NCLEX-RN (Registered Nurse licensure exam): Requirements & Exam Details

Informational only — not financial or career advice. Exam fees and certification requirements change, and the figures here are accurate only as of the listed verification date. Confirm the current fee and rules directly with the certifying body before you register or budget. We report the official-body exam fee for a single attempt; it excludes prep courses, materials and retakes, and is not the total cost of certifying.

The NCLEX-RN is a licensure examination administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in partnership with Pearson VUE. Candidates must have completed an approved nursing program at the associate degree (ADN) or bachelor's degree (BSN) level to be eligible for the exam. The base examination fee is $200 for a single attempt, though candidates should note that state licensure fees typically range from $75 to $375 and are separate from the exam cost. These fees are accurate as of June 2026 and are subject to change.

The NCLEX-RN credential itself is a state licensure rather than a time-limited certification; renewal requirements and cycles are determined by individual state boards of nursing and vary by jurisdiction. Because eligibility requirements, examination fees, state licensure costs, and renewal rules are established by the issuing body and state regulatory agencies and can change, candidates must verify all current requirements directly on the NCSBN's official website and their state board of nursing's portal before registering for the examination.

Register with the issuer. Eligibility, fees and renewal rules are set by NCSBN / Pearson VUE and can change — confirm on the official page.

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