ABO Exam Cost and Passing Score (2026 Update)

As of October 1, 2026, the ABO Basic exam (NOCE) costs $275 per attempt and is non-refundable, according to ABO-NCLE’s registration page; applications paid before that date were processed at $225. ABO-NCLE does not publish a passing percentage. The exam is criterion-referenced, and experts set the minimum passing score using the modified Angoff method.

Checked against official ABO-NCLE sources on Oct 8, 2026

ABO exam cost at a glance (2026)

You can test at a Prometric center or remotely through ProProctor. If you are testing for a state license, ABO-NCLE says to confirm that your state accepts remote testing before you schedule.

What changed on October 1, 2026

ABO-NCLE’s July–September 2026 registration page announced the increase:

“ABO & NCLE's Basic Certification examination fee will be updated to $275 effective October 1, 2026. Exam applications submitted and paid before October 1, 2026, will be processed at the current $225 exam fee. Eligibility requirements, examination content, and passing standards are not changing.”

Only the price changed. Some third-party sites, and ABO-NCLE’s own July 2026 Basic Exam Handbook, still show $225, so check the current registration page before you pay.

What it really costs to get ABO certified

Your total depends on your situation, so we don’t publish a typical figure. The pieces are:

• The exam fee: $275 per attempt as of Oct 1, 2026.
• Changes: $75 each time you move your window, date, time, or location.
• Retakes: each new attempt is a new registration at the full fee.
• Study materials: free options exist, including our free ABO practice questions.
• Renewal every 3 years: approved continuing education credits plus a renewal fee. ABO-NCLE’s pages currently list both $125 and $175, so confirm with ABO-NCLE.
• State license fees if you work in a licensing state; these vary, so see optician license requirements by state.

Arithmetic example only, not a typical cost: one attempt plus one date change is $275 + $75 = $350.

What is the ABO exam passing score?

ABO-NCLE does not publish a passing percentage or a number of questions you must get right. Its handbook describes a criterion-referenced exam: a candidate must reach a score equal to or greater than the minimum passing score, which a panel of subject-matter experts sets with a psychometrician using the modified Angoff method. You are not compared with other candidates.

The exam has 125 multiple-choice questions, and ABO-NCLE says a portion of them may not be scored. Its test specifications describe 100 questions, while the handbook also refers to “at least 85-100 scored test items,” so treat any exact count of scored items with caution.

Results: you see a preliminary result on screen when you finish and receive an email with your exam report within a couple of hours; official results follow ABO-NCLE’s review. If you don’t pass, the report includes diagnostic information for each content area.

ABO exam pass rate

ABO-NCLE reports that in 2024 the ABO Basic exam had a 64.0% pass rate and the NCLE Basic exam had a 59.0% pass rate. It adds that candidates with two to three years of hands-on experience or an optical school program have higher success rates. Other pass-rate figures circulating online are third-party estimates.

Retake rules and costs

ABO-NCLE’s registration page says you must wait 14 days after each failed exam before registering again, you have three attempts, and after the third attempt you must wait 90 days. You pay for each new attempt by completing a new registration. The handbook words the attempt limit slightly differently, so confirm with ABO-NCLE if you are close to the limit.

Does the NCLE exam cost the same?

Yes. The NCLE Basic exam (CLRE) is also $275 and non-refundable on ABO-NCLE’s October–December 2026 registration page. See the NCLE certification guide and the NCLE exam FAQ, or compare the two in ABO vs NCLE.

How to avoid paying twice

The cheapest exam is the one you only take once. Practice under timed conditions across all six official NOCE domains:

• Ophthalmic Optics: 25 of 100 questions
• Ocular Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology & Refraction: 10 of 100 questions
• Ophthalmic Products (frames, lenses, low-vision aids, preassembled eyewear): 20 of 100 questions
• Instrumentation: 15 of 100 questions
• Dispensing Procedures: 20 of 100 questions
• Laws, Regulations & Standards: 10 of 100 questions

Start with our free ABO practice questions, then work through Prentice’s Rule (one of the most-tested optics skills). For everything else, see the ABO certification guide and more ABO exam questions.