Everything you need to know about the NCIDQ Exam!

IDFX

Interior Design Fundamentals Exam

Recent graduates can take IDFX without work experience. This is an excellent opportunity to test what you covered in school while it is still fresh.

NCIDQ IDFX Eligibility Requirements

You can apply to take the IDFX once you meet CIDQ’s educational requirements: 60 semester / 90 quarter credit hours of accredited post-secondary interior design certificate or degree program

Pass the Interior Design Fundamentals Exam to get started on your professional interior design career and add an achievement to your resume. Show that you're the type of job candidate employers seek. 

NCIDQ IDFX Exam Length and Format

125 multiple choice questions / 3 hours

You’ll have three hours to complete the 125-question multiple-choice exam IDFX. 100 questions count towards your grade. 25 are pretest questions for future exams and don’t count toward your score.

NCIDQ IDFX Passing Score

500 / 800 scaled score, not raw scores.

All 3 exams are graded on an 800-point scale, with 800 being a perfect score. 500 is the passing point. You will receive feedback on each section of the exam to assess your relative performance in a given knowledge area. 
Learn how to understand exam scoring →

NCIDQ IDFX Exam Content

NCIDQ IDFX Blueprint

The Interior Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX) tests your knowledge of:

1. Programming and Site Analysis 10%
2. Relationship between Human Behavior and the Designed Environment 10%
3. Design Communication Techniques 10%
4. Life Safety and Universal Design 20%
5. Interior Building Finishes and Materials 10%
6. Technical Specifications for Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment and Lighting 15%
7. Construction Drawings, Schedules, and Specifications 20%
8. Professional Development and Ethics 5%

How to apply for IDFX

1. Create a free application account online with CIDQ at MyNCIDQ
2. Send official, sealed copies of your educational transcript(s), as issued by the school. Mail these along with CIDQ’s Transcript Submission Form to ensure they match the correct transcript to the correct account.
3. Pay the $95 Application Fee and submit. You will be notified by email.

NCIDQ IDFX Exam Costs

Application fee
$95 when taken separately; $225 if applying for all 3

Exam fee
$295 per test session

How long do I have to pass IDFX?

When taken first separately – 4 exam administrations, approximately 2 years. If you have your required work experience, you can also register for and take all 3 exams at once.

Application deadlines
Spring: January 31
Fall: July 31

NCIDQ IDFX Scheduling Dates
Spring: January 3 – March 31
Fall: July 1 – September 30

NCIDQ IDFX Exam Testing Dates
Spring: April 1-30
Fall: October 1-31

Follow the Qpractice Study Plan to review the NCIDQ IDFX content areas thoroughly. This will help you pass the test and build proficiency in the key skills you'll use on the job.

IDPX

The Interior Design Professional Exam

You can take IDPX once you meet CIDQ’s work experience requirements for hours earned under a direct supervisor or sponsor.

NCIDQ IDPX Eligibility Requirements

Minimum 2 years of work experience
IDPX is for exam candidates with experience ranging from 3,520 (2 Years Full-Time) to 7,040 working hours (4 Years Full-Time), depending upon education.

NCIDQ IDPX Exam Length and Format

175 multiple choice questions / 4 hours

You’ll have four hours to complete the 175-question multiple-choice exam IDPX. 150 questions count towards your grade. Like IDFX, 25 are pretest questions for future exams and don’t count toward your score.

NCIDQ IDPX Passing Score

500 / 800 scaled score, not raw scores.

All 3 exams are graded on an 800-point scale, with 800 being a perfect score. 500 is the passing point. You will receive feedback on each section of the exam to assess your relative performance in a given knowledge area. 
Learn how to understand exam scoring →

NCIDQ IDPX Exam Content

NCIDQ IDPX Blueprint
The Interior Design Professional Exam (IDFX) tests your knowledge of the following:

1. Project Assessment and Sustainability 15%
2. Project Process, Roles, and Coordination 15%
3. Professional Business Practices 10%
4. Code Requirements, Laws, Standards, and Regulations 20%
5. Integration with Building Systems and Construction 15%
6. Integration of Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment 10%
7. Contract Administration 15%

How to apply for IDPX

1. Create a free application account online at MyNCIDQ or log in to the same account you created for IDFX.
2. Send official, sealed copies of your educational transcript(s) showing the date of your degree, as issued by the school. Mail these along with CIDQ’s Transcript Submission Form to ensure they match the correct transcript to the correct account.
3. Upload completed work verification forms — 1 per employer/supervisor or sponsor.
4. Pay the Application Fee and submit it. You will be notified by email.

