What Is the NAVLE? Everything Veterinary Students Need to Know in 2026
If you are a veterinary student, a recent graduate, or an international DVM working toward US or Canadian licensure, one exam stands between you and the right to practice: the NAVLE.
Here is everything you need to know about what it is, how it works, and what it takes to pass.
What is the NAVLE?
The North American Veterinary Licensing Examination is the standardized licensing exam required to practice veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada. It is owned and administered by the International Council for Veterinary Assessment (ICVA) and delivered through Prometric testing centers across North America and internationally.
The NAVLE is a requirement for licensure to practice veterinary medicine in the United States and Canada and is administered in both English and French. Icva
Every DVM, whether a US graduate, a Canadian graduate, or an international veterinarian seeking licensure, must pass the NAVLE before they can legally practice.
Who administers it?
The ICVA creates and administers the exam. Prometric is the authorized test delivery provider, with approximately 300 test centers across North America. The NAVLE is also offered at selected testing centers outside the United States and Canada, including locations throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Icva
Who is eligible to take it?
To sit for the NAVLE you must be in your final year of an accredited veterinary program, a graduate of an accredited program, or enrolled in the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) certification program. A final year student must be within ten months of their expected graduation date by the end of the testing window. Kansas
What is the format?
The NAVLE is a computer-based exam consisting of multiple choice questions covering all major species and clinical disciplines. Questions are case-based and test clinical reasoning, not just memorization. Beginning with the October 2026 testing window, the exam will be administered under a new 12-block format. Vet Candy
What is the passing score?
The NAVLE uses a scaled scoring system with scores expressed on a scale ranging from 200 to 800. The minimum passing score is 425. The NAVLE uses criterion-referenced passing scores and is not graded on a curve. Vet Candy
How many times can you take it?
Beginning with the March 2026 NAVLE testing window, all candidates will be granted five new opportunities to take the NAVLE, regardless of their prior testing history. Any test attempts made before December 1, 2025 will not count toward this new five-attempt limit. Moving forward, no waivers will be granted. Icva
What is the pass rate?
The composite NAVLE pass rate was 88% in 2024, up from 86% in 2023 but still below the 2020 pass rate of 95%. The AVMA Council on Education expects 80% or more of each school's graduating seniors to pass at the time of graduation. The gap between that benchmark and actual performance is exactly why structured preparation matters. VIN
How NAVLE Warriors can help
Vet Candy's NAVLE Warriors is a free 12-week board prep program built specifically to close that gap. Partner institutions using NAVLE Warriors saw first-time pass rates improve from 51% to 74% in a single year — proof that structured, community-driven preparation works.
Start NAVLE Warriors for free →
More from Vet Candy:
NAVLE 2026 Dates, Deadlines, and Application Requirements
How to Pass the NAVLE: A 3-Month Study Plan
Vet Candy Magazine