NCLE Exam FAQ: Contact Lens Registry Exam (CLRE) Questions Answered

The NCLE exam is the Contact Lens Registry Examination (CLRE), the basic certification exam of the National Contact Lens Examiners for contact lens technicians. It is run by ABO-NCLE, and passing it earns NCLE Basic certification.

Sources: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab)

See also: NCLE certification guide

The NCLE exam is aimed at opticians and technicians who fit or dispense contact lenses. ABO-NCLE’s handbook describes the target group as “Opticians and Contact Lens Technicians who work in any type of practice site in the U.S.” In some licensing states contact lens work is tied to the license or to a separate credential, so check your state board’s rules before you choose which exams to take.

Sources: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Opticianry Licensing Boards directory (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

No. NCLE certification is a national certification from ABO-NCLE, while a license is issued by a state, and only some states license opticians. Licensing states may use ABO-NCLE exams in their process, and ABO-NCLE tells candidates to confirm their state’s requirements before registering.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Opticianry Licensing Boards directory (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

ABO-NCLE does not rank its exams by difficulty, but the NCLE Basic exam had a lower pass rate in 2024: 59.0%, compared with 64.0% for the ABO Basic exam. Pass rates reflect who tested that year as well as the exam itself, so treat them as context rather than a prediction.

Source: ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab)

See also: ABO vs NCLE compared

No. ABO-NCLE requires only a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent for the CLRE, with exceptions for high school students in dual-enrollment programs. It notes that candidates with two to three years of hands-on experience or an optical school program tend to pass at higher rates, and state licensing rules apply on top of ABO-NCLE’s if they differ.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

ABO-NCLE does not list ABO certification as a requirement for the NCLE Basic exam; its published eligibility is a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. Your state’s licensing rules can add requirements, so check them if you are testing for a license.

Sources: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

The NCLE exam runs in four 2026 testing windows: January 2 to March 31, April 1 to June 30, July 1 to September 30, and October 1 to December 21. Registration for the October–December window closes November 15, 2026, and ABO-NCLE does not accept late registrations. ABO-NCLE’s Basic Exam overview page still shows 2025 windows with a December 15 deadline; the 2026 registration pages say November 15.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — Register for an Exam (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab)

Register and pay on the ABO-NCLE website first, then use the eligibility email you receive to schedule a Prometric test center or a ProProctor remote appointment. The email arrives shortly after you register; ABO-NCLE’s registration page says the same day, and its handbook says within 24 to 48 hours.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; Prometric — ABO-NCLE exam listing (opens in a new tab)

Yes. ABO-NCLE offers the CLRE in English and Spanish, and the Spanish version can be taken at a Prometric center or by remote proctoring.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Register for an Exam (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

The NCLE Basic exam costs $275 as of October 1, 2026, and the fee is non-refundable. ABO-NCLE’s July 2026 handbook still prints the old $225 fee, so check the registration page before you pay. Changing your window, date, time, or location costs $75 each time.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Jul–Sep 2026 registration page with the Oct 1, 2026 fee-update notice (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: ABO exam cost and passing score

The CLRE has 125 multiple-choice questions and a 2-hour time limit. A portion of the questions are unscored pretest items; the official test specifications describe 100 questions. There are no scheduled breaks, and the clock keeps running if you step out.

Sources: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab)

Yes, through Prometric’s ProProctor remote testing, as long as your computer passes Prometric’s system check (some older macOS versions are not supported). If you are testing for a state license, ABO-NCLE says to confirm that your state accepts remote testing before you schedule.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

Yes. ABO-NCLE’s current handbook says an on-screen scientific calculator is available during its exams, and you can mark questions to review before time runs out. There is no penalty for guessing.

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

The CLRE covers eight areas of contact lens practice, led by dispensing and follow-up care at 20 questions each in the official 100-question specifications. The others are prefitting (15), ocular anatomy, physiology and pathology (12), instrumentation (12), diagnostic fitting (11), refractive errors (5), and regulatory and administrative topics (5).

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: NCLE content areas

Some. The CLRE outline includes measurement topics such as the cornea’s radius of curvature and dioptric power and prismatic effects, which can involve converting between millimeters and diopters. Our keratometry guide explains that conversion with original examples.

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: Keratometry basics

ABO-NCLE does not publish a passing percentage for the NCLE. The exam is criterion-referenced: you pass by reaching a minimum score that experts set with the modified Angoff method, not by outscoring other candidates.

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: ABO exam cost and passing score

You see a preliminary result on screen as soon as you finish, and an email with your exam report follows within a couple of hours. Official results are released after ABO-NCLE’s review, and if you pass, a certificate is mailed about 6 to 8 weeks after your testing window closes.

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

You can ask ABO-NCLE to verify a non-passing result for a $75 fee. The request is made online and must be submitted within three months of the score being published.

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

You can register again after waiting 14 days from your test date, and you pay the full fee for each new attempt. ABO-NCLE’s registration page allows three attempts, then requires a 90-day wait; the handbook says “three attempts to retake the exam” before the 90-day wait, so confirm the limit with ABO-NCLE. Your score report breaks down performance by content area, which shows where to focus.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — NCLE Basic Examination, Oct–Dec 2026 registration (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

Renew every three years with 18 approved continuing education credits (CECs), at least 9 of them NCLE-approved ophthalmic CECs, plus a renewal fee, by your expiration date. Jointly certified ABO and NCLE holders have reduced requirements for each renewal. Unverified — check with ABO-NCLE: its pages currently list both a $125 and a $175 renewal fee. optical.education study materials are not continuing education courses and do not award CE credit.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — Basic Certification Renewal (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Renewals and Reinstatements (opens in a new tab)

Unverified — check with ABO-NCLE. Its renewal pages say renewals are due by your expiration date and that late renewals cannot be backdated, while its July 2026 handbook mentions a 90-day grace period.

Sources: ABO-NCLE — Basic Certification Renewal (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Renewals and Reinstatements (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

In some states, yes. ABO-NCLE accepts proof of a current opticianry license instead of CECs if your state requires continuing education for that license; its list includes Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

Source: ABO-NCLE — Basic Certification Renewal (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

NCLE certification is not tied to a state, but a state license is a separate credential and does not automatically transfer. ABO-NCLE sends licensing boards rosters of candidates from their state and will send your results to another state’s board on request.

Source: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab)

See also: Optician license requirements by state

Start with ABO-NCLE’s Basic Exam Handbook, which contains the content outline, and spend the most time on the highest-weighted areas. Then practice timed multiple-choice questions so 125 questions in 2 hours feels routine; our free practice test and study guides are an independent supplement, not official material.

Sources: ABO-NCLE Basic Exam Handbook (July 2026 edition, linked from the Register page) (opens in a new tab) ; ABO-NCLE — Basic Exam overview (opens in a new tab)

See also: Free NCLE practice test ; Study guides