What Happens If You Fail the VTNE? Retakes, Windows, and Next Steps
If you do not pass the VTNE, you can apply to retake it, but AAVSB caps candidates at 5 total attempts before requiring Board of Directors approval to try again. AAVSB permits one attempt per 30 day period, meaning you are eligible to retake starting 31 days after your previous attempt, and in practice your retake date is governed by the next scheduled VTNE testing window, since AAVSB offers the exam in windows across the year rather than continuously. Each retake requires a brand new online application and the full $375 application fee (as of September 2026); there is no discounted or automatic retake option. Your score report is available in your MyAAVSB portal within 3 days of testing, for your own reference only, while AAVSB sends your official result to the state or provincial board you designated on a separate track that determines your actual licensing status. Attempts are counted starting from exams taken on or after January 1, 2006, so older attempts under different rules do not apply toward today’s 5 attempt limit. Here is exactly what happens after a failed VTNE attempt, what your options are, and what to do next.
Figures current as of September 2026 per AAVSB’s VTNE retake and scoring pages. Fees and policies can change; confirm current terms on AAVSB’s site before you reapply.
What Your Score Report Actually Tells You
After you finish the VTNE, AAVSB posts your score to your MyAAVSB portal within 3 days, and that copy is generated automatically and kept in your portal for one year. AAVSB is explicit that this portal copy is for your personal reference only and is not part of the licensing process. Your official result, the one that actually determines your eligibility for licensure or registration, is sent separately by PSI and AAVSB directly to the jurisdiction you selected when you applied, on the same roughly 3 day timeline. In practice, that means checking your portal tells you whether you passed or failed quickly, but your state or provincial board is working from its own official copy, not your personal portal view.
You Can Retake the VTNE, Within Limits
A failed attempt is not the end of the road. AAVSB allows candidates up to 5 total attempts at the VTNE, counting exams taken on or after January 1, 2006. If you have not yet reached 5 attempts, retaking is a matter of submitting a new application and paying the fee again, no special appeal or documentation required for the retake itself. Once you pass 5 attempts, the process changes: AAVSB’s Board of Directors requires you to submit additional documentation before you are approved to test again, and your request is not considered complete until AAVSB has reviewed and approved both the new application and that documentation. There is also a minimum wait: AAVSB permits only one attempt per 30 day period, so you cannot reapply and retest back to back.
| Attempt number | What is required |
|---|---|
| 1 through 5 | New online application, full $375 fee, eligibility starting 31 days after your last attempt |
| 6 and beyond | New application, full fee, plus additional documentation reviewed and approved by the AAVSB Board of Directors before you can test again |
State and Provincial Boards Can Set Their Own Rules
AAVSB’s 5 attempt limit is the national floor, not necessarily the whole picture. AAVSB states directly that some jurisdictions impose more stringent retake requirements than AAVSB’s own policy, including requiring prior approval from your state or provincial board before you retake the exam at all, independent of how many attempts AAVSB itself would otherwise permit. Because these rules vary by location and are set by your individual credentialing board rather than by AAVSB, check your specific jurisdiction’s requirements through AAVSB’s Regulatory Board Look-Up tool or directly with your board before you assume the 5 attempt national limit is the only rule that applies to you.
What to Do After a Failed Attempt
First, confirm your result in your MyAAVSB portal, remembering that this copy is for your own reference and your state board’s official copy is what actually governs your licensing timeline. Second, check your specific state or provincial board’s retake requirements, since some boards add conditions beyond AAVSB’s national policy. Third, once you are eligible to retest, that is, you are eligible (31 days after your last attempt) and within your first 5 attempts, submit a new VTNE application and pay the $375 fee to secure your next testing window. If you are approaching or past 5 attempts, start the additional documentation process with AAVSB early, since your new application is not complete, and you cannot be scheduled, until AAVSB’s Board of Directors has reviewed and approved it. In the time between attempts, focus your review on the content areas where your original preparation was thinnest rather than repeating a generic review of everything, since a repeat attempt is most useful when it targets specific gaps rather than re covering ground you already know well.
Getting ready for a retake, or want to walk into your first attempt with fewer surprises? Try our VTNE practice test to work through original questions across all 10 content domains, or start with a free VTNE practice test to see where your knowledge stands right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times can you retake the VTNE?
AAVSB allows up to 5 attempts, counted from exams taken on or after January 1, 2006. Beyond 5 attempts, you must submit additional documentation for review and approval by the AAVSB Board of Directors before you can test again.
How soon can I retake the VTNE after failing?
AAVSB permits one attempt per 30 day period, meaning you are eligible to retake starting 31 days after your previous attempt. The exam is offered in scheduled testing windows rather than continuously, so your actual retake date is the later of that 31 day mark and the next window you can apply for.
Do I pay the full fee again if I fail the VTNE?
Yes. Every retake requires a brand new online application and the full $375 fee (as of September 2026). AAVSB does not offer a reduced rate for repeat candidates.
Will my state board see my VTNE score even if I do not check my portal?
Yes. AAVSB and PSI send your official score directly to the state or provincial board you designated when you applied, on a separate track from your personal MyAAVSB portal copy, within roughly the same 3 day window.
Sources
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For educational and exam preparation purposes only. Not a substitute for formal clinical training.