- The Written Knowledge Test requires a scaled score of at least 70 - not a raw 70% on 120 questions.
- Only 100 of the WKT's 120 questions are scored; 20 are unscored pretest items you can't identify.
- Each skills leg (Literary, Jury Charge, Testimony) requires 95% accuracy at its assigned speed, separate from the WKT.
- Technology and Innovation is 43% of the WKT - the single highest-leverage domain for your score.
The Scaled Score, Explained
If you've searched for the RPR passing score, you've probably seen the number "70" floating around without context. That number is real, but it's easy to misread. The Written Knowledge Test (WKT) passing standard is a scaled score of at least 70 - it is not the same as answering 70% of the questions correctly. Scaled scoring converts your raw performance into a standardized number that accounts for the difficulty of the specific question set you received, since not every candidate sees an identical mix of items.
This distinction matters because candidates sometimes assume they need 84 correct answers out of 120 (70%) and either relax too much or panic unnecessarily when reviewing missed questions after the fact. NCRA does not publish the exact raw-to-scaled conversion table, so the only reliable strategy is to treat every scored question as consequential and aim to maximize correct answers across all three domains rather than trying to reverse-engineer a specific raw number.
WKT Format: What "Passing" Actually Requires
The WKT is a closed-book, multiple-choice exam delivered at Pearson VUE test centers or via OnVUE remote proctoring. Here's the exact structure that produces your scaled score:
- 120 total questions, but only 100 are scored - the other 20 are unscored pretest items being evaluated for future exam forms.
- 110 minutes to complete the entire test.
- No notes, books, or physical writing tools allowed - it is strictly closed book.
- OnVUE remote candidates must pass a system check, test from a private space, stay in continuous webcam view, and take no breaks during the session.
Because you can't distinguish scored questions from pretest ones during the test, the only rational approach is to treat every single question as if it counts. Guessing strategically on questions you're unsure of is still better than leaving anything blank, since there's no penalty structure that rewards skipping.
For a full breakdown of what's actually tested inside those 100 scored questions, see our RPR Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 3 Content Areas. If you're still mapping out your overall preparation timeline before fixating on the score itself, the RPR Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt is the better starting point.
Passing Score for the Three Skills Legs
The WKT is only one piece of full RPR certification. The three stenographic skills legs - Literary, Jury Charge, and Testimony/Q&A - have their own passing standard, and it's structured differently from the WKT's scaled score.
Skills Test Accuracy Requirement
Each skills leg requires 95% accuracy on a five-minute dictation, transcribed and submitted within a fixed window. There's no scaled conversion here - it's a direct accuracy threshold against the source material.
- Literary: 180 words per minute, 95% accuracy
- Jury Charge: 200 words per minute, 95% accuracy
- Testimony/Q&A: 225 words per minute, 95% accuracy
After the five-minute dictation, candidates get three minutes to upload notes and 75 minutes for transcript editing and submission. Skills tests are delivered through Realtime Coach paired with ProctorU/Record+ and Guardian Browser, and you'll need your own writer, CAT software, webcam, and wired headphones to sit for them. During transcription, CAT spell check, a printed Merriam-Webster dictionary, and two scratch sheets (with a shredder for disposal) are permitted.
Key Takeaway
The WKT's "pass" is a scaled score of 70; the skills legs' "pass" is 95% transcription accuracy at speed. These are two entirely different scoring systems - don't study for one assuming it prepares you for the other.
Passing components don't expire immediately - each one remains valid for three years while you complete the rest. That means if you pass the WKT this testing window but need another attempt at Testimony, you're not starting from zero. For the full eligibility and sequencing rules, check RPR Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
How Domain Weighting Affects Your Score
Since only 100 questions determine your scaled score, and those questions are distributed unevenly across three domains, understanding the weighting is a direct lever on your outcome. The WKT domains are:
| Domain | Weight | Approx. Scored Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Technology and Innovation | 43% | ~43 of 100 |
| Industry Practices | 34% | ~34 of 100 |
| NCRA, Professionalism, and Ethics | 23% | ~23 of 100 |
Technology and Innovation (43%)
This is the largest domain by far, covering CAT technology, realtime troubleshooting, Windows fundamentals, networks, storage, and information security. Because it's nearly half the scored content, weak performance here does more damage to your scaled score than a weak showing in either other domain.
