Format and scoringDANB
DANB RHS passing score and exam format
Facts read in DANB's Candidate Handbook and 5 other documents listed under Sources
You pass the DANB RHS exam with a scaled score of 400 on a 100–900 scale, and that number is not a percentage. The exam is 75 multiple-choice questions on digital radiography, timed at 60 minutes and scored by computer adaptive testing.
The RHS exam, rule by rule
| Item | Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Question format | 75 multiple-choice questions on digital radiography Film-based concepts have not been tested since July 7, 2022. | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [1] |
| Questions | 75 questions | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [1][2] |
| Exam time | 60 minutes | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [1][2] |
| Answer options | Three or four answer options per question | Clearing up 5 common misconceptions about DANB exams [3] |
| Languages | English or Spanish | DANB: Radiation Health and Safety exam page [2] |
| How it is scored | Computer adaptive testing: the score depends on the difficulty of the questions answered correctly Every candidate gets the same share of questions from each domain. DANB says the average candidate answers about half of the questions correctly. | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [1] |
| Score report | Scaled scores from 100 to 900 | 4 important details to know about DANB exams [4] |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 400 The score is scaled, not a percent correct. | 4 important details to know about DANB exams [4] |
| Results | In your DANB account within 1 to 3 business days; passing results and certificates are mailed in 2 to 4 weeks Hand scoring can be requested within 7 calendar days of the posted result. | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [5] |
| Retake limit | No limit on retakes Some states require more education after failed attempts. | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [5] |
| Wait before a retake | No waiting period is stated: reapply and pay the full fee Confirm when you reapply (read Nov 6, 2026). | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [5] |
| Retake fee | The full $270 again | Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 [5][6] |
| Content outline in force | Outline effective March 12, 2025 | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [1] |
| Next change | None announced Check DANB's exam page before you study (read Nov 6, 2026). | RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 [1] |
Each row read on Nov 6, 2026. Applying, the testing window and the fee schedule: RHS registration.
What a scaled 400 measures
A scaled score places your performance on a fixed range, 100–900, so results from different sittings and forms can be compared. On this exam it also reflects difficulty: the test is adaptive, and correct answers to harder questions are worth more than correct answers to easier ones. Two candidates with the same number of right answers can therefore end up with different scores.
Nobody can name a pass threshold in right answers out of the 75 questions. A percent-correct cut, wherever you see one quoted, does not fit this scoring.
When the result arrives
The result appears in your account within 1–3 business days. A passing candidate also gets the certificate by mail a few weeks later. If you doubt a result, a hand-scoring request is possible within a short deadline, listed in the table above.
Retaking the radiography exam
There is no limit on retakes and, as of our November 2026 check, no stated waiting period. Every retry means reapplying and paying the whole fee again (see the table).
Before you reapply, start with Purpose and Technique: at 50% of the exam it moves the score most, and the study guide lists the common errors there.
Older prep material describes a film-based exam or a pass mark in percent. The one in use is the outline effective March 12, 2025, and no replacement had been announced as of our November 2026 check.
Also on the RHS
- DANB RHSThe dental x-ray exam: what the certificate is, who can sit it and where DANB lists it
- DANB RHS practice testFree digital radiography questions, each answer choice explained
- DANB RHS registrationCost, the DANB application, the scheduling window and testing online from home
- DANB RHS study guideTechnique, radiation protection and infection control: what each asks and the usual errors
Sources
- [1]DANB: RHS Exam Outline, effective March 12, 2025 (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [2]DANB: Radiation Health and Safety exam page danb.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [3]DANB blog: Clearing up 5 common misconceptions about DANB exams (June 12, 2025) danb.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [4]DANB blog: 4 important details to know about DANB exams (Jan. 10, 2024) danb.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [5]DANB: Candidate Handbook, updated June 22, 2026 (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
- [6]DANB: 2026 RHS application packet (PDF) danbsfprodassets.azureedge.net, opened Nov 6, 2026
Before RHS exam day
Is there a set number of correct RHS answers that passes?
There is no fixed count. The exam is adaptive, so the scaled result depends on which questions you answer correctly as well as how many. The pass is 400 on the 100–900 scale.
Can I take the RHS exam in Spanish?
Yes. It is offered in Spanish as well as English.
How many answer choices does each RHS question have?
Three or four, depending on the question; both formats are in use.