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The NAVLE, or North American Veterinary Licensing Examination, is the multiple-choice licensing exam aspiring veterinarians must pass to practice veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada. Administered by the International Council for Veterinary Assessment, the NAVLE has been a licensing requirement since 2000 and is often one of the final major steps before becoming a licensed veterinarian.
The exam is taken on a computer and includes 360 multiple-choice questions across six sections, with 60 minutes allotted for each section. Of those 360 questions, 60 are pre-test questions that do not count toward your final score, but they are mixed throughout the exam, so test-takers will not know which questions are scored. The NAVLE tests knowledge across three major areas: species-based diagnoses, clinical competencies, and foundational veterinary sciences.
NAVLE scores range from 200 to 800, and the typical passing score is 425. The exam is not graded on a curve, and candidates usually apply through both ICVA and their state, province, or territorial licensing board before scheduling their test. Because the application process can take time, students should plan ahead, submit materials early, and begin studying about three to five months before their exam date.
The NAVLE exam is based on three pillars:
Furthermore, the subject matter on the exam will be distributed based on species and practical skills. We will be providing a breakdown of each below.
In addition to the three primary components of the exam, the NAVLE exam will test your species-based knowledge in relation to each component. Each species will be distributed on the exam accordingly:
These percentages are based on the relevance of each species to everyday veterinary practice, so as you take your exam, you’ll be reinforcing knowledge that will be most essential to your work as a veterinarian.
In addition to species-based testing distribution, the NAVLE exam will also test your knowledge of practical skills required to be a vet. This aspect of the exam is designed to assess your competency as a practicing veterinarian and include the following topics:
Similar to the species-based questions, the distributions for competency are based on their relevance in veterinary practice. So, in taking the NAVLE, you’re essentially getting an overview of the knowledge you’ll need to be a stellar licensed veterinarian.
On the NAVLE exam, you can score on a scale between 200-800, 200 being the lowest score you can receive and 800 being the highest.
Similar to other standardized medical licensing tests such as the USMLE, the NAVLE test utilizes a pass-fail scoring system, where the passing score is typically set at 425 points. The NAVLE score is fixed, which means that it is not graded on a curve.
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