- The Credential at a Glance
- The Phaseout Clock: Dates That Matter
- Exam Format and Test-Day Rules
- Four Domains, Weights, and Scored Items
- Scoring: 350 of 500, Not 70%
- Eligibility, Fees, and Retesting
- Pass Rate and Certificant Numbers
- Five-Year Renewal Rules
- What to Master in Each Domain
- Sequencing Your Review Around the Domains
- Quick-Answer FAQ
- CMGT-BC is the ANCC Nursing Case Management certification; the exam has 150 questions (125 scored) and a three-hour limit.
- Initial applications close December 31, 2026, and exam and retesting end December 31, 2027.
- Care Coordination is the heaviest domain at 30%, with 37 of the 125 scored questions.
- A scaled score of at least 350 out of 500 passes; it is not a raw 70% cutoff.
The Credential at a Glance
This page condenses everything a candidate should be able to recite about the Nursing Case Management certification into one scannable reference. The credential is issued by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), part of the American Nurses Enterprise and affiliated with the ANA, and successful candidates earn the designation Case Management Nurse - Board Certified (CMGT-BC). If you are still orienting yourself, start with What Is CMGT-BC Certification? and come back here once the basics are settled.
One point of identity deserves emphasis: this site is about the ANCC nursing credential. It is not a substitute for other case management credentials with similar-sounding names, and the rules below (fees, delivery, scoring, renewal) apply only to the ANCC program. When you compare options, make sure the numbers you are reading belong to the right certification.
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) |
| Designation | Case Management Nurse - Board Certified (CMGT-BC) |
| Exam delivery | Prometric test centers, computer-based, closed book |
| Questions | 150 total: 125 scored, 25 pretest |
| Time allowed | Three hours |
| Passing score | 350 or higher on a 500-point scaled score |
| Certification period | Five years |
The Phaseout Clock: Dates That Matter
This is the single most time-sensitive fact on the cheat sheet. ANCC has announced a phaseout of the Nursing Case Management program. The dates are fixed, and they shape every planning decision a candidate makes.
- December 31, 2026: last day initial applications are accepted.
- December 31, 2027: examination and retesting end.
- After that: the program becomes renewal-only.
- January 1, 2028: nurses who are actively certified on this date may continue renewing.
Because your 120-day authorization window, the 60-day retest waiting period, and the final deadline all interact, work backward from December 31, 2027 before you schedule anything. Our CMGT-BC exam dates guide walks through scheduling mechanics in more detail, and the ROI analysis helps you decide whether pursuing the credential during a phaseout still makes sense for your career.
Exam Format and Test-Day Rules
Structure
The exam is multiple choice and computer-based, delivered by Prometric at test centers. You receive 150 questions, but only 125 are scored; the other 25 are pretest items used to evaluate future questions. You cannot tell which are which, so treat every question as if it counts. Three hours are allowed, and breaks consume exam time.
In-person only
The certification exam is taken in person at a test center; it is not remotely proctored. Some ANCC readiness tests can be taken remotely, but remote delivery of a readiness test does not mean the certification exam itself is available remotely. Do not plan around an at-home exam.
What you may and may not bring
- The exam is closed book: no paper or electronic resources.
- Personal calculators are prohibited.
- A dry-erase board is supplied for working through problems.
- You may mark questions and return to them before finishing.
- Guessing carries no penalty, so never leave an item blank.
Your authorization to test lasts 120 days under the standard arrangement. Book your appointment early in that window so you have room to reschedule if needed.
Key Takeaway
Plan for roughly 72 seconds per item if you use the full 150-question count (180 minutes divided by 150). Mark time-consuming scenarios, answer everything, and use remaining time to revisit flagged questions. Since there is no guessing penalty, an educated guess always beats a blank.
Four Domains, Weights, and Scored Items
The content comes from the Nursing Case Management Board Certification Examination Test Content Outline (effective October 23, 2024; updated September 8, 2025). Note that ANCC's rounded percentages add up to 101%; the figures below are reproduced exactly as published rather than adjusted.
| Domain | Weight | Scored Questions (of 125) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Professional Foundation | 22% | 27 |
| 2. Care Coordination | 30% | 37 |
| 3. Quality Management | 26% | 32 |
| 4. Health Promotion | 23% | 29 |
Care Coordination is the largest block, and Professional Foundation is the smallest, but none of the four can be ignored: even the lightest domain contributes 27 scored items. For a deeper walkthrough, see CMGT-BC Exam Domains: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas.
Scoring: 350 of 500, Not 70%
Results are reported as a scaled score with a maximum of 500, and you need at least 350 to pass. This is not the same as answering 70% of questions correctly. ANCC sets passing standards using the Modified Angoff method, in which subject-matter experts judge how a minimally qualified candidate would perform on each item. The scaled score then accounts for differences in difficulty between exam forms.
One version note for the careful reader: the ANCC Certification Handbook is the source for general scoring and testing policy, but its cover shows differing version labels depending on how the document is retrieved. For this credential, the exam-specific page and the test content outline control scope and the three-hour timing, rather than any general timing examples in the handbook.
