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USA · Exams · Licensing exams

NCLEX-RN

The NCLEX-RN is the national exam U.S. boards of nursing use to license registered nurses. It is computer adaptive: 85 to 150 items in up to five hours, scored pass/fail. The fee is $200, rising to $350 on February 1, 2027.

Items85–150Computer adaptive
Time limit5 hours
Fee$200$350 from Feb 1, 2027
Retake wait45 days
Test datesFees and fee helpOfficial practiceNursing license steps

Made by National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Who: Graduates of RN programs (bachelor's, associate degree or hospital diploma). Checked on the owner's own pages, 21 Oct 2026.

Who takes it

  • Each nursing regulatory body sets its own eligibility rules. Apply to the board where you want a license, then register and pay with Pearson.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Frequently Asked Questions (eligibility, ATT, adaptive testing)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • Once the board makes you eligible you get an Authorization to Test (ATT); test within its dates (about 90 days on average, never extended).
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Frequently Asked Questions (eligibility, ATT, adaptive testing)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • A registration stays open 365 days waiting for the board; if you are not made eligible in that time, the fee is lost.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Registration with Pearson (365-day registration limit)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Format and sections

The Next Generation NCLEX (since April 1, 2023) measures clinical judgment with newer item types. The 2026 RN Test Plan runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2029.

NCSBN
2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
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  • Every candidate answers at least 85 items and at most 150 in the five-hour limit; the minimum-length exam includes three clinical judgment case studies of six items each.
    NCSBN
    2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • Content follows four Client Needs categories (Safe and Effective Care Environment, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Psychosocial Integrity, Physiological Integrity), for example Management of Care 15–21% and Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies 11–17%.
    NCSBN
    2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan (effective 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • You cannot skip items or go back: each answer is used to pick the next item.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Frequently Asked Questions (eligibility, ATT, adaptive testing)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
    View source

Scoring

  • Pass or fail. The computer stops when it is 95% sure you are above or below the passing standard; if you stay close to it, you get the maximum number of items. Running out of time before the minimum number of items is a fail.
    NCSBN
    Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT): how the NCLEX is scoredNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
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    21 Oct 2026
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  • The RN passing standard is 0.00 logits, kept through March 31, 2029.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Passing Standard (through 31 March 2029)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
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    21 Oct 2026
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  • Official results come only from your board, within six weeks. Where the board takes part, unofficial Quick Results are available (for a fee) two business days after the exam.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Exam Results and Retake DetailsNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Fees and fee waivers

For candidates seeking a U.S. license:

NCSBN fees
NCLEX fees and paymentNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
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ItemFee
Registration, until January 31, 2027$200
Registration, from February 1, 2027$350
Change of nursing regulatory body after registering$50
Change of exam type (RN/PN) after registering$50
  • Fees are not refunded for any reason, including a missed appointment or a change made inside 24 business hours.
    NCSBN fees
    NCLEX fees and paymentNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • The NCLEX is on the VA's list of approved licensure exams, so eligible veterans and dependents can be reimbursed.
    NCSBN fees
    NCLEX fees and paymentNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Test dates

  • No national dates: test all year at any Pearson Professional Testing center, whichever state you are applying to.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Frequently Asked Questions (eligibility, ATT, adaptive testing)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
    View source
  • If you do not pass, you can retake after 45 days, up to eight times a year where the board allows; some boards set stricter limits.
    NCSBN
    NCLEX Exam Results and Retake DetailsNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
    View source

Official practice

  • Free from NCSBN: a sample pack (three RN and two PN case studies), an exam preview, the 2026 Candidate Bulletin and the Pearson candidate tutorial.
    NCSBN
    Prepare for the NCLEX: sample questions, exam preview, candidate tutorialNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Used by these careers and colleges

Careers on this site whose step-by-step roadmap includes this exam, and the license it leads to.

The license at the end of this route

Careers that need it

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Sources

Where these facts come from

Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.