NCIDQ IDPX Exam Costs

Application fee
$145 when taken separately; $225 if applying for all 3

Exam fee
$355 per test session

How long do I have to pass IDPX?

You must pass within 10 exam administrations. If you pass IDFX separately, you must pass IDPX and PRAC within 10 examinations or approximately 5 years.

NCIDQ IDFX Application deadlines
Spring: January 31
Fall: July 31

NCIDQ IDFX Scheduling Dates
Spring: January 3 – March 31
Fall: July 1 – September 30

NCIDQ IDFX Exam Testing Dates
Spring: April 1-30
Fall: October 1-31

Maximize your Interior Design Professional Exam review with the Qpractice Study Plan. While you may have the hours, you might not have the type of work experience that you need. Many designers don’t. Take our Work Experience Assessment online to benefit from the collective wisdom of our online study group.

Study with other designers across different disciplines. Get exposure to different scenarios and develop your game plan to fill in the gaps with online lessons. Get practice tests, live office hours and workshops, and unlimited 24/7 access to the Qpractice study group.

PRAC

NCIDQ Practicum Exam (PRAC)

The NCIDQ Practicum Exam or PRAC is a computer-based exam covering the same competencies as past hand-drawn exams. It now uses several new question types. As with IDPX, You can take PRAC once you meet CIDQ’s work experience requirements for hours earned under a direct supervisor or sponsor.

The Practicum is known as the most difficult of the three exams, especially in terms of timing.

NCIDQ PRAC Eligibility Requirements

Minimum 2 years of work experience.

PRAC is for exam candidates with experience ranging from 3,520 WORK HOURS (2 Years Full-Time) to 7,040 WORK HOURS (4 Years Full-Time), depending upon education.

NCIDQ PRAC Exam Length and Format

There are 3 scenarios called Case Studies, which include a series of resource tabs for reference. These are project descriptions, floor plans, reflected ceiling plans, door and hardware schedules, building codes, and lighting cut sheets or specifications.

Case studies represent the most common project types that interior designers deal with, including multifamily residential, small, and large commercial spaces.

Qpractice is the only NCIDQ test-prep platform to offer the same format of question types online — hotspot, drag and place, and fill-in-the-blank.

114 total questions —  hotspot, drag and place, and fill in the blank / 4 hours

You’ll have four hours to complete 114 questions:

• 31-32 questions per case study
• 18-21 standalone questions

9 questions do not count towards your grade, so a total of 105/114 are scored. You will not know which these are.
The PRAC Exam is not software specific, so it does not require CAD or Revit proficiency.

The Practicum Exam uses “real life” building codes:
International Building Code (IBC)(2018)
International Plumbing Code (IPC) (2018)
ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (2009)

Practicum Building Codes
Each exam season, CIDQ releases an exam-specific subset of these building codes that only apply to that season's exam.

NCIDQ PRAC Passing Score

500 / 800 scaled score, not raw scores.  
Learn how to understand exam scoring →

NCIDQ PRAC Exam Content

NCIDQ PRAC Blueprint

The Practicum Exam (PRAC) tests your application of knowledge regarding:

1. Programming, Planning, and Analysis 15%
2. Code Requirements, Laws, Standards, and Regulations 30%
3. Integration with Building Systems and Construction 25%
4. Contract Documents 30%

How to apply for PRAC

1. Create a free application account online with CIDQ at MyNCIDQ
2. Send official, sealed copies of your educational transcript(s) showing the date of your degree, as issued by the school. Mail these along with CIDQ’s Transcript Submission Form to ensure they match the correct transcript to the correct account.
3. Upload completed work verification forms — 1 per employer/supervisor or sponsor.
4. Pay the Application Fee and submit it. You will be notified by email.

NCIDQ PRAC Exam Costs

Application fee
$145 when taken separately; $225 (if applying for all 3 exams)

Exam fee
$460 per test session

How long do I have to pass PRAC?

You must pass within 10 exam administrations, approximately 5 years.

NCIDQ PRAC Application Deadlines
Spring: January 31
Fall: July 31

NCIDQ PRAC Scheduling Dates
Spring: January 3 – March 31
Fall: July 1 – September 30

NCIDQ PRAC Exam Testing Dates
Spring: April 1-30
Fall: October 1-31

Qpractice conducts live workshops where we work as a group to reason through exam scenarios. These sessions help prepare you to understand the “why” behind each question and the thought processes required to select the correct answer. Get access to the Answer Vault — an extensive library of exam scenarios in different formats. Learn the concepts behind these scenario-type problems. 

Watch a demonstration video showing the Practicum Exam format.