Established in 1960 and headquartered in the Kansas City area since 1974, the NBRC is the credentialing board for U.S. respiratory care practitioners. With our mission of promoting excellence in respiratory care by awarding credentials based on high competency standards, The National Board for Respiratory Care shares your goal of protecting and enhancing patient lives. Nearly 30,000 candidates test for NBRC credentials each year, seeking to demonstrate how excellence defines them across seven specific areas of respiratory care. NBRC credentials provide recognition for hard work and dedication to quality. Success brings respect among colleagues and instills a sense of pride in those who earn the NBRC badges of distinction. Why? For the same reason all 49 states regulating the profession recognize NBRC examinations as standards for state licensure: success requires exceptional knowledge and competency. Our NCCA-accredited examinations—which are developed by respiratory care professionals and predictive of job performance—provide the opportunity to prove readiness for excellence in patient care.