If you need help studying for the Funeral Service NBE exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free Funeral Service practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 340 questions total, but only 300 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 40 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 5 hours and 40 minutes. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
The exam is split into two separate tests, which you’ll take at separate times: NBE-Arts and NBE-Sciences.
NBE-ARTS
170 questions | 170 minutes
- Funeral arranging and direction (51 questions)
- Funeral service marketing/merchandising (21 questions)
- Funeral service counseling (19 questions)
- Legal and regulatory compliance (35 questions)
- Cemetery/crematory/other dispositions (24 questions)
NBE-SCIENCES
170 questions | 170 minutes
- Embalming (62 questions)
- Restorative art (34 questions)
- Other preparation of the deceased (28 questions)
- Funeral service sciences (26 questions)
How to Register
To get started with the registration process, you’ll need to fill out an application on the Conference Online website, which you can submit online or by mail. You’ll need to fill out a separate application for each test, and you’ll need to pay the $285 testing fee for each test.
Once your applications are approved, you’ll be given an Authorization to Test (ATT), which will allow you to schedule your exam appointment.
Funeral Service Study Guide and Flashcards
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Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
You will need a score of 75 on each test to pass the full exam.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the exam is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake whichever test you failed after a 30-day waiting period.
Just keep in mind that you will have reapply and pay the full testing fee every time you retake the test.
FAQs
How many questions are on the NBE Funeral Service exam?
The full exam contains 340 questions (170 on each test).
What is the time limit for the NBE Funeral Service exam?
Each test is timed at 170 minutes (just under 3 hours).
What is the passing score for the NBE Funeral Service exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 75 on each test to pass the exam.
How much does the NBE Funeral Service exam cost?
The fee for each test is $285.