NCLEX-RN
NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses)
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Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
The NCLEX-RN is the licensure examination that nursing regulatory bodies in the United States, Canada and Australia use to determine whether a candidate has the minimum nursing ability required to deliver safe, effective entry-level practice. NCSBN defines an entry-level nurse as a newly licensed nurse with no more than 12 months of nursing experience, and items are developed and reviewed against that benchmark.
The exam is a computerized adaptive test: each response is used to select the next item, so item selection depends on your own performance and exams differ between candidates. Content follows the NCLEX-RN Test Plan and its client needs categories - safe and effective care environment (management of care, safety and infection control), health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity (basic care and comfort, pharmacological and parenteral therapies, reduction of risk potential, and physiological adaptation). Most items are written at the application level of cognitive ability or higher, so straight recall is rarely enough; you must reason through the client situation.
Preparation should centre on the current Test Plan, the free NCLEX Tutorial, Exam Preview and Candidate Bulletin, and honest practice with case-based and multi-key item formats. NCSBN does not recommend or endorse any review course, so choose study materials with a nursing educator's guidance.
What you'll study
About NCLEX-RN preparation
How many questions will I answer, and how long do I have?
A minimum of 85 and a maximum of 150 items, with a maximum testing time of five hours. The exam stops when the scoring algorithm has enough information to make a pass/fail decision, or it continues to the maximum when your ability estimate sits close to the passing standard.
Can I skip a question or go back and change an answer?
No. You must answer each item before moving on, and because the exam is adaptive, each response is used to select the next item. You also cannot return to a previous item to change an answer. Review every exhibit tab before submitting, since you are not prompted to open them all.
Does a short or long exam mean I passed or failed?
No. The number of items alone does not determine or reveal pass/fail results. Candidates usually find the final items challenging because the algorithm selects items they have roughly a 50% chance of answering completely correctly, so both high- and low-ability candidates finish with difficult questions.
What does it mean if I fail at the minimum number of items?
It means the scoring algorithm needed only the minimum number of items to determine, with 95% certainty, that your nursing ability was below the passing standard. It reflects how your responses compared with the standard, not how quickly you finished the exam.
What score do I need to pass?
There is no published percentage to aim for. The exam is scored against a passing standard that the NCSBN Board of Directors reviews every three years or following a test plan revision, and official pass/fail results are released only by your nursing regulatory body.
How are select all that apply and other multi-key items scored?
A select all that apply item contains one or more correct options. Multi-key formats earn partial credit through plus/minus scoring (points added for correct selections, deducted for incorrect ones), zero/one scoring when you are told how many responses to choose, or rationale scoring where both parts of a pair must be correct.
If I retake the exam, do I start where I left off?
No. Each attempt is independent: the adaptive process begins again and item selection is based only on your responses during that attempt. Operational item pools are rotated regularly so repeating candidates do not see the same items. Contact your nursing regulatory body about eligibility and any waiting requirements before rebooking.
When and how will I get my results?
Official results come only from your nursing regulatory body; Pearson and NCSBN do not provide them. If your regulatory body participates in the Quick Results Service, which applies only to candidates seeking U.S. licensure, you can access unofficial results 48 hours after your exam date and time for a fee.
How long is my Authorization to Test valid?
You receive your ATT by email once your nursing regulatory body declares you eligible, and you need it to schedule an appointment. The average ATT is valid for 90 days and the dates cannot be extended for any reason; if you do not test within them you must reregister and pay another exam fee.
Is the exam fee changing?
Yes. Effective February 1, 2027, the registration fee will be $350 in the United States and Australia and $570 (CAD) in Canada. Registrations completed before that date are charged the current fee, since the registration date rather than the exam date sets the fee. Retakes pay the same fee, and there are no refunds.