How Many Questions Do You Need to Pass a Red Seal Exam?
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Short answer
Every Red Seal interprovincial exam has a 70% pass mark. On a 100-question exam such as Construction Electrician or Carpenter that is 70 correct answers; on a 125-question exam such as Plumber, Welder or Automotive Service Technician, 70% is 87.5, so plan on at least 88. The Ontario security guard test is different: 60 questions with a 62% cut score.
Correct answers needed, by exam
Question counts come from each trade's exam information page on red-seal.ca, and the 70% pass mark and 4-hour maximum come from Red Seal's overview of its examinations. Your provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority reports your result.
| Exam | Questions | Pass mark | Correct answers to aim for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Seal Construction Electrician (309A) | 100 | 70% | 70 |
| Red Seal Carpenter (403A) | 100 | 70% | 70 |
| Red Seal Plumber (306A) | 125 | 70% | 88 (70% is 87.5) |
| Red Seal Welder (456A) | 125 | 70% | 88 (70% is 87.5) |
| Red Seal Automotive Service Technician (310S) | 125 | 70% | 88 (70% is 87.5) |
| Ontario Security Guard Licence Test | 60 | 62% | 38 (62% is 37.2) |
How to use the number when you study
Aim well above the line. If you average 70% on practice tests, a hard set of questions on exam day can drop you below the pass mark. We suggest scoring 80% or better on timed practice before you book.
Study by weight. Each Red Seal exam breakdown shows how many questions come from each major work activity, so a section worth 30 questions deserves more time than one worth 10. Our exam guides list the official weightings for every trade.
Pace yourself. Four hours for 100 questions is 2.4 minutes per question; for 125 questions it is about 1.9 minutes. Skip long calculations on the first pass and come back to them.
Questions people ask
Is the Red Seal pass mark the same for every trade?
Yes. Red Seal states a 70% pass mark for its interprovincial exams. The number of questions differs by trade, so the number of correct answers you need differs too.
Are Red Seal exam scores rounded?
Red Seal publishes the pass mark as a percentage, not a raw score. When 70% falls between two whole numbers, as it does on a 125-question exam, aim for the higher one.
What happens if I fail?
Your provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority sets rewrite rules, waiting periods and fees, so check with the authority that approved you to write.
Free practice tests
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