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HRCI Practice Questions

PHR Certification Requirements Practice Questions

Professional in Human Resources (PHR) — Curious what the actual PHR requirements are before you commit time and money to applying? Here's a breakdown of the education and experience combinations HRCI accepts, how the application process works, what's on the exam content outline, and what recertification looks like once you've earned it - plus a handful of sample questions so you can see where you stand.

175
Total Questions
3 hours
Time Limit
Scaled score of 500 (100-700 scale)
Passing Score
~$395
Registration Fee

Free Sample Questions

Here are 5 free sample questions from our full bank of 590+ PHR Certification Requirementspractice questions. Try them out below — click "Show Answer" to reveal the correct response and explanation.

1

An organization wants to reduce voluntary turnover among high performers. Which of the following actions falls under the Total Rewards functional area rather than Employee & Labor Relations?

ARedesigning the base pay structure and bonus eligibility criteria
BInvestigating a harassment complaint filed by a team member
CDrafting a new progressive discipline policy
DMediating a dispute between two department managers
2

A company is expanding into a new state and needs to determine which employment laws apply to its remote workers there. This research and compliance activity is BEST categorized under which PHR functional area?

ATalent Planning and Acquisition
BLearning and Development
CTotal Rewards
DBusiness Management
3

Which recruitment metric would be MOST useful for evaluating the efficiency of a company's hiring process from requisition to offer acceptance?

AEmployee engagement score
BTurnover rate
CTime-to-fill
DCost of benefits per employee
4

A new hire completes an onboarding program that includes job shadowing, a mentorship assignment, and a 90-day check-in. This onboarding structure primarily supports which HR functional area?

ATotal Rewards
BLearning and Development
CBusiness Management
DEmployee & Labor Relations
5

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which of the following employees is generally classified as non-exempt and therefore eligible for overtime pay?

AA hospital administrator who supervises a department of 15 people
BA licensed attorney working in-house for a corporation
CAn outside sales representative who sets his own schedule
DA warehouse associate who processes inventory and reports to a shift lead

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About the PHR Certification Requirements

Format & Structure

Total Questions
175
Time Limit
3 hours
Format
Multiple choice

Scoring & Cost

Passing Score
Scaled score of 500 (100-700 scale)
Registration Fee
~$395

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PHR vs SPHR: Which Certification?

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the basic PHR requirements for eligibility?

PHR requirements come down to a combination of education and HR-related work experience, and HRCI gives you a few paths depending on what degree you've completed. With a master's degree (or higher), you need at least 1 year of professional HR experience. With a bachelor's degree, it's 2 years. And if you have less than a bachelor's - an associate degree or no degree at all - you'll need 4 years of HR experience. There's no single "one size fits all" path here, which honestly makes the credential accessible to people coming from a lot of different backgrounds.

Does an HR-related degree change the PHR requirements?

Not really - HRCI doesn't require your degree to be in human resources specifically. A bachelor's in psychology, business, or communications counts the same as one in HR management for PHR requirements. What matters more is documenting that your work experience was exempt-level HR experience, meaning it involved professional-level HR judgment rather than clerical or administrative support tasks.

Do internships or part-time HR jobs count toward the experience requirement?

It depends. HRCI generally wants to see professional-level, exempt HR experience, so a formal internship with substantive HR duties can sometimes count - but a lot of internships are more administrative and wouldn't qualify on their own. Part-time work can count too, though you may need more calendar time to accumulate the equivalent hours. Honestly, if you're unsure whether a role qualifies, it's worth reviewing HRCI's exempt-status experience definition closely before you apply, since a rejected application costs you both time and the application fee.

How do I actually apply for the PHR?

You apply directly through HRCI's website, where you'll create an account, select the PHR credential, and submit details about your education and HR work history. HRCI reviews the application (this can take a couple of weeks) and, once approved, you'll get an eligibility window - typically 120 days - to schedule and sit for the exam at a Pearson VUE test center or via online proctoring. Pay the application and exam fees at the same time to avoid delays.

What happens if my PHR application gets rejected?

If HRCI determines your experience or education doesn't meet PHR requirements, they'll typically let you know what's missing rather than just denying it outright. You can usually appeal with additional documentation, or wait until you've accumulated the needed experience and reapply. Some folks find out at this stage that their experience actually qualifies for a different credential instead, so it's not always a dead end.

What's the difference between PHR requirements and SPHR requirements?

The SPHR is aimed at more senior, strategic HR professionals, so its experience thresholds are higher across the board - think 4 years with a master's, 5 years with a bachelor's, and 7 years with less than a bachelor's. The PHR, by comparison, is built for HR generalists and practitioners earlier in their careers who are more focused on operational and tactical HR work. If you're comparing the two, our PHR vs SPHR breakdown goes into more detail on which one fits your experience level.

How many recertification credits do I need to keep my PHR active?

Once you've earned the PHR, you'll need 60 recertification credit hours every 3 years to keep it active - things like HR-related coursework, webinars, conference attendance, and professional reading can all count toward that total. Alternatively, you can retake the exam instead of collecting credits, though most people find the credit route less stressful. Either way, HRCI tracks your cycle, and letting it lapse means you'd have to test again from scratch.

How long is the PHR exam and how many questions does it have?

You'll have 3 hours to complete 150 scored questions, plus an additional 25 unscored pretest questions mixed in that HRCI uses to evaluate future exam content - so 175 questions total, though you won't know which ones count toward your score. Passing requires a scaled score of 500 out of a possible 100-700 range. It's a multiple-choice format, and time management matters more than people expect going in.

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