What Part II covers
Part II is a computer-based exam of 255 questions across six clinical-science domains, taken in two sessions of three domains each:
- General Diagnosis
- Neuromusculoskeletal Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Principles of Chiropractic
- Chiropractic Practice
- Associated Clinical Sciences
That works out to roughly 40–45 questions per domain. The NBCE publishes the full breakdown in its Part II test plan, which is worth printing and checking off as you study.
Format, timing, and scoring
- Testing time: 3 hours 26 minutes of testing inside a roughly 4-hour appointment.
- Scoring: 125–800 scaled score; 375 passes. Harder items carry more weight, so the score isn't a straight percentage.
- Results: about four weeks after the exam window.
- Fee: $710.
When to take it
Students at an eligible chiropractic college can sit Part II in their third year, with registrar approval. Part II runs on the same 2026 computer-based calendar as Part I: ten windows from January through November. Scheduling closes 17 days before your date.
How Part II is different from Part I
Part I rewards recall. Part II asks you to reason from a presentation to a diagnosis or a next step. Many questions give you a patient, a finding, or an image and ask what it means. That changes how you should practice:
- Practice reading questions, not just facts. Timed, board-style items teach you to spot the one detail that decides the answer.
- Don't neglect Diagnostic Imaging. It's a full domain here, and it comes back in Part III.
- Work every domain to a score, then retest. Your weakest domain is where points are cheapest.
ChiroEDU's Part 2 course gives you an exam for each domain, four attempts per domain, 24 total 50-question tests, and item analysis on every question. ChiroQuiz also covers Part 2 for daily practice between full exams.
What comes next
After Part II comes Part III, the clinical competency exam with diagnostic imaging interpretation. See how all the exams fit together on the NBCE board exam overview.
Sources: NBCE Part II · Part II Test Plan · Part II Eligibility · Fee Schedule. Checked September 2026; confirm dates and fees with the NBCE before you register.