Registration

1. Submit an application for licensure/registration to the board of nursing/regulatory body

where you wish to be licensed/registered.
2. Meet all of the board of nursing’s/regulatory body’s eligibility requirements to take the
NCLEX Examination.
3. Register and pay for the NCLEX examination with Pearson VUE.
4. Receive eligibility from your Board of Nursing/Regulatory Body.

Attention: Please make sure that you check your spam and junk folders as it is possible that
candidate correspondence from Pearson VUE could automatically go to one of these folders. All
correspondence from Pearson VUE will end with “@pearson.com”.
Visit ncsbn.org for a complete overview of the NCLEX examination process.
®

Scheduling
Once you have been made eligible and received your ATT, you may schedule your examination by
selecting either Sign in or Register from the menu. You must test within the validity dates of your
ATT. These validity dates cannot be extended for any reason. Appointments may be made up to one
business day in advance.
Attention: Please make sure that you check your spam and junk folders as it is possible that any of
the communications from Pearson VUE could automatically go to one of these folders.

Change Board/Body Test Type or Exam Language

Please be advised when selecting a Board of Nursing/Regulatory Body for licensure/registration to
make the appropriate choice. Requests to change the Board of Nursing/Regulatory Body must be
made through customer service and will result in a $50 fee. In addition, any requests to change an
examination type* will result in a $50 change fee. Finally, any requests to change the examination
language** type will also result in a $50 change fee.

Testing Internationally
Candidates who would like to test internationally are required to pay an international scheduling fee
of $150 plus a Value Added Tax (VAT) where applicable. Candidates may schedule online and pay
the fee. In order to make any adjustments to already scheduled international appointments, you
must contact Pearson VUE’s customer service for assistance.
 Definitions of Domestic and International Test Centers

Test Center Candidates Seeking Canadian

Type Candidates Seeking U.S. Licensure Licensure/Registration

Domestic United States and Territories including American Canadian Provinces/Territories and the m
Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the United States
U.S. Virgin Islands

International Test centers outside of the United States and Test centers outside of Canadian
Territories listed above Provinces/Territories and the mainland U
States

*The NCLEX-PN is used for U.S. licensure only.

**For Canadian NCLEX candidates only.

Retake Policy
The NCSBN retake policy allows candidates to retake their exam 45 days after
administration of the exam. Candidates who have applied for licensure/registration with
a participating board of nursing/regulatory body (BON/RB) will be permitted to take the
NCLEX eight times a year, but no more than once in any 45-day period. This is unless
the desired jurisdiction of licensure/registration only offers a limited amount of NCLEX
exams per year. Candidates are encouraged to contact the BON/RB for their policy on
NCLEX retakes.

Acceptable ID

Name
The first and last names printed on your identification must match exactly the first and
last names found on your Authorization to Test (ATT) email. If the name with which you
registered is different from the name on your identification, you must bring legal name-
change documentation to the test center on the day of the test.

The only acceptable forms of legal name-change documentation are the following:

 marriage license
 divorce decree and/or court action legal name change documents
All documents must contain the name change in Roman characters and be the original
copies. Candidates wishing to make a legal name change, address change or email
address change must contact their board of nursing/regulatory body (BON/RB). This
cannot be done at the test center.
If the name on your ID and ATT email do not match, you will be turned away and will
have to reregister and pay another exam fee.

IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
When you arrive at the test center, you will be required to present one form of
acceptable identification. If you arrive at the test center without acceptable identification,
you will be turned away and required to reregister and pay another exam fee. If you
paid the additional international scheduling fee, that will be forfeited as well.

