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.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | Approved nursing program (ADN/BSN) |
| Base exam fee | $200 |
| Fee notes | exam fee; + state licensure $75-375 |
| Validity / renewal | License renewed per state |
The $200 figure above is the base single-attempt exam fee — see the full NCLEX-RN (Registered Nurse licensure exam) cost breakdown for what it does and doesn’t include.
Earning the credential
Once you meet the prerequisites and pass the exam, the issuing body awards the certification — often with a renewal or continuing-education cycle to keep it active. Check the validity period above and budget for any periodic renewal fee, not just the one-time exam fee.
Register with the issuer. Eligibility, fees and renewal rules are set by NCSBN / Pearson VUE and can change — confirm on the official page.
Estimate your certification cost →