Failed the ABO or NCLE Exam? Retake Rules and a Study Plan

If you fail the ABO or NCLE Basic exam, ABO-NCLE requires you to wait 14 days before you register and pay again. You get three attempts; after the third, you wait 90 days. You pay for each attempt. Your failing score report shows how you did in each content area, so build your retake plan around the weakest ones.

Last checked Nov 2, 2026. Confirm fees and dates with the certifying body. optical.education is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the American Board of Opticianry or the National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO-NCLE). Disclaimer.

Official retake rules

ABO-NCLE’s Q4 2026 registration pages for both exams set a 14-day wait after a failed attempt before you can register and pay again, allow three attempts, and then require a 90-day wait after the third. You pay for each attempt. Sources: ABO registration, NCLE registration, Certification Hub FAQ.

The fee is the same as a first attempt. See ABO exam cost and passing score, and check the registration page before you pay.

Read your score report

A failing score report breaks your results down by content area (Basic Exam Handbook). It won’t list the questions you missed. Write down your two or three weakest areas. That’s your study list.

The handbook doesn’t say whether a retake reuses questions, so don’t count on it. Study the topics.

A 4-week retake plan

This is our suggestion, not an ABO-NCLE rule. Adjust it to your report.

1. Week 1, weakest area: reread the topic, then do practice questions until you can explain every wrong answer. For ABO math, use the ABO formulas sheet; for NCLE, the NCLE formulas.
2. Week 2, second-weakest area: same method. Keep 15 minutes a day for week 1’s topic.
3. Week 3, the rest: mixed practice across all areas, so you don’t lose what you had.
4. Week 4, timed run: take a full-length timed practice exam. Review every miss. Register when you’re steady.

Free practice: ABO practice questions and NCLE practice questions.

Common retake mistakes

• Rebooking at the 14-day mark without changing how you study.
• Studying only the areas you like.
• Skipping the timed practice. The exam is 125 questions, so pacing matters.

Want structure? Our courses walk through every content area with quizzes and two full-length timed mock exams. No pass guarantee. See all courses.

Retaking both? Get the ABO + NCLE bundle for $89.