CMGT-BC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

The CMGT-BC Has No Fixed Test Calendar

Candidates searching for "CMGT-BC exam dates" often expect a short list of fixed sittings, the way some professional exams run only in spring and fall. The Nursing Case Management Certification does not work that way. The credential, awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) with the designation Case Management Nurse - Board Certified (CMGT-BC), is delivered as a computer-based exam through Prometric testing centers. Instead of a published calendar of national exam days, you apply, receive approval, and then choose an available appointment at a center within your authorization period.

That means the date questions that matter most are not "which Saturday is the exam?" but rather: When does the program stop accepting applications? When does the exam retire? How long do I have once approved? And how soon can I retake if I need to? This article walks through each of those in order.

The Phaseout Dates That Actually Matter

ANCC has announced that the nursing case management certification program is being wound down. The sequence is specific, and every candidate should know it before choosing a target date.

Notice the gap between the two key deadlines. Applying by December 31, 2026 does not mean you must test that same day, but it does mean your application, approval, and authorization all have to fit inside a closing window. If your application is approved late in the period, your 120-day authorization still has to land before the December 31, 2027 exam cutoff.

What You Need Before You Can Schedule

You cannot book a Prometric seat until ANCC approves your application and issues authorization. So the real starting line for your exam date is eligibility. For the CMGT-BC you need all of the following:

• A current, active RN license (or an accepted international equivalent)
• Two full-time-equivalent years of experience as a registered nurse
• 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

The hours and CE requirements are where most delays occur. If you are close on practice hours or still collecting case management CE credits, finish those before you apply, because the clock on your authorization only starts once you are approved. For a deeper look at qualifying experience, see our guide to CMGT-BC requirements and how to qualify.

The 120-Day Authorization Window

After your application is approved, you receive a standard authorization to test that lasts 120 days. That is the real "testing window" for the CMGT-BC: a personal four-month span, not a calendar shared by all candidates.

How to use the 120 days well

• Apply when you are nearly ready, not when you are starting. The window begins at approval, so applying very early can burn days you intended for study.
• Schedule your Prometric appointment soon after approval. Popular times at your nearest center can fill, and booking early protects your preferred date.
• Build in a buffer. Plan to sit the exam well before day 120 so a scheduling conflict or illness does not push you past the authorization.

Because testing is in person, availability depends on the center near you, not on a nationwide sitting. If your area has limited seats, look at the full 120 days rather than assuming a specific week will be open. For fee details tied to the application, including how the nonrefundable portion works, see the CMGT-BC certification cost breakdown.

What You Are Scheduling: Format and Rules

Knowing the format helps you choose a sensible time of day and prepare for the logistics. The CMGT-BC is a closed-book, computer-based, multiple-choice exam administered at Prometric test centers.

Rules that affect how you schedule

• In-person only. The certification exam is not remotely proctored. An ANCC readiness test may be offered remotely, but that does not mean the actual certification exam is available at home.
• Breaks use exam time. The three hours keep running during breaks, so pick a time when you can stay focused for the full session.
• No outside aids. Personal calculators and paper or electronic resources are prohibited. A dry-erase board is supplied.
• Mark and revisit. You can flag questions and return to them, and there is no penalty for guessing, so answer everything.

The 25 pretest items are mixed in with scored items and are not identified, so treat every question as if it counts. To understand how the content is divided, review the complete guide to the four CMGT-BC content areas.

Retake Timing and the Final Deadline

If your first attempt does not result in a pass, retake timing interacts directly with the phaseout. The rules are:

• You must wait at least 60 calendar days after the previous attempt.
• You must meet eligibility again at the time you reapply.
• You are limited to three attempts within 12 months.
• Every retest must still occur on or before December 31, 2027.

The practical consequence is straightforward: the later you take your first attempt, the fewer retake opportunities remain. A candidate who tests in the final months of 2027 may have no time left for a 60-day wait plus a new authorization. A candidate who sits the exam much earlier keeps a genuine second chance.

Planning Backward From Your Test Date

The cleanest way to use the phaseout calendar is to pick a target exam month and work backward. Below is one way to sequence preparation around the exam's four domains, ordered by their weight on the outline. Care Coordination is the largest at 30% (37 scored questions), so it earns the most study time, and the issuer's rounded percentages total 101%, which is why the figures below are shown exactly as published.

This is only a framework; stretch it if you work full time. The important point is that the study plan should finish with room to spare inside your 120-day authorization. For a full preparation strategy, read the CMGT-BC study guide for passing on your first attempt, and you can sharpen timing and question style with the CMGT-BC practice tests.

What Happens After the Exam Retires

Candidates who are already certified, or who certify before the exam closes, should understand how the retirement affects renewal. The certification lasts five years. Once the program becomes renewal-only, nurses who are actively certified on January 1, 2028 may continue to renew.

Renewal requires an active license and certification standing, 75 hours of specialty continuing education (with at least 60 hours formally approved), plus one additional professional-development category. The 1,000-practice-hour option is one of those additional categories rather than a universal requirement. Because the exam retires, renewal by re-examination is no longer available. Renewal fees are $350 for nonmembers, with ANA-member pricing advertised as low as $250.

The critical caution is about lapsing. After retirement, a certification that lapses beyond the two-year reactivation window cannot be reactivated by taking the retired exam. For nurses weighing whether to pursue the credential now, our ROI analysis of CMGT-BC certification covers how the phaseout changes the value calculation, and the CMGT-BC jobs overview describes where the credential is recognized.

Frequently Asked Questions