NCMG Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

Why There Is No Single "Exam Date" for NCMG

If you searched for "NCMG exam dates 2026" hoping for a tidy list of Saturday sittings, the first thing to understand is that National Certified Master Groomer does not work like a one-day, seat-based licensing test. It is a multi-stage program run by the National Dog Groomers Association of America, Inc. (NDGAA). Written examinations, a practical grooming evaluation, a required workshop and the Master examination requirements each have their own logistics, and they do not all happen on the same day or in the same place.

That structure changes how you should think about "dates." Instead of circling one deadline, you are building a sequence. Some pieces, such as the written tests, are delivered online through a partner platform. Others, such as the practical evaluation and workshop, depend on how and when the issuer offers them. This article explains how each stage fits together so you can plan a realistic 2026 timeline, and it is candid about what you must confirm directly with the issuer rather than guess.

For the full picture of what the credential involves before you start scheduling, see our overview of what NCMG certification is and the NCMG requirements, eligibility and prerequisites guide.

The Program Stages That Shape Your Timeline

The NDGAA describes the NCMG program as a combination of four moving parts. Understanding them is the key to understanding why your personal calendar matters more than any published date.

Notice what this table does not contain: a single weighted blueprint with a published percentage per topic. The program's materials describe stages and preparation groupings. That is why it is a mistake to approach NCMG like a one-sitting exam and why our complete guide to all five content areas frames the domains as groupings of preparation rather than weighted slices.

Written Testing Through AKC Canine College

Current written testing for the program is delivered through AKC Canine College. For scheduling purposes, this is the most flexible part of the process, because it is not tied to a single in-person sitting. Candidates generally have more control over when they tackle each written component than they do over the practical side.

What the written tests actually cover

The written content centers on knowledge a master groomer is expected to carry in their head. The issuer points candidates to its breed profiles, AKC materials and grooming references, and the preparation areas include:

• Breed recognition - identifying breeds and distinguishing look-alikes
• AKC breed standards - what the standard says about coat, outline and presentation
• Breed history - the origin and purpose behind a breed's coat and trim
• Grooming styles and patterns - the trims and patterns associated with each breed
• Techniques - methods appropriate to the four breed groups

Because the written work is split across the breed groups, you can treat each group as its own milestone. That makes the written phase easy to calendar: pick a group, prepare, test, then move on.

If you want to know how demanding these written pieces are before you pick a start date, our guide on how hard the NCMG exam is breaks down where candidates tend to struggle.

Practical Evaluation and the Required Workshop

The practical grooming evaluation remains separate from the AKC Canine College written testing. This matters for your calendar in two ways. First, you cannot finish the whole program from your couch. Second, the practical piece usually has the longest lead time because it depends on the issuer's offerings rather than on your own pacing.

The workshop is described as required for program completion. Think of it as a hard milestone: even if your written scores are strong, completion is not final until the workshop requirement is met. When you build your timeline, reserve the workshop early on your calendar and let your written and practical preparation flow around it rather than the other way around.

Questions to ask the issuer about the practical and workshop

• When are practical evaluations offered, and how far in advance should I register?
• Does the practical evaluation require traveling to a specific location?
• How is the required workshop scheduled, and does it have a registration cutoff?
• Is there an order in which written, practical and workshop stages must be completed?

Because these answers can change, we deliberately do not print specific dates or fees here. For cost planning, our NCMG certification cost breakdown explains the categories of expense to budget for so you are not surprised when fees are confirmed.

Reaching the Master Exam: The 85% Threshold

The single most important number in the NCMG timeline is the 85% average. The current program requires an 85% average across written and practical work to qualify for the Master exam. Two clarifications keep candidates from misreading this:

1. It is an average, not an individual-test minimum. The 85% figure is the qualifying average across your written and practical work. It is distinct from whatever minimum applies to any single test.
2. It does not alone award certification. Hitting 85% opens the door to the Master exam. It is a gate, not the finish line.

This has direct scheduling consequences. Because the qualifying figure is an average, a weak early result can drag you down and force you to carry more weight on later tests. Candidates who rush a first group to "get it over with" sometimes pay for it later. Our deeper explanation of how the thresholds interact is in the NCMG passing score guide, and the NCMG pass rate analysis discusses what is and is not publicly known about outcomes.

Building Your Own Testing Calendar

Since the program does not hand you one national exam date, you become the scheduler. A workable approach is to anchor your calendar on the fixed or limited-availability pieces first, then fill in the flexible written work.

Step 1: Anchor the fixed pieces

Confirm with the issuer when the workshop and the practical evaluation are available. These are your constraints. Mark them on your calendar before anything else, along with any registration deadlines that apply.

Step 2: Work backward for the written tests

Once you know when you want to be ready for the practical evaluation and Master step, count backward to decide when each written test should be done. Leave a buffer between the final written test and the practical evaluation so a rescheduling hiccup does not cascade through the whole plan.

Step 3: Leave room for the Master Written Examination

The Master Written Examination is the capstone of the written side, so schedule it last among the written pieces and give yourself a genuine review window beforehand. It draws on everything you learned across the breed groups, which is why it should not be your first written test.

Step 4: Budget your fees alongside your dates

Every stage can carry its own cost, and those costs land at different times. Mapping fees onto your calendar prevents a cash crunch right when a registration window opens. If you are weighing whether the whole investment is justified, read our ROI analysis and the NCMG salary guide before locking in a schedule.

Which Domain to Schedule First and Why

Here is where NCMG-specific planning pays off. The five content areas are the four breed groups plus the Master Written Examination, and they are not equally friendly as a starting point.

A sample sequencing logic

A sensible default is to place the two terrier groups back to back, since the comparison between long-legged and short-legged styling is where candidates most often mix up details. Start with the group where you have the most hands-on experience to bank an early strong score, then move toward the group you know least while your momentum is high. That ordering also protects your 85% average, because a confident early score gives you cushion.

For the detailed preparation content behind each phase, our NCMG study guide goes group by group, and the one-page cheat sheet helps with last-week review before a written test.

What to Verify Before You Register

Because dates, fees and offerings can change, treat the following as a checklist to confirm directly with the NDGAA and its written-testing platform rather than relying on a blog post, including this one:

• Current written-test access: Confirm how to access AKC Canine College for NCMG written testing and whether there are any enrollment steps.
• Practical evaluation availability: Ask when and where evaluations are offered, and what the registration process looks like.
• Workshop schedule: Confirm the next available workshop and any deadlines.
• Prerequisites: Make sure you meet eligibility before paying for anything; see the requirements guide.
• Fee schedule: Get current fees in writing so your budget matches reality.
• Retake and rescheduling policies: Know what happens if you need to move or repeat a stage.

Candidates who are still deciding whether this credential fits their career should also look at NCMG jobs and NCMG training to understand how the certification is used in the grooming profession and how others prepare for it.

Frequently Asked Questions