RPhS Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

The Big Picture: Why 2026 Is a Transition Year

For most of its history, the Registered Phlebology Sonographer examination, administered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) through Pearson VUE test centers, has been approachable on a rolling basis: apply, get approved, receive an authorization to test (ATT), and book a seat within your authorization period. That general pattern is what most candidates, forum posts, and older study guides still describe.

2026 is different. CCI has announced a specific testing transition that overrides the generic year-round, 90-day authorization language you may have read elsewhere. Under the transition, testing moves to two fixed windows per year, February and August, effective February 1, 2027. If you are searching for RPhS exam dates in 2026, the most important thing to understand is that your application date, not just your preferred test date, now determines where you land.

This guide walks through the transition step by step, so you can work out which window applies to you, which exam outline you will be tested against, and how to build a study calendar that fits. For a broader orientation to the credential itself, see What Is RPhS Certification?

Two Matrices, One Credential: Which Version Applies to You

CCI publishes two Examination Matrices and Task Lists for the RPhS on the same credential page. Both use the identical five domain headings, but the approximate weights differ. Which one governs your exam depends on when you test.

A small note on arithmetic: the current published weights (9/27/36/9/20) sum to 101%, even though the issuer's total row says 100%. They are approximate figures, and nothing here should be normalized or "corrected." Treat them as directional guidance on emphasis, not as exact question counts.

Because these are examination objectives rather than a curriculum, neither matrix tells you how to learn the material. It tells you what you may be tested on. For a domain-by-domain breakdown of the content areas, read RPhS Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 5 Content Areas.

Application Dates and Testing Windows at a Glance

The transition creates distinct categories of candidates. Find yours below.

What "capped at the end of February 2027" means

If you were approved before the August 1 cutoff, your ATT already spells out your authorized testing period. You test within those dates, but no authorization extends past the end of February 2027 under the transition. If your ATT would otherwise have run longer, expect it to be capped. Read your ATT closely and treat its dates as authoritative.

What this means for retakes

CCI has a general 45-day minimum interval before a retake. Under the new two-window model, that rule is additionally constrained by when windows actually open. In practice, a failed attempt in the February window means your next opportunity is the August window, not simply "45 days later." Retakes also require a new application and examination fee, so a miss costs both time and money. The full pricing picture is in RPhS Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.

Before You Pick a Date: Eligibility and Documentation

A testing window means nothing if your application is not approved in time. The August 1-December 31 intake only helps candidates whose paperwork is complete, so eligibility verification is the real gating item on your timeline.

All routes require a high-school diploma or GED plus one documented pathway:

• Active RVS/RVT plus six months of venous-ultrasound employment.
• A relevant associate degree or 62 semester hours, plus one year of experience.
• A relevant bachelor's degree plus six months of experience.

Each of those three routes also requires 36 relevant CEUs earned in the preceding four years. There is also a separate route for licensed physician associates and nurse practitioners with six months of limited or complete venous-ultrasound experience.

Physician routes require a medical license and come in three flavors: ABVLM certification or an active RVS/RVT/RPVI credential combined with 150 studies performed or directly supervised in the preceding two years; a route requiring 200 such studies in the preceding two years; and a route for those with a qualifying residency or fellowship and 200 studies during training. Study-count letters from physicians must be notarized.

Gathering employer verification, transcripts, and CEU certificates takes real calendar time, especially if you depend on supervisors or institutions to produce letters. Start this work well before the August 1 intake opens. For the full qualification breakdown, see RPhS Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.

What Your Appointment Looks Like

Whichever window you land in, the appointment itself is the same, and knowing it helps you evaluate your readiness against a realistic test date.

• 170 total questions: 150 are scored, and 20 are unidentified unscored items. You will not know which are which, so treat every question as if it counts.
• Three-hour appointment: This includes two hours 50 minutes (170 minutes) of answering time plus ten minutes for the tutorial and post-exam survey.
• Question formats: single-best-answer multiple choice, multiple response, image hot spots, and drag-and-place items.
• Passing score: 650 on a 0-900 scaled range. This is a scaled score, not a raw percentage, so do not try to translate it into "I need X% correct."
• Closed-book rules: an on-screen calculator and an erasable board are provided. You can mark items, review, and revisit them within your remaining time allowance.
• Identification: two acceptable original IDs are required.

The image hot spot and drag-and-place formats matter for planning. Phlebology sonography is a visual discipline, and a candidate who has only memorized definitions will struggle when asked to locate a finding on an image or place steps in order. Practice in those formats before your window. Details on scoring are in RPhS Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.

CCI reports a 75% first-time RPhS pass rate for 2025. Keep in mind that this is a first-time figure for one year, not a 2026 rate and not an all-attempt rate, so it is a reference point rather than a prediction. More context is available in RPhS Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.

Scheduling, Rescheduling, and Retake Timing

Once approved, you receive your ATT and schedule through Pearson VUE. A few mechanics deserve attention under the new two-window system.

Book early inside your window

With testing concentrated into two months a year, seat availability at your preferred test center may tighten as your window approaches. Schedule as soon as your ATT permits rather than waiting until you "feel ready," and choose a date that leaves buffer days at the end of the window in case you need to move.

Rescheduling guidance conflicts

CCI's published materials are inconsistent on rescheduling lead time: the credential page references two full working days, while the FAQ references 24 hours. Because the two sources disagree, follow the instructions in your own appointment confirmation, and do not assume the more lenient number. Treat a reschedule as something to do as early as possible, particularly now that a missed window can push you out by roughly six months.

Money and retakes

The examination fee is USD 365, which includes a USD 100 non-refundable application-processing component. A retake requires a new application and a new examination fee. Given the window structure, a failed February attempt means waiting for August, which adds both cost and delay. That is a strong argument for sitting the exam only when your practice results are consistently solid. See How Hard Is the RPhS Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 for help judging readiness.

Planning Backward from Your Test Date by Domain

This is the one place where a study calendar earns its keep, because the matrix you face determines where your hours should go. Assume a February 2027 test date, which is where most fall 2026 applicants will land. That means the 7/25/38/10/20 weighting should drive your allocation.

If you are testing before February 1, 2027 under the current matrix, shift a little more time toward Patient Diagnosis and the safety/facility domain, which carry slightly more weight there. In both cases, Performance of Diagnostic Testing leads, so do not let it slide. Because the headings are unchanged between versions, studying all five domains thoroughly protects you either way. For a fuller preparation framework, see the RPhS Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and for a quick final review, the RPhS Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.

After the Exam: The First Certification Period

Your date choice also affects when your credential clock starts, so it is worth knowing what follows a pass.

• Initial certification period: 9-12 months.
• First renewal: USD 165, plus Code of Ethics compliance. No CEUs are due at this first renewal.
• Ongoing three-year renewals: USD 165, ethics compliance, and 36 CEUs, including at least 30 that are cardiovascular-related. Any remaining credits must be medical-related under CCI's dedicated CE policy.

One wrinkle: the credential page uses broader any-topic wording for CE, which conflicts with the more specific medical-related rule in the dedicated CE policy. When sources conflict, plan around the stricter, more specific rule. Also note that passing a CCI examination at the full fee is an alternative way to satisfy the triennial CE requirement; it is not an established waiver of other renewal obligations such as fees and ethics compliance. The CCI renewal page and CE rules page are the places to confirm details.

Once certified, the credential is most visible in vascular labs, vein clinics, and physician practices that perform venous duplex imaging and treat venous disease. If you are weighing the return on the effort, see RPhS Jobs, RPhS Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis, and Is the RPhS Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions