The 14-day trial starts from your first finished lesson, and no card is needed.