- Written exam has two domains: ~50-60% clinical scenarios, ~40-50% knowledge-based questions.
- Passing score is 75 on each exam component, written and practical.
- 2026 fees: $265 written, $485 practical, $750 combined; registration for the September 10-12 sitting is now closed.
- Certification lasts three years; renewal needs 30 hours (20+ AVCA-approved) and a $70 fee by December 31.
Fast Facts Snapshot
If you only have five minutes before a review session, this is the page to bookmark. Every number below comes straight from the Animal Chiropractic Certification Commission (ACCC) of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA), the body that develops and administers the exam. For the long-form breakdown of any single line item, our Animal Chiropractic Study Guide 2026 walks through preparation strategy in depth, and this cheat sheet is meant to be the quick-reference companion to it.
| Item | 2026 Detail |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | ACCC / AVCA |
| Written exam length | 2 hours, English, multiple-choice and/or short-answer |
| Passing score | 75 on each exam (written and practical) |
| Written fee | $265 (retake same fee) |
| Practical fee | $485 (retake same fee) |
| Combined fee | $750 |
| 2026 exam dates | September 10-12, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Miami, OK |
| Application deadline | June 26, 2026 (registration now closed) |
| Certification validity | 3 years |
| Renewal fee | $70 |
Registration, Fees, and Dates
The 2026 written examination fee is $265, the practical examination fee is $485, and candidates sitting for both in the same cycle pay a combined $750. If you need to retake a single component, you pay only that component's standard fee again - there is no separate "retake surcharge" documented in the 2026 candidate materials.
The 2026 sitting runs September 10-12 at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Oklahoma. The application deadline for this cycle was June 26, and registration is now closed for 2026 hopefuls who missed that window. If you're planning ahead for a future cycle, our Animal Chiropractic Exam Dates 2026 guide tracks testing windows and deadlines so you don't get shut out again, and the full cost breakdown - including how the combined fee compares to paying separately - lives in Animal Chiropractic Certification Cost 2026.
Key Takeaway
Mark deadlines the moment a new cycle is announced. Because the application window closes months before the exam itself, procrastination on paperwork can cost you an entire testing year even if your clinical skills are ready.
The Two Written Exam Domains
The written exam content is organized into two published groups. Understanding the weighting is the single highest-leverage piece of information on this page - it tells you exactly where to spend your limited study hours.
Domain 1: Clinical Scenarios (~50-60%)
This is the majority of the exam. Vignettes are split roughly half canine and half equine, so you cannot lean on small-animal knowledge alone or vice versa. Expect case-style prompts that ask you to interpret a presenting history, examination findings, and imaging or gait descriptions, then choose the most appropriate clinical reasoning or next step.
- Canine case vignettes covering common presenting complaints and exam findings
- Equine case vignettes covering gait, saddle-related, and performance findings
- Questions that test clinical judgment, not just recall of a fact
Domain 2: Knowledge-Based Questions (~40-50%)
This portion draws on core science: anatomy, neurology, pathology, and neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis. These questions look more like traditional multiple-choice items - testing whether you know a structure, mechanism, or diagnostic principle rather than applying it to a full case narrative.
- Anatomy relevant to both canine and equine spine and limb structures
- Neurology fundamentals underlying neuromusculoskeletal complaints
- Pathology of conditions commonly seen in animal chiropractic practice
- Diagnostic reasoning for neuromusculoskeletal presentations
For a deeper dive into how these two domains interact, how examiners weight them, and sample question phrasing patterns, see our dedicated Animal Chiropractic Exam Domains 2026 guide. It expands each bullet above into full topic lists.
Exam Format and Rules
The written exam runs two hours, is administered in English, and uses multiple-choice and/or short-answer formats. The 2026 candidate materials describe paper examination booklets with computer-scored answer forms - so your test-day experience is closer to a traditional bubble-sheet exam than an adaptive computer test.
- Passing score: 75 on the written exam (and 75 is also required on the practical)
- Study notes and electronic devices, including calculators, are prohibited during testing
- Answer forms are computer-scored; booklets are paper-based
If you're wondering whether 75 is a raw score, a percentage, or a scaled score, and how it compares to what other credentialing bodies use, our Animal Chiropractic Passing Score 2026 article unpacks exactly what you need to hit that number. And if you want an honest read on how difficult this exam actually is relative to other professional credentialing exams, How Hard Is the Animal Chiropractic Exam? covers that in detail - we don't fabricate pass-rate numbers here, but the qualitative difficulty factors are laid out clearly, and if you want actual published pass-rate context, Animal Chiropractic Pass Rate 2026 is the place to check.