- CAT software mechanics and realtime output
- Networking and storage basics relevant to reporting workflows
- Information security concepts as they apply to reporter file handling
Industry Practices (34%) and NCRA, Professionalism, and Ethics (23%) round out the remaining scored questions. A candidate who is strong in ethics but shaky on Technology and Innovation is statistically more exposed than one with the reverse profile, simply because of how the 100 scored items are distributed. For item-by-item topic guidance across all three areas, our RPR Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 3 Content Areas breaks down each domain's likely question style.
What 2025 Pass Rates Tell You About Difficulty
NCRA's 2025 completed-and-submitted test data gives useful context for how the passing thresholds actually play out in practice:
- WKT: 63% pass rate from 255 completed tests
- Literary: 29% pass rate from 421 completed tests
- Jury Charge: 31% pass rate from 455 completed tests
- Testimony: 16% pass rate from 528 completed tests
These are component rates, not a single combined-certification rate, and each reflects a different scoring mechanism - the WKT's scaled score of 70 versus each skills leg's 95% accuracy standard. The gap between the WKT rate and the skills-leg rates is a strong signal about where the passing threshold is hardest to clear: not the multiple-choice knowledge test, but the timed, high-accuracy dictation and transcription work. For a deeper statistical breakdown and what it implies about your own prep priorities, see RPR Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows and How Is the RPR Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
The WKT's passing score is achievable for most prepared candidates; the skills legs' 95% accuracy standard is where most attempts fall short. Weight your prep time accordingly if you're pursuing full certification, not just the WKT alone.
Fees, Retakes, and the Cost of Missing the Score
Missing the passing score on any component means paying to retest, so it's worth knowing the fee structure before you schedule.
| Test | Reporter Member | Student Member | Nonmember |
|---|---|---|---|
| WKT | $220 | $181 | $253 |
| Single skills leg | $110 | $90 | $144 |
| Dual skills registration (2 back-to-back attempts, same test type) | $165 | $135 | $216 |
The dual registration option is worth understanding closely: it lets you register for two attempts of the same skills test type back-to-back for less than paying for two single registrations separately. Given that skills-leg pass rates run well below the WKT's, budgeting for at least one retake on a given skills component isn't unreasonable. For the complete cost picture including membership and study materials, see RPR Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Testing windows run in January, April, July, and October, with registration generally open during days 1-20 of the preceding month. WKT preliminary results appear soon after testing, with official results following two to four weeks after the window closes; skills results generally arrive within 10-15 business days. Plan retakes around this calendar - see RPR Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for the full schedule logic.
Scheduling Your Prep Around the Passing Threshold
Because the WKT's scaled score rewards broad, accurate performance rather than mastery of a narrow topic, a study rhythm that cycles through all three domains repeatedly tends to outperform one that studies each domain once and moves on. Spaced repetition works well here specifically because the WKT draws from a large pool of discrete facts - CAT technology behavior, terminology, procedural rules - that fade quickly without review.
Technology and Innovation (43%)
- Drill CAT software concepts, realtime troubleshooting scenarios, and networking/storage basics
- Take timed practice sets on our practice test platform to simulate the 110-minute pace
Industry Practices (34%)
- Review procedural and workflow questions typical of this domain
- Mix in earlier Technology and Innovation questions for retention
NCRA, Professionalism, and Ethics (23%)
- Cover ethics scenarios and NCRA-specific policy knowledge
- Run a full 120-question mock test under real time constraints
Because Technology and Innovation carries the most scored weight, giving it the longest runway in your schedule is a direct response to how the scaled score is built - not a generic study habit. If you haven't yet built out a full prep plan, the RPR Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt lays out a more complete week-by-week structure, and a quick-reference version is available in the RPR Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
FAQ
It's a scaled score, not a raw percentage. You need a scaled score of at least 70 on the WKT, which is calculated from your performance on the 100 scored questions (out of 120 total) rather than a simple percent-correct figure.
No. Of the 120 total questions, 100 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items used to evaluate future exam content. You can't tell which is which during the test, so every question should be answered carefully.
Each skills leg - Literary, Jury Charge, and Testimony/Q&A - requires 95% accuracy on a five-minute dictation at its designated speed (180, 200, and 225 wpm respectively), followed by a transcription window. This is a separate standard from the WKT's scaled score.
No. Each passing component remains valid for three years while you work on the rest, so a passed WKT stays credited while you retake only the skills leg you missed.
Technology and Innovation, since it makes up 43% of the WKT's scored questions - the largest single share of the exam. Industry Practices (34%) and NCRA, Professionalism, and Ethics (23%) follow in priority order.