Pass the NCLEX®, Guaranteed!
Complete Overview & Prep

The NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) is the standardized nursing licensure exam developed and maintained by the NCSBN. Registered nurse (RN) candidates take the NCLEX-RN, which is used for licensure in the United States, in Canada outside Quebec, and in Australia for internationally qualified nurses seeking registration. Licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) candidates take the NCLEX-PN, which is used for U.S. licensure only.

The NCLEX-RN is for candidates seeking registered nurse licensure — it tests broader clinical knowledge and independent decision-making. The NCLEX-PN is for licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) candidates — it focuses on data collection and care coordination under supervision.

Both the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN have 85 to 150 questions, and 15 of them are unscored pretest items. The NCLEX is a computerized adaptive test (CAT), so your answers decide the length: after the minimum of 85, the exam stops as soon as the computer is 95% certain that your ability is clearly above or clearly below the passing standard. If your ability stays very close to the standard, the exam continues to 150 and your final ability estimate decides. The number of questions alone does not tell you whether you passed. Every figure here comes from NCSBN's 2026 NCLEX test plans.

For what a minimum-length exam contains, how CAT picks each question and what the passing standard is, see our guide to how many questions are on the NCLEX.

Up to 5 hours, on both the NCLEX-RN and the NCLEX-PN, whatever the number of questions you receive. The 5 hours include a short introductory screen, two optional scheduled breaks and any unscheduled breaks you take, and the exam clock does not stop during a break. Your exam can end sooner, because your answers decide how many questions you get, and NCSBN states that the length of an exam is not an indication of a pass or fail result.

For what counts toward the 5 hours and what happens on test day, from check-in to results, see our NCLEX time limit and test day guide.

Not only multiple choice. NCSBN's Candidate Tutorial shows the formats: multiple choice, multiple response (select all that apply, select N and grouping), matrix, drop-down (cloze and table), highlight, bow-tie and fill-in-the-blank calculation items, and items can come with exhibit tabs. Some items stand alone and others are part of six-item case studies, and NCSBN sets no fixed percentage for any format. For how each format works and how partial credit is scored, see our NCLEX question types guide.

Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) is the updated version of the NCLEX that NCSBN launched on April 1, 2023, to better measure clinical judgment and decision making through new item types. It is built on the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (NCJMM): every exam includes three case studies of six items, one item per NCJMM step, and clinical judgment is also measured with stand-alone items. Items with more than one correct answer can earn partial credit under one of three methods: plus/minus, zero/one or rationale scoring. For each item format, see our NCLEX question types guide.

The NCLEX is built to challenge every candidate. It is a computerized adaptive test that targets each item to your ability, so NCSBN says both high- and low-ability candidates find the items at the end of the exam challenging. Most items are written at the application level or higher and require problem-solving skills. According to NCSBN's official 2025 figures, 86.7% of first-time U.S.-educated candidates passed the NCLEX-RN and 86.6% passed the NCLEX-PN; across all candidates, the rates were 69.1% (NCLEX-RN, candidates for U.S. licensure) and 77.3% (NCLEX-PN).

For why the NCLEX feels hard and the myths that make it worse, see our guide to how hard the NCLEX is.

For how to prepare, from content review to test day, see our NCLEX prep guide.

NCLEX pass rates vary significantly by candidate type. These are NCSBN's official figures for the full year 2025, published in its 2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics.

NCLEX-RN (candidates for U.S. licensure):

• All candidates: 69.1% | First-time U.S.-educated: 86.7% | Repeat U.S.-educated: 52.7%

NCLEX-PN:

• All candidates: 77.3% | First-time U.S.-educated: 86.6% | Repeat U.S.-educated: 41.7%

First-time U.S.-educated candidates passed at 86.7% on the NCLEX-RN and 86.6% on the NCLEX-PN, repeat U.S.-educated candidates at 52.7% and 41.7%. NCSBN's tables report these rates without explaining the difference. For the latest data, visit the official NCSBN NCLEX Pass Rates dashboard.

For the full breakdown and what these numbers mean for you, see our NCLEX pass rates guide.

NCSBN has adjusted the NCLEX registration fee effective February 1, 2027, so what you pay depends on the date you complete your registration: registrations completed before February 1, 2027, cost $200 USD for U.S. or Australian licensure and $360 CAD (excludes local taxes) for Canadian licensure; registrations completed on or after February 1, 2027, cost $350 USD for U.S. or Australian licensure and $570 CAD for Canadian licensure. The exam date does not affect the fee: a registration completed before February 1, 2027, is charged the earlier fee even if the exam is later. This applies to all NCLEX registrations, including retakes. Every amount here comes from NCSBN's official NCLEX fee schedule.

No other NCLEX fees change with this adjustment, and the REx-PN examination fee is not affected. Additional fees may apply: international scheduling costs an extra $150 USD for U.S. or Australian licensure and $150 CAD for Canadian licensure, plus value added tax where applicable; changing your nursing regulatory body after registration costs $50 USD for U.S. licensure and $50 CAD for Canadian licensure; changing the exam type (RN/PN) after registration costs $50 USD for U.S. licensure. NCLEX fees are non-refundable for any reason, including missed or cancelled appointments. Read the official NCSBN fee change announcement.

For what the February 1, 2027, change means for when you register, see our NCLEX fee increase 2027 guide.

For every cost on the way to your license, including board application, fingerprinting and retake fees, see our NCLEX exam cost guide.

To schedule the NCLEX, first apply for licensure with your state nursing regulatory body (NRB). Then register with Pearson VUE and pay the NCLEX registration fee: $200 USD for U.S. licensure, or $350 USD if you register on or after February 1, 2027. After your NRB verifies your eligibility, you'll receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) email with scheduling instructions. You can then choose your NCLEX test date and testing center.

The NCLEX is offered at domestic and international test centers. For U.S. licensure, domestic test centers are those in the United States and in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands; all others are international, including test centers in Canada and Puerto Rico, and scheduling at an international test center adds the international scheduling fee. For Canadian licensure or registration, test centers in the Canadian provinces and territories and the mainland United States are domestic. International locations where the NCLEX is offered include Australia, Brazil, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Türkiye and United Kingdom. Pearson VUE's website lists the test centers; you can schedule an appointment only after you receive your Authorization to Test (ATT).

Under NCSBN's retake policy, you can take the NCLEX up to eight times a year, with at least 45 test-free days between attempts, if you have applied for licensure with a participating nursing regulatory body (NRB). Some NRBs require a longer wait or set stricter limits, so check with yours before re-registering. You'll need to re-register and pay the registration fee each time: $200 USD for U.S. licensure, or $350 USD if you register on or after February 1, 2027. The fee follows the date you register, not the exam date. More on waiting periods and re-registering in our NCLEX retake policy guide.

The 2026 NCLEX Test Plan took effect on April 1, 2026, replacing the 2023 plan. The changes are minor refinements:

• "Safety and Infection Control" has been renamed to "Safety and Infection Prevention and Control" (both NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN)

• New activity statements added around unbiased care and environmental safety

Importantly, nothing major changed — exam format (CAT, 85-150 questions, 5 hours), scoring, NCJMM framework, NGN item types, and Client Needs category weights all stayed the same. If you were preparing under the 2023 Test Plan, you don't need to start over.