Scores
How long are Praxis Core scores valid? When scores come out, and how long they last
ETS keeps Praxis scores valid for ten years. Your official score report usually arrives about 10 to 16 days after your test date, with Writing taking longer than Reading and Math because the essays must be scored by readers. The ten year clock is the ETS rule, not a promise that every state or program will accept a ten year old score. Check your state licensing office and your program before you rely on an old score, and check the ETS score reporting dates for your test code for the exact release date.
The short version
- Valid for ten years. ETS says Praxis scores are valid for ten years, and you can order additional score reports at any point during that period.
- Official reports in about 10 to 16 days. Selected-response only subtests land on the faster end. Writing, which includes essays, lands on the slower end.
- Unofficial scores right away, for Reading and Math. Those two subtests are selected-response only, so you typically see an unofficial score on screen when you finish. Writing has essays to score, so there is no complete unofficial score at the test center.
- Extra reports cost $50 per recipient. Additional score reports ordered later are nonrefundable, so choose your recipients carefully at registration.
- Your state may be stricter. Passing scores are set by states, not by ETS, and some states or programs require more recent scores than the ten year ETS window. Confirm before you assume an old score still counts.
Validity and additional report pricing come from the ETS Praxis site. Reporting times below are typical ranges, not a guaranteed date for your sitting. ETS publishes score reporting dates by test code, and that page is the final word for your test date.
When your scores come out
Praxis Core is offered continuously, so the clock usually runs from your test date rather than from the end of a testing window. In practice:
- Reading 5713 and Mathematics 5733: an unofficial selected-response score on screen right after you finish, then an official report typically in about 10 to 11 business days.
- Writing 5723: no complete score at the test center, because the two essays need human scoring. Expect an official report typically in about 15 to 16 business days.
- Combined Core test: Writing sets the pace. Your full official report arrives when the essay scoring is done, even if Reading and Math were ready sooner.
Your official report shows your scaled score for each subtest plus performance by content category. That category breakdown is the useful part. It tells you where points were lost, which is exactly what you need if a retake is on the table. The guide to what happens if you fail the Praxis Core shows how to turn it into a plan.
Delays happen. Score verification, a test irregularity, or a technical problem can push a report past the typical window. If your report is well past the published date for your test code, contact ETS directly rather than assuming the worst. An unofficial score almost never changes in the official report, but it is still unofficial until the final checks are done.
How long scores last, precisely
The ten year window runs from the score reporting date. During that window your report stays available through your Praxis account, and you can order additional reports for new recipients. After ten years, your score report is no longer available from ETS. If you think you may need the score years from now, for a second state or a program change, download and save the official report while it is available. Do not rely on a screenshot of an unofficial score. Programs and states want the official report.
One common misunderstanding: a passing score does not expire just because a test version changes. ETS keeps scores for previous test versions reportable for ten years. What can change is whether a state still accepts that version or that score for a new application. That is a state decision, and it is why the check with your state licensing office matters more than the ETS clock alone.
Sending scores, and what it costs later
Choose your score recipients when you register. ETS lets you change your free score recipients for free up to three days before your test date. After that, each additional score report costs $50 per recipient and is nonrefundable. If you test in a state on the ETS automatic reporting list, a copy goes to that state's credentialing agency automatically. If the state you will apply in is different from the state you tested in, select it as a recipient so the report actually gets there.
Practical tip: if there is any chance you will apply in a second state, add it at registration while it is free. Paying $50 later for a report you could have added for free is an avoidable cost, and a missing recipient is an avoidable delay.
Planning a deadline around the wait
Count backward from your program or application deadline, not forward from your test date. A safe shape is: test date, plus up to about three weeks for the official report, plus a buffer for a possible retake. Writing scores take the longest, so a Writing sitting closest to a deadline is the riskiest one to schedule late.
If a retake might be needed, the 28 day wait between attempts on the same subtest stacks on top of the reporting wait. That is two waits, not one, and it is how candidates miss deadlines they thought they had covered. Book the first attempt early enough that a retake and its reporting time still fit. The passing scores guide explains how each subtest score stands on its own, so a retake means one subtest, not all three.
Waiting on scores? Use the wait well
Open the app, take the free placement diagnostic for your next subtest, and practice with original practice questions while the report is on its way.
Frequently asked questions
How long are Praxis Core scores valid?
Ten years with ETS, counted from the score reporting date. You can order additional score reports during that period. After ten years, the report is no longer available from ETS.
When will I get my Praxis Core scores?
Typically about 10 to 16 days after your test date. Reading and Mathematics, which are selected-response only, are usually on the faster end. Writing takes longer because the essays must be scored. Check the ETS score reporting dates for your test code for the exact date.
Do I get my score right after the test?
For Reading and Mathematics, you typically see an unofficial score on screen when you finish. That score is unofficial until ETS completes its final checks, though it almost never changes. Writing has essays to score, so there is no complete score at the test center.
Can I send an old Praxis score to a new state or program?
Yes, during the ten year window, by ordering an additional score report at $50 per recipient. But confirm first that the new state or program accepts a score of that age. Some states and programs require more recent scores.
What happens to my scores after ten years?
ETS no longer makes the report available, and you cannot order additional reports from it. If you still need the credential, you would need to test again. Save the official report while it is available.
Does an at-home score last as long as a test center score?
Yes. The test is identical and the score report is the same either way. The at-home vs test center guide covers how the formats differ on test day, not in scoring or validity.