NCLEX Registration

How to register for the NCLEX, wherever you want to work

You do not register for the NCLEX with Pearson VUE first. You apply to the nursing regulator of the place where you want your licence; it makes you eligible, and then you book the exam. Pick your country, then your state or province, and follow the steps one by one. Every page quotes the regulator's own site and shows the day it was last checked.

Choose your country

CanadaEach province and territory has its own nursing regulator. All of them except Québec use the NCLEX-RN.11 guides readyUnited StatesEvery state and territory has a board of nursing. The Nurse Licensure Compact lets one licence work in 43 jurisdictions.50 guides readyAustraliaRegistration is national (Ahpra / the Nursing and Midwifery Board). The NCLEX-RN is used for internationally qualified nurses.guides coming

The same path everywhere

  1. Apply to the nursing regulator (board or college) and pay its application fee.
  2. Send the documents it asks for: transcript, ID, credential assessment and language test if you studied abroad.
  3. The regulator declares you eligible and tells Pearson VUE.
  4. Register for the NCLEX on nclex.com and pay the exam fee (US$200 or CA$360).
  5. Receive your Authorization to Test and book a date before it expires.
  6. Pass the NCLEX; the result goes to your regulator, which issues the licence or registration.

Our guides to the exam itself: the ATT letter, what the NCLEX costs, exam day hour by hour and what to bring to the test centre.

Questions people ask

Who do I register with to take the NCLEX?

Not with NCSBN or Pearson VUE first: you apply to the nursing regulatory body where you want to be licensed (a US state board of nursing, a Canadian provincial college, or Ahpra in Australia). That body makes you eligible, and only then you register for the exam with Pearson VUE.

How much does the NCLEX cost?

The exam fee is US$200 for US boards and CA$360 (plus taxes) for Canadian regulators, paid to Pearson VUE, plus US$150 / CA$150 if you test outside that country. From February 1, 2027 the fee rises to US$350 and CA$570. Each regulator charges its own application and licence fees on top.

Can I register with two regulators at the same time?

You may not hold two open NCLEX registrations of the same exam type at once. Choose one regulator, pass the NCLEX there, and transfer the result to another jurisdiction afterwards through licensure by endorsement.

How long is the Authorization to Test valid?

For the period your regulator sets, about 90 days on average. It cannot be extended; if it expires you register and pay again.

Registered and ready to study?

Start with 10 free NCLEX questions in your account, a case study, a video and a cheat sheet. No card needed.

Create a free account →Plans and prices