CPJE format and scoring: questions, content outline, scaled score and fees
Last checked October 19, 2026 · Sources: PSI CPJE candidate bulletin (format, content outline effective June 1, 2022, scoring, results); California State Board of Pharmacy passing score explainer, fee schedule, retake application and April-September 2025 statistics. Education requirements as summarized by UWorld.
CPJE format and scoring in brief: California requires pharmacists to pass the CPJE as well as the NAPLEX, even if they passed the MPJE in another state. The CPJE has 90 questions in two hours, 75 of them scored, covering three areas set out in the Board’s June 2022 content outline, and it’s passed at a scaled 75 on a 0 to 99 scale. The Board lists a $260 licensure exam fee, and PSI charges $36.91 to register.
CPJE content outline
| Area | Scored items | Examples from the outline |
|---|---|---|
| Patient Information and Prescription Evaluation | 23 | Assess prescriptions for legality and appropriateness; controlled substance dispensing; immunizations; compounding |
| Clinical Practice | 27 | Therapeutic regimens, OTC and non-drug therapy, monitoring, pharmacist-provided therapies, patient counseling |
| Pharmacy Operations | 25 | Inventory and controlled-substance records, drug shortages, quality assurance, supervising staff, CURES |
Scored items by area, from the Board’s content outline effective June 1, 2022, as printed in PSI’s candidate bulletin.
California law (Business and Professions Code section 4200.2) requires the CPJE to test patient communication skills and the parts of California practice and clinical knowledge the NAPLEX doesn’t cover, alongside state law. That’s why it’s not simply a law exam, and why the MPJE doesn’t apply in California.
How the exam works on screen
- One question at a time. After answering, you move on; PSI says you can’t return to change or review answers.
- Pretest items are hidden. The 15 unscored questions are mixed in and not identified.
- No guessing penalty. Scores are based on correct answers, so answer every question.
- Breaks use your time. Restroom breaks don’t add time, and PSI checks on breaks longer than five minutes.
Scoring and retakes
- Scaled score. The Board reports a scaled score from 0 to 99 and says 75 to 99 passes. A score of 75 does not mean 75% correct.
- Different forms. The Board uses several exam versions of varying difficulty and equates each to the same passing score; it releases only the scaled score.
- Results by mail. PSI says the Board mails your score about 30 days after the exam and won’t give results by phone. A failing report shows how you did in each of the three areas.
- Retakes. Candidates who fail may retake after 45 days, per PSI’s bulletin. Each application allows one attempt, so you submit a retake application and fee to the Board.
- Pass rates. The Board’s latest report (April-September 2025) shows only 56.37% passed, against 83.44% on the NAPLEX for the same candidates. See our CPJE pass rates page.
Fees
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacist licensure exam application | $260 (was $285 before January 1, 2025) | California State Board of Pharmacy |
| CPJE registration | $36.91 per attempt, non-refundable | PSI |
| Retake application | $260 | Board |
| Fingerprint cards (out of state) | $49 | Board |
| Regrade | $115 | Board |
| Initial pharmacist license | $195 | Board |
From the Board’s fee schedule and application packet and PSI’s bulletin, checked October 19, 2026.
There’s no Board fee to retake the NAPLEX. Missing your PSI appointment or showing up without matching IDs forfeits the $36.91.
Eligibility
- Education. At least 150 semester hours of college credit, 90 of them from a school of pharmacy, per UWorld; graduation from an ACPE-accredited program or FPGEC certification.
- Experience. At least 1,500 hours of pharmacy practice experience as an intern, or one year as a licensed pharmacist in another state with at least 900 hours. The Board’s licensing information says graduates of ACPE-accredited schools after January 1, 2016 are deemed to meet this requirement.
- Approval first. The Board must approve you, then it notifies PSI, which mails scheduling instructions. Your eligibility expires after one year if unused.
Common questions about CPJE format and scoring
Does the MPJE count in California?
No. California requires the CPJE, even if you passed the MPJE in another state.
Can I go back and change answers on the CPJE?
No. PSI says you answer one question at a time and can’t return to earlier questions.
When do CPJE results come out?
About 30 days after the exam, by mail from the Board.
What's on the CPJE?
Patient information and prescription evaluation (23), clinical practice (27) and pharmacy operations (25), per the Board’s June 2022 outline.
We first checked these sources on October 12, 2026 and rechecked them on October 19, 2026. MockTestPrep is independent and is not affiliated with the California State Board of Pharmacy or PSI.