PLAB 1 pass mark
About 120 out of 180. Each test has its own pass mark, and the GMC's four 2019 tests set it between 119.4 and 121.2. Your result tells you the exact pass mark for your test.
Your PLAB 1 score
Enter your score out of 180
Your result
PLAB 1 pass rate by year
| Year | Sat | Passed | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13,691 | 8,513 | 62.2% |
| 2024 | 21,058 | 14,849 | 70.5% |
| 2023 | 21,916 | 15,781 | 72.0% |
| 2022 | 14,470 | 10,259 | 70.9% |
| 2021 | 10,431 | 7,728 | 74.1% |
| 2020 | 10,601 | 7,384 | 69.7% |
| 2019 | 11,118 | 7,014 | 63.1% |
PLAB 1 pass marks by test
The GMC sets each test’s pass mark from its Angoff standard plus one standard error of measurement. In 2019 that gave these pass marks, out of 180.
| Test | Pass mark | Share of questions |
|---|---|---|
| March 2019 | 121.2 | 67.3% |
| June 2019 | 120 | 66.7% |
| September 2019 | 121 | 67.2% |
| November 2019 | 119.4 | 66.3% |
| Test | Pass mark |
|---|---|
| September 2016 | 63.45% |
| November 2016 | 63.27% |
| March 2017 | 63.64% |
| June 2017 | 62.8% |
How your PLAB 1 score works
- 180 questions in three hours. Each is a short scenario with five possible answers.
- One mark for each correct answer. Your score is the number you got right, out of 180.
- A pass mark for your own test. Your result shows your score, the score needed to pass and the average score of everyone who sat it.
- Ten areas of feedback. You also see the share of questions you got right in each area of clinical practice, beside the average.
PLAB 1 exam and results dates
| Exam | Results |
|---|---|
| 6 August 2026 | 17 September 2026 |
| 5 November 2026 | 17 December 2026 |
| 11 February 2027 | 25 March 2027 |
Get an email on PLAB 1 results day
One email on 17 December 2026 and one on 25 March 2027, the next two GMC results days.
Join the PLAB 1 course waiting list
One email when the course opens, with the price and what is included.
Questions people ask
What is the pass mark for PLAB 1?
About 120 out of 180, but each test has its own. The GMC sets it from the test's Angoff standard plus one standard error of measurement, and your result shows the exact pass mark for your test. The four 2019 tests set it between 119.4 and 121.2.
What is the PLAB 1 pass rate?
62.2% in 2025: 8,513 of 13,691 candidates passed. It was 70.5% in 2024 and 72.0% in 2023.
When are PLAB 1 results released?
Six weeks after the exam, by 4pm UK time. Results for the 5 November 2026 exam come out on 17 December 2026, and for the 11 February 2027 exam on 25 March 2027.
How is PLAB 1 scored?
Each correct answer is worth one mark, and your score is the number you get right out of 180. There is no negative marking for wrong answers.
What does my PLAB 1 result show?
Your total score, the score needed to pass your test and the average score of all candidates, plus the share of questions you answered correctly in ten areas of clinical practice.
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How we work this out
What it does
Enter your score out of 180 to see where it sits against the PLAB 1 pass mark.
PLAB 1, the GMC's 180-question written test for doctors who qualified outside the UK.
Method
- Your score is the number of questions you answered correctly, out of 180, as the GMC counts it.
- With the pass mark from your own result, the checker compares your score with it directly.
- Without it, the checker uses the pass marks of the GMC's four 2019 tests: each test's Angoff standard plus one standard error of measurement, from the GMC's 2019 PLAB annual report.
- Pass rates are the GMC's yearly figures: candidates who sat PLAB 1 and the share who passed.
Sources
Checked .