Free clinical reference tool
Fitzpatrick Skin Type Quiz
Your Fitzpatrick skin type (I to VI) comes from how your skin burns and tans in the sun. This quiz uses the standard 10-question Fitzpatrick questionnaire. Each answer scores 0 to 4, and the total (0 to 40) sets the type: 0 to 7 is type I, 8 to 16 is II, 17 to 25 is III, 26 to 30 is IV, and over 30 is V or VI.
Prepared by Prospyr · Reviewed October 3, 2026 · Free, no sign-up, runs in your browser
What is your natural eye color?
Fitzpatrick skin type chart: types I to VI
Each type is named by its swatch letter and its text, so the chart reads the same without color. Swatches are illustrative, not a match for any one person's skin.
Type I
Score 0–7Very fair; often red or light blonde hair, freckles
Sun: Always burns; never tans.
Type II
Score 8–16Fair; often light hair and light eyes
Sun: Usually burns; tans minimally.
Type III
Score 17–25Light to medium; any hair or eye color
Sun: Sometimes burns mildly; tans uniformly.
Type IV
Score 26–30Olive to moderate brown
Sun: Rarely burns; tans well, always.
Type V
Score Over 30Brown
Sun: Very rarely burns; tans very easily.
Type VI
Score Over 30Deeply pigmented, dark brown to black
Sun: Never burns; tans very easily; skin is already deeply pigmented.
| Type | Typical appearance | Sun burn | Tanning | Quiz score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | Very fair; often red or light blonde hair, freckles | Always burns | Never tans | 0–7 |
| Type II | Fair; often light hair and light eyes | Usually burns | Tans minimally | 8–16 |
| Type III | Light to medium; any hair or eye color | Sometimes burns mildly | Tans uniformly | 17–25 |
| Type IV | Olive to moderate brown | Rarely burns | Tans well, always | 26–30 |
| Type V | Brown | Very rarely burns | Tans very easily | Over 30 |
| Type VI | Deeply pigmented, dark brown to black | Never burns | Tans very easily; skin is already deeply pigmented | Over 30 |
Type definitions: Fitzpatrick TB, Arch Dermatol 1988. Score ranges: the published 10-item questionnaire (see sources).
Printable Fitzpatrick questionnaire for patient intake
A one-page paper version with checkboxes, a score box for each question, a total box and the scoring key. Hand it to patients at check-in. Practices that collect intake online can capture the same answers in digital intake and keep them in the chart.
Looking for the photoaging side? Try the Glogau photoaging scale.
How the Fitzpatrick skin type questionnaire is scored
The questionnaire has ten items in three groups: four on genetic disposition (eye color, natural hair color, unexposed skin color, freckles), four on reaction to sun exposure (burning, tanning, browning within hours, face sensitivity) and two on tanning habits. Each answer is worth 0 to 4 points. Add them up for a total from 0 to 40.
| Total score | Fitzpatrick type |
|---|---|
| 0 to 7 | I |
| 8 to 16 | II |
| 17 to 25 | III |
| 26 to 30 | IV |
| Over 30 | V or VI |
Worked example. Blue eyes (2), chestnut or dark blonde hair (2), pale skin with a beige tint (2), a few freckles on sun-exposed areas (2): 8 points. Sometimes burns (2), reasonable tan (2), sometimes browns within hours (2), normal face reaction (2): 8 points. Last sun 1 to 2 months ago (2), sometimes exposes the area (2): 4 points. The total is 20, which is type III.
Fitzpatrick skin types 1 to 6, with skin type 3 and type 4 explained
The chart above lists all six types. Type I always burns and never tans. Type II usually burns and tans minimally. Fitzpatrick skin type 3 sometimes burns mildly and tans uniformly. Fitzpatrick skin type 4 rarely burns and always tans well. Type V very rarely burns and tans very easily. Type VI never burns.
These are descriptions of sun reaction. The swatches in the chart are illustrative, and the letters carry the meaning, not the color.
