NCLEX-PN

Overview

The NCLEX-PN is the licensing examination for practical nurses (called licensed practical nurses, LPNs, or licensed vocational nurses, LVNs). It is owned by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Nursing regulatory bodies in the United States use it to decide whether a candidate has the minimum ability needed for safe, entry-level practice. The exam is computer adaptive and is delivered through Pearson. Passing it is one requirement for a licence; the licence itself is issued by the nursing regulatory body, not by NCSBN.

The exam includes the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) clinical judgment items.

Who can apply

Eligibility is decided by the nursing regulatory body (NRB) you apply to, not by NCSBN or Pearson. You register with Pearson using the program code of your nursing programme, but you can only test after the NRB confirms you are eligible and you receive an Authorization to Test (ATT). Candidates who need testing accommodations should ask the NRB for approval before registering.

Exam pattern

The test plan in effect from April 2026 sets the following structure for the NCLEX-PN.

In the minimum-length exam, 52 questions come from the eight content areas, 18 from the case studies, and 15 are unscored pretest questions. There is no time limit on any single question. Once you confirm an answer and move on, you cannot go back, and every question must be answered before the next appears.

Syllabus

The test plan groups content into four Client Needs categories. The share of questions drawn from each area is:

Questions are set in many practice settings, such as acute care, long-term care, rehabilitation, outpatient and home care. Unless stated otherwise, the client in a question is an adult. Clinical judgment is measured through the case studies and stand-alone items, and the exam uses several item formats, some with charts, tables or graphics.

Marking and results

The exam stops in one of three ways.

• 95% confidence rule: once you reach the minimum number of questions, the exam ends as soon as the computer is 95% certain your ability is clearly above or clearly below the passing standard.

• Maximum-length exam: if your ability is close to the standard, you receive all 150 questions, and the pass or fail decision rests on your final ability estimate.

• Run-out-of-time rule: if time expires first, you fail if you have not reached the minimum number of questions. If you have, the decision is based on your final ability estimate.

The passing standard is -0.18 logits, which NCSBN's Board of Directors voted to keep through March 31, 2029. There is no fixed percentage of candidates who pass. Some items give partial credit.

Important dates

• The current PN test plan is effective from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2029.

• A registration stays open for 365 days while the NRB decides on your eligibility. If the NRB has not approved you by then, the registration and fee are forfeited.

• Once approved, you receive an ATT email with the dates within which you must test.

Fees

As listed on the official site in 2026, the registration fee is $200 in the United States and Australia and 360 Canadian dollars in Canada (before local taxes). From February 1, 2027, NCSBN states the fee will be$350 in the United States and Australia and 570 Canadian dollars in Canada.

Other fees: a fee of $50 to change the nursing regulatory body (not applicable in Australia), and a fee of$50 to switch between the RN and PN exam (US only). The international scheduling fee is $150 USD, or$150 CAD in Canada. Registration fees are not refunded under any circumstances. Licensure fees are separate and set by each nursing regulatory body. Payment is by Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit, debit or prepaid card.

How to apply

1. Apply for licensure with your nursing regulatory body.

2. Register with Pearson, online or by telephone, or through a third-party payer such as a school or employer. You need your programme code, an email address and a payment method.

3. Make sure the first and last name you register with match exactly the identification you will show on exam day.

4. Wait for the NRB to confirm eligibility and for Pearson to send your Authorization to Test.

5. Schedule an appointment within the ATT validity dates.

You cannot hold two registrations for the same exam type at once.

After the exam

Candidates seeking a US licence can get unofficial results two business days after the exam, if their nursing regulatory body takes part in the Quick Results Service. Official results come from the nursing regulatory body, not from NCSBN or Pearson, within six weeks of the exam.

If you need to retake, you must wait at least 45 days after your last attempt, and some states require longer; the new ATT shows the wait. Candidates applying through a participating regulatory body can test up to eight times a year, with stricter limits possible in individual states.

Preparation tips

• Read the 2026 PN test plan and use its category percentages to decide where to spend study time.

• Practise with the case study format, since every exam contains three of them.

• Answer every question with your best choice, because you cannot skip or return to a question.

• Use the official candidate tutorial and sample items published by NCSBN.