NCLEX-PN Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the NCLEX-PN, eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$200
Provider
NCSBN
Validity
One-time (license renewal varies)
Available
USA
Education
Check official exam requirements
Experience
6-12 months of relevant experience recommended
Specific Requirements
- Graduate from a practical or vocational nursing programme recognised by the nursing regulatory body where you seek licensure.
- Be declared eligible by that nursing regulatory body. NCSBN does not set eligibility requirements and does not maintain a list of them; each NRB publishes its own, and many add fingerprinting and a criminal background check.
- Complete two separate processes: apply for licensure or registration with the NRB, and register for the NCLEX with Pearson VUE. Both must be finished before an Authorization to Test is issued.
- Pay the $200 USD registration fee for U.S. licensure, or $360 CAD for Canadian registration, plus a $150 international scheduling fee if you test outside your domestic region.
- Receive and keep the Authorization to Test email. It carries an authorization number, a candidate identification number and an expiration date, and NCSBN states the average validity is 90 days with no extensions.
- There is no minimum age, no required work experience and no prerequisite certification set by NCSBN itself. Every eligibility condition comes from the state or provincial regulator.
Number of Questions
Minimum 85 items, maximum 150 items. Every exam contains 15 unscored pretest items. In a minimum-length exam, 52 items come from the eight content areas in their published percentages and 18 items form three clinical judgment case studies of six items each.
Duration
Five hours in total. NCSBN states the five-hour limit includes all breaks, and the appointment also covers the tutorial and a short closing survey.
Question Format
Stand-alone items drawn from the eight Client Needs subcategories, Clinical judgment case studies: six-item sets covering recognize cues, analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action and evaluate outcomes, Approximately 10 percent stand-alone clinical judgment items, selected depending on exam length, Items written in multiple formats, several of which award partial credit through plus/minus, zero/one or rationale scoring, Calculation items requiring a typed numeric answer, where the decimal point must be entered if the item asks for one or two decimal places, Chart and exhibit items presenting a tabbed client record that the candidate must open and read, Items that may embed multimedia such as charts, tables and graphics, NCSBN publishes the full enumerated list of item formats in the NCLEX Candidate Tutorial rather than in the test plan document
Passing Requirement
Reported as pass or fail with no numeric score. The passing standard is an ability estimate of -0.18 logits, which the NCSBN Board of Directors voted to uphold for the NCLEX-PN through March 31, 2026 and reevaluates every three years or when the test plan changes. NCSBN has not published a successor value. There is no percentage-correct threshold and no fixed proportion of candidates who pass.
How It Is Delivered
Computerized adaptive testing at Pearson Professional Centers. NCSBN does not offer an online proctored option for the NCLEX. Domestic centres for U.S. candidates include those in the United States, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Languages Offered
English, French: NCSBN's published translation programme, in which two operational pools a year are translated and reviewed by a Canadian Translation Panel, describes the NCLEX-RN for French-speaking Canadian candidates. NCSBN does not describe a French NCLEX-PN pool.
Visit the official NCSBN certification page
Create an account and select your exam
Choose a test center or online proctoring option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation email
- For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the NCLEX-PN?
Graduate from a practical or vocational nursing programme recognised by the nursing regulatory body where you seek licensure.. Be declared eligible by that nursing regulatory body. NCSBN does not set eligibility requirements and does not maintain a list of them; each NRB publishes its own, and many add fingerprinting and a criminal background check.. Complete two separate processes: apply for licensure or registration with the NRB, and register for the NCLEX with Pearson VUE. Both must be finished before an Authorization to Test is issued.. Pay the $200 USD registration fee for U.S. licensure, or $360 CAD for Canadian registration, plus a $150 international scheduling fee if you test outside your domestic region.. Receive and keep the Authorization to Test email. It carries an authorization number, a candidate identification number and an expiration date, and NCSBN states the average validity is 90 days with no extensions.. There is no minimum age, no required work experience and no prerequisite certification set by NCSBN itself. Every eligibility condition comes from the state or provincial regulator..
How much does the NCLEX-PN cost?
The NCLEX-PN exam costs $200. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the NCLEX-PN?
Visit the official NCSBN certification page → Create an account and select your exam → Choose a test center or online proctoring option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the NCLEX-PN?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation email. For online proctoring: webcam, microphone, clean desk, stable internet.
Ready to prepare for NCLEX-PN?
Get the complete exam guide with study plan, tips, and practice questions.
View NCLEX-PN Guide