What the Fitzpatrick scale does and does not tell you
The scale was built to describe sun-reactive skin types. It is not a measure of race or ethnicity, and it does not by itself determine treatment settings. A provider looks at the individual patient, the area, the device and the protocol.
Self-report has limits. In a study of 270 participants, 42% gave burning and tanning answers that could not be classified using the standard definitions. The authors suggested wording that fits skin of color better, such as skin irritation, tenderness, itching or skin becoming darker. If a patient's answers do not fit one type, note that and let the provider assess.
For the photoaging side of a skin assessment, see the Glogau photoaging scale.
Using the Fitzpatrick questionnaire at patient intake
Many practices record skin type at the first visit. Use the printable form on this page for paper intake, or collect the same ten questions in digital intake so the answer lands in the patient's chart ahead of the appointment. See also how aesthetic EMR charting keeps skin type with each treatment record.
Frequently asked questions
What is my Fitzpatrick skin type?
Your Fitzpatrick skin type is the one, from I to VI, that matches how your skin burns and tans in the sun. The 10-question quiz above scores that from 0 to 40: 0 to 7 is type I, 8 to 16 is type II, 17 to 25 is type III, 26 to 30 is type IV, and over 30 is type V or VI.
What is the Fitzpatrick scale?
The Fitzpatrick scale is a six-type classification of how skin reacts to sun exposure. Dr. Thomas Fitzpatrick published the sun-reactive skin types I through VI in Archives of Dermatology in 1988. It rates burning and tanning, not skin color or ancestry.
What is Fitzpatrick skin type 3?
Type III skin sometimes burns mildly and tans uniformly. It scores 17 to 25 on the 10-question questionnaire. It is a sun-reaction category, so people of many backgrounds can fall into it.
What is Fitzpatrick skin type 4?
Type IV skin rarely burns and always tans well. It scores 26 to 30 on the questionnaire. As with every type, it describes sun reaction only.
How accurate is a Fitzpatrick skin type test?
A self-reported test is a screening estimate. In a Northwestern study of 270 people, 42% gave burning and tanning answers that could not be classified with the standard definitions, and dermatologist-determined type was more accurate than self-report for types III through VI. Treat the result as a starting point for a provider's own assessment.
Does the Fitzpatrick scale measure race or ethnicity?
No. It measures how skin reacts to sun, and skin color alone cannot predict that reactivity. Two people from the same background can land on different types, and the scale does not replace a provider's assessment of the individual patient.
Can I print the Fitzpatrick questionnaire for patients?
Yes. The Print button on this page produces a one-page form with checkboxes, a score box per question, a total box and the scoring key. Practices that use online intake can collect the same answers digitally instead of on paper.
Sources and scope
- Fitzpatrick TB. The validity and practicality of sun-reactive skin types I through VI. Arch Dermatol 1988;124:869-871
Origin of skin types I through VI as sun-reactive categories.
- Dataset of optical spectra and clinical features on healthy skin (Data Brief 2024)
Reproduces the questionnaire scoring: 0-4 per answer; 0-7 type I, 8-16 II, 17-25 III, 26-30 IV, over 30 V or VI.
- Validity of the Fitzpatrick Skin Phototype Classification in Ecuador. Adv Skin Wound Care 2020
Describes the questionnaire structure: genetic disposition, sun exposure and tanning habits subscales, 10 items.
- Sun Exposure and Protection Index (SEPI) and Self-Estimated Sun Sensitivity. J Prim Prev
One-line sun-reaction definitions for types I through VI.
- Eilers S, et al. Accuracy of self-report in assessing Fitzpatrick skin phototypes I through VI. JAMA Dermatol 2013
Source of the 270-participant self-report accuracy figures.
Reference and screening aid only. The questionnaire item wording is the widely reproduced version; the published sources above document its structure, scoring and bands. The Fitzpatrick scale describes sun reactivity, not race or ethnicity, and does not set treatment parameters. Treatment decisions belong to the treating provider.