All forms of identification must be valid and meet the following requirements. If the ID
does not meet these requirements, you will be turned away and required to reregister
and pay another examination fee:

 government-issued
 non-expired
 name (in Roman characters)
 recent photograph
 signature
Examples of acceptable forms of identification for domestic test centers are:

 passport books and cards

 driver’s license
 provincial/territorial or state identification card
 permanent residence card
 military identification card
The only identifications acceptable for international test centers are:

 passport books and cards

If your ID does not contain a signature but meets all other ID requirements listed above,
you must bring in a secondary form of identification to the test center. The signature on
your secondary ID must match exactly with the first and last name on your primary ID
and with the names that you provided when you registered. The secondary identification
must contain:

 signature (in Roman characters)

Definitions of Domestic and International Test Centers
IDENTIFICATION FROM A U.S. SANCTIONED (EMBARGOED) COUNTRY
Due to U.S. trade restrictions, candidates who indicate that they live in a sanctioned
country are unable to be admitted to sit for the NCLEX. This is a federal requirement by
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

In order to be admitted to the NCLEX, candidates who hold a passport from a

sanctioned country must also present proof of residency (government issued
identification) from a non-sanctioned country. This only applies to candidates presenting
a passport from a sanctioned country.

NCLEX Rules
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You must thoroughly review the NCLEX Candidate Rules prior to being seated for the
exam. On exam day at check-in, you are directed to read the Candidate Statement and
provide an electronic signature, agreeing to the terms and conditions of the NCLEX. In
addition and to ensure a high level of security, you will be monitored at all times and
recorded by both audio and video.

NCLEX Candidate Rules

PERSONAL ITEMS

 All personal items must be placed in provided, lockable storage

 Test centers are not responsible for lost, stolen or misplaced items
The following items may not be accessed at all during your examination
appointment (including breaks and until you leave the test center at the conclusion of
your exam):

 Any educational, test preparation or study materials

 Cell/mobile/smart phones, tablets, smart watches, MP3 players, fitness bands, jump
drives, cameras or any other electronic devices
 Weapons of any kind
At check in, you are required to store your electronic devices (cell/mobile/smart phones,
tablets, smart watches or other electronic devices) in a sealable, plastic bag provided by
Pearson VUE. If you refuse to store your electronic devices in the bag, you will not be
allowed to test. You will also be required to reregister and pay another exam fee for any
additional NCLEX appointments.

After the exam, you must return your unopened, Pearson VUE bag to the Administration
Desk to be opened and examined by the Testing Administrator (TA). Any tampering with
the bag before check-out could result in an incident report.
The following items are not allowed in the testing room, but may be accessed while on
break (unless otherwise instructed):

 Bags/purses/wallets/ non-smart watches

 Coats/hats/scarves/gloves
 Medical aids/devices
 Food or drink, gum/candy
 Lip balm
For any questions regarding what you can and cannot access outside the testing room,
ask the TA.

CONFIDENTIALITY

 You may not disclose or discuss with anyone, including instructors, information about
the items or answers seen in your examination (this includes posting or discussing
questions on the internet and social media websites).
 You may not reconstruct exam items using your memory of your exam or the memory
of others.
 You may not seek help from any other party in answering items (in person, by phone,
text or by email) during your examination (including breaks).
 You may not remove examination items and/or responses (in any format) or notes
about the examination from the testing room.
 You may not copy or reconstruct exam items during or following your exam for any
reason.
 You will comply with any investigation that needs to be conducted.
 Note: If you witness any of the above behavior, or any irregular behavior that is in
violation of the NCLEX Candidate Rules, you are required to report it to NCSBN and
comply with any follow up investigation.
 Suspicious behaviors may be reported to NCSBN by calling the NCLEX Test Security
Group at 866.293.9600 or emailing [email protected].

TEST ADMINISTRATION

 You may not take the exam for somebody else.

 You may not tamper with the computer or use it for any function other than taking the
exam.
 You may not engage in disruptive behavior at any time while in the test center.
 The TA will provide you with an erasable note board and marker before you enter the
testing room.
 You may not use the note board to cover any part of the screen during your
examination.
 A clean note board can be requested during your exam by raising your hand. The
erasable note board and marker may not be removed from the testing room during
the exam except by the TA, and these items must be returned to the TA after the
exam.
 Writing on any materials other than the note board is strictly prohibited and will result
in an incident report and results will be placed on hold.
 If you experience hardware or software problems during the exam, notify the TA
immediately by raising your hand.
 Earplugs are available from the TA upon request; it is not acceptable to bring your
own earplugs.

