I failed the CRPO exam: what happens next?

If your CRPO results notice says you did not pass, you are not out of options. CRPO allows three attempts at the Registration Examination, and after a first unsuccessful attempt an RP (Qualifying) can keep practising with clinical supervision while preparing to write again at the next available sitting. A second fail adds a supervised learning plan before the third and final attempt.

What your results tell you

Results are typically released six to eight weeks after the exam. Two things arrive by email: a one-page PDF score report from COMPASS and a results notice from CRPO with your next steps. You are told pass or fail; there is no grade.

The score sheet gives your result in Information Gathering (IG) and in Decision Making (DM), the pass mark for each, and the highest scores candidates reached at the same sitting. It does not give item-by-item results, so you will not learn which simulation or which option cost you points. What it does tell you is which stream fell short, and by how much. Strength in one stream does not make up for the other, as how the exam is scored explains.

CRPO reports an average pass rate of 85% over the past eight years. CRPO does not publish pass rates for second or third attempts.

Attempts and deadlines

There is no fixed waiting period. The Resource Manual says you may retest at the next administration unless CRPO advises otherwise; the date depends on the annual testing schedule, which CRPO posts on its exam page.

Rebooking and fees

Signing up starts the same way each time: CRPO staff email eligible registrants when the booking window opens, and you book and buy your seat through the link in that notice before the window closes. A separate fee is charged for every attempt. At the time of writing the exam fee is $545 plus HST, paid to COMPASS; check CRPO's exam page for the current amount.

If you fail a second time

CRPO's Third Exam Attempt Policy sets out the upgrading steps.

1. You complete the CRPO Supervision Tool with your clinical supervisor. If you have no supervisor, CRPO may try to connect you with one.
2. You draft a learning plan. You have six months from CRPO's notice letter to finish the Supervision Tool and the plan.
3. A panel of the Examination Committee reviews the plan. It may approve it, approve it with optional or required extra activities, or reject it. If it is rejected, you redo the Competency Self-Assessment and meet a peer coach assigned by CRPO, at your own expense, and submit a revised plan within two months of the coach being assigned.
4. You complete the plan to the Registrar's satisfaction and send CRPO evidence within six months of its approval. Then you may book the third attempt.

All costs are yours. Learning plan deadlines cannot run past your deadline for the third attempt or for moving to the RP category.

If you fail a third time

Your certificate of registration expires. You are then no longer registered with CRPO: you cannot use the protected title or perform the controlled act of psychotherapy, and no fees are refunded. You can re-apply, but only after completing a new psychotherapy education program.

Appeals: only for an unfair process

If something outside your control affected your exam, you can appeal to the Examination Committee. The appeal must reach CRPO staff in writing, with evidence, within 30 days of results being issued. The grounds are compassionate (unforeseen circumstances severe enough to affect your performance), medical (a sudden, unforeseeable illness) and process irregularities beyond your control. The exam's content or format, preparation resources and technology requirements you did not meet are not grounds.

A granted appeal nullifies the result, so the attempt does not count against you. It never turns a fail into a pass. The Committee also weighs whether you reported the incident at the time.

Preparing to write again

Give yourself a few days first. Then:

• Start from the score sheet. Note which stream fell short and by how much. A DM shortfall often means selecting too few options in "select as many" sections; an IG shortfall often means taking the one obvious enquiry and moving on.
• Review harder than you practise. The eight-week study plan has a review method and an error log that sorts each mistake into knowledge, reading, timing, discomfort or pacing. Read every option's rationale, not only your own picks.
• Sit at least one full timed mock: ten simulations in three hours, in one sitting. The 8-week study plan guide sets the weeks out.
• Check where you stand now. The CRPO Exam Lab's free diagnostic takes about ten minutes and shows which areas need work first; practice cases give you full simulations to rebuild your IG and DM totals.

Common questions

Can I keep working as an RP (Qualifying) after failing?

Yes. After a first unsuccessful attempt CRPO says you can continue to practise with clinical supervision while preparing to retake the exam at the next available sitting.

How long do I have to wait before rewriting?

There is no set waiting period. You may retest at the next administration of the exam unless CRPO advises otherwise, so the wait depends on the exam calendar.

Do I pay the full fee again?

Yes. CRPO's exam page says the full amount is required for each subsequent attempt.

Can an appeal change my result to a pass?

No. A successful appeal nullifies the result so the attempt does not count, and you write again. The Examination Committee cannot declare a pass.

Sources

• CRPO: Registration Examination (opens in a new tab)
• CRPO: Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) (opens in a new tab)
• CRPO: Third Exam Attempt Policy (opens in a new tab)
• CRPO: Examination Appeal Policy (opens in a new tab)
• CRPO: Entry-to-Practice Registration Examination Resource Manual (June 2026) (opens in a new tab)