Eligibility, Fees, and Retesting
Eligibility checklist
- A current, active RN license (or an accepted international equivalent).
- Two full-time-equivalent years of experience as an RN.
- 2,000 hours of nursing case management practice within the last three years.
- 30 hours of continuing education in the specialty within the last three years.
Verify each item against your own records before you apply. The CMGT-BC requirements guide covers how to document practice hours and CE.
Initial exam fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| ANA member | $295 |
| Nonmember | $395 |
Both fees include a $140 administrative fee that is nonrefundable. That detail matters if you apply and later decide to withdraw. For a fuller picture of costs including renewal, see the certification cost breakdown.
Retesting rules
- Wait at least 60 calendar days after your previous attempt.
- Renew your eligibility before retesting.
- No more than three attempts in a 12-month period.
- All retests must fall before the final testing deadline of December 31, 2027.
Pass Rate and Certificant Numbers
ANCC's 2025 certification data reports a 66% first-time pass rate: 188 passes among 286 first-time candidates. As of December 31, 2025, there were 1,961 active certificants. The small candidate pool is worth noticing; with only a few hundred first-time test takers in a year, this is a niche credential, and a single year's rate should be read as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. Our pass rate analysis and difficulty guide put these figures in context.
Five-Year Renewal Rules
Certification lasts five years. Renewal is activity-based, and with the exam retiring, examination-based renewal will no longer be an option.
- Maintain active licensure and certification standing.
- Earn 75 hours of specialty continuing education, including at least 60 formally approved hours.
- Complete one additional professional-development category.
- The 1,000-practice-hour option is one way to satisfy that additional category; it is not a universal requirement.
- All renewal activities must occur within your five-year cycle and before you submit the application.
| Renewal Fee Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Nonmember | $350 |
| ANA member | Advertised as low as $250 |
Key Takeaway
If you earn the credential before the exam retires, keep your CE records organized from day one of your cycle. Because the phaseout leaves no exam fallback, your renewal activities are the only path to staying certified.
What to Master in Each Domain
Domain 1: Professional Foundation (22%, 27 scored items)
Expect questions on the professional framework within which case managers operate.
- Scope and role of the nurse case manager within interprofessional teams
- Ethical, legal, and regulatory considerations in case management practice
- Advocacy, patient rights, and professional accountability
Domain 2: Care Coordination (30%, 37 scored items)
The heaviest domain. This is where the case management process itself is tested, so depth here pays off most.
- Assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of individualized care
- Transitions of care and discharge planning across settings
- Communication and collaboration among patients, families, providers, and payers
- Resource identification and utilization
Domain 3: Quality Management (26%, 32 scored items)
Questions here examine how outcomes are measured and improved.
- Quality indicators, outcome measurement, and performance improvement
- Evidence-based practice and data-informed decision making
- Risk, safety, and variance identification
Domain 4: Health Promotion (23%, 29 scored items)
Focus on population and individual wellness, prevention, and education.
- Patient and caregiver education and self-management support
- Disease prevention and chronic condition management
- Social determinants and barriers to engagement in care
Always cross-check topic lists against the official Test Content Outline, since it is the authoritative description of what can be tested. Pair that outline with the CMGT-BC study guide for a structured plan, and use our practice tests to see how scenario-based items present these topics.
Sequencing Your Review Around the Domains
Rather than a generic schedule, let the weights drive the order. A simple approach keeps the heaviest domain at the center of your preparation:
Professional Foundation
- Build vocabulary and framework knowledge that supports every later domain
- Review ethics, legal, and role-scope content
Care Coordination
- Spend the most time here: it carries 37 scored questions
- Practice scenario items on transitions of care and resource use
Quality Management
- Review outcome measures, improvement cycles, and safety concepts
Health Promotion and full review
- Cover education, prevention, and social determinants
- Finish with timed mixed-domain practice under closed-book conditions
Because the real exam is timed at three hours with no outside resources, do your final practice sets without notes and with a clock running. Take at least one set on a computer screen to mirror the test-center interface.
Quick-Answer FAQ
Yes, but only for a limited time. Initial applications are accepted through December 31, 2026, and the examination and retesting end December 31, 2027, after which the program is renewal-only.
No. The certification exam is delivered in person at Prometric test centers and is not remotely proctored. A remotely available readiness test does not change that.
There are 150 questions, of which 125 are scored and 25 are pretest. You have three hours, and breaks use exam time. You can mark questions to revisit, and there is no penalty for guessing.
You need a scaled score of at least 350 on a 500-point scale. It is determined using Modified Angoff standard setting and is not a simple 70% raw-score cutoff.
The initial exam fee is $295 for ANA members or $395 for nonmembers, including a nonrefundable $140 administrative fee. Renewal is $350 for nonmembers, with member pricing advertised as low as $250. For career-side questions, see the salary guide and CMGT-BC jobs overview.