BREAK PROCEDURES

 You will be given the opportunity to take a "scheduled" break after approximately two
hours, and again after approximately three and a half hours of exam testing time.
Instructions will appear on your computer screen at the appropriate times.
 To request a break, or to exit the testing room for any other reason, raise your
hand for the TA and wait to be escorted out of the testing room. A palm vein scan will
be taken when you leave, and again when you re-enter the testing room. The TA will
resume the exam for you upon your return. The exam clock will not stop while you
are on a scheduled or unscheduled break.
 Exam data is encrypted and transferred electronically to your licensing board of
nursing/regulatory body. Please refrain from asking the TA about exam content
and/or results. If you have questions about the exam, please contact NCSBN.

GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR CANCELLATION OF RESULTS

A candidate who violates the test center regulations or rules, or engages in irregular
behavior, misconduct and/or does not follow the TA’s warning to discontinue
inappropriate behavior may be dismissed from the test center and their exam fee will
not be refunded. Additionally, your exam result may be withheld or canceled and your
board of nursing/regulatory body may take other disciplinary action such as denial of a
license/registration and/or disqualifying you from future NCLEX registrations for
licensure/registration. Behaviors that constitute irregular behavior or misconduct include
but are not limited to:

 Giving or receiving assistance of any kind.

 Using, accessing, or attempting to access any prohibited aids. Prohibited aids are
any devices or materials that will be helpful in taking the NCLEX. Examples of aids
that are prohibited are electronic devices (e.g. cell/mobile/smart phones, tablets,
smart watches, etc.), handheld calculators, conversion tables, dictionaries, etc.
 Attempting to take the examination for someone else.
 Bringing any NCLEX study aids (textbooks, notebooks, classroom notes, etc.) to the
testing center or accessing or attempting to access such study materials at any time
after the start of the examination administration, including break times.
 Failing to follow testing regulations or the instructions of the test administrator.
 Creating a disturbance of any kind.
 Tampering with the operation of the computer or attempting to use it for any function
other than taking the examination.
Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT)
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The NCLEX uses CAT to administer the exam. CAT is a method that merges computer
technology with modern measurement theory to increase the efficiency of the exam
process.

NCLEX Using CAT

This video explains why CAT is used for NCLEX and how it works. Topics covered
include item selection and pass/fail rules. This video is available in
both English and français.

Why CAT?
CAT is used for the NCLEX because it:

 Reduces the number of "easy" items that high-ability candidates receive; "easy"
items tell little about a high performing candidate's ability
 Reduces the number of "difficult" items low-ability candidates receive; candidates
tend to guess on items that are too difficult which can skew results
 Reduces item exposure and subsequent security risks
 Improves precision of measurement of the NCLEX candidate's ability related to
nursing and
 Provides a valid and reliable measurement of nursing competence

How Does CAT Work?

1. Every time you answer an item, the computer re-estimates your ability based on all
the previous answers and the difficulty of those items.
2. The computer then selects the next item that you should have a 50% chance of
answering correctly.
 This way, the next item should not be too easy or too hard
 The computer's goal is to get as much information as possible about your true
ability level
 You should find each item challenging as each item is targeted to your ability
3. With each item answered, the computer's estimate of your ability becomes more
precise.
Item Selection Process Overview Video

How the NCLEX Works FAQs

Pass/Fail Rules
The computer decides whether you passed or failed the NCLEX using one of three
rules:

1. 95% Confidence Interval Rule

2. Maximum-Length Exam Rule
3. Run-out-of-time (R.O.O.T.) Rule

CAT Definitions
 Candidate ability - The level of entry-level nursing knowledge, skills and abilities that
the candidate has.
 Ability estimate - The level of entry-level nursing knowledge, skills and abilities that
the computer has determined that the candidate has.
 Passing standard - A cut point along an ability range that marks the minimum ability
level requirement. For the NCLEX, it is the minimum ability required to safely and
effectively practice nursing at the entry-level. Learn more about the passing
standard here.
 Logit - A unit of measurement to report relative differences between candidate ability
estimates and item difficulties.