The Practical Exam in Brief
While this site's core focus is the written knowledge-based exam, no cheat sheet is complete without knowing what full certification ultimately demands. The practical examination runs approximately three hours across six assessed stations - three canine and three equine - covering patient histories, adjusting setups, and saddle fit assessment.
- Each station uses an eight-minute assessment period
- Candidates demonstrate setups without actually thrusting or adjusting the animals
- Closed-toe, closed-heel footwear is mandatory
- Study notes and electronic devices are prohibited, same as the written exam
Passing requires a 75 on the practical exam, scored independently from the written component. Candidates can register for written only, practical only, or the combined package depending on where they are in their preparation timeline.
Eligibility at a Glance
Before you can sit for either exam, you generally need:
- An active chiropractic or veterinary license in good standing
- Completion of an AVCA-approved postgraduate animal chiropractic program (approved basic programs provide at least 210 hours)
- Passage of that program's exit examination
Students within six months of professional graduation may use an alternative application route, but their examination results are withheld until the professional license is actually received. For the complete eligibility breakdown, including how the alternative route works and what documentation to submit, read Animal Chiropractic Requirements 2026.
Key Takeaway
Don't wait until your license arrives to start studying. Use the months before licensure to work through structured review material so you're exam-ready the moment your results can be released.
Certification Length and Renewal
Certification lasts three years from the date it's awarded. Renewal is due by December 31 of the third year, and it requires 30 approved or accepted continuing-education hours - at least 20 of which must be AVCA-approved, with the remaining 10 eligible from accepted professional-development hours. The currently linked renewal application lists a $70 renewal fee.
Keep in mind that certification is distinct from professional licensure and from a training-course completion certificate - passing the AVCA written and practical exams is a separate credential from simply finishing a postgraduate course.
One-Week Cram Schedule
If you're within seven days of test day and need a tight, domain-weighted review, this schedule leans into the Animal Chiropractic exam's actual content split rather than generic study advice.
Clinical Scenarios (Domain 1)
- Drill canine case vignettes: histories, exam findings, next-step reasoning
- Drill equine case vignettes: gait, saddle fit, performance complaints
- Practice reading a full case stem before jumping to the answer choices
Knowledge-Based Questions (Domain 2)
- Review anatomy of canine and equine spine and limb structures
- Revisit neurology fundamentals tied to neuromusculoskeletal complaints
- Review pathology of conditions common to animal chiropractic practice
Mixed Review
- Alternate between clinical vignettes and knowledge items to mimic actual test flow
- Time yourself against the two-hour written exam limit
- Flag weak topics for one final targeted pass
Logistics and Light Review
- Confirm venue details, ID, and prohibited-items rules (no notes, no calculators)
- Light review only - skim domain summaries, avoid new material
- Rest; don't cram past the point of diminishing returns
For a full-length version of this plan spread across weeks rather than days, our Animal Chiropractic Study Guide 2026 covers a longer runway. And once you're doing timed practice, running full-length questions on our practice test platform is the closest simulation to the real two-hour written exam format.
Still deciding whether the time and fees are worth it relative to your practice goals? Is the Animal Chiropractic Certification Worth It? weighs the investment against the credential's real-world recognition. And if terminology still feels fuzzy - what the credential actually stands for, how it differs from a training certificate, what "certified" really means here - start with What Is Animal Chiropractic Certification? or the broader Animal Chiropractic Meaning explainer before diving back into practice questions on the main exam prep site.
FAQ
A score of 75 is required on the written examination, and 75 is also required separately on the practical examination.
The 2026 fees are $265 for the written exam, $485 for the practical exam, or $750 for both combined. Retakes of a single component use that same component's fee.
No. The application deadline was June 26, 2026, and registration for the September 10-12 sitting at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College is now closed.
Domain 1 is clinical scenarios (approximately 50-60% of the exam, split roughly evenly between canine and equine cases), and Domain 2 is knowledge-based questions (approximately 40-50%) covering anatomy, neurology, pathology, and neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis.
Certification lasts three years. Renewal is due by December 31 of the third year and requires 30 approved or accepted hours, including at least 20 AVCA-approved hours, plus a $70 renewal fee.