How to Register for the NCLEX in British Columbia (BCCNM): Steps, Fees, Documents

To work as an RN in British Columbia you register with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM). You apply online, BCCNM tells you when you may write the NCLEX-RN, you pass it, and your licence becomes practising. Internationally educated nurses start with a free Inspire Global Assessments review.

At a glance

The steps, in order (graduates of a British Columbia program)

8 steps

Prepare two notarized pieces of IDBCCNM asks for two notarized identification documents, every document in your full legal name, no initials. The same name goes on your Pearson VUE account later.B.C. graduates: how to apply →
Create your BCCNM account and submit the RN applicationThe online application takes 20 to 30 minutes. Attach the documents and pay the B.C. RN application assessment fee (CA$265 including GST for 2026-27). Only registration fees are refundable, not this one.Create a BCCNM account →
Your school confirms you finished the programBCCNM waits for notice from your nursing school that you completed the program, then emails you. You do not send the transcript yourself.
Choose provisional registration if you want to work before the examAfter the school's confirmation BCCNM emails you two things: how to pay for provisional (licensed graduate nurse) registration if you want it, and the exam invitation. Provisional registration lets you work under conditions while you wait to write.Provisional registration →
Register with Pearson VUE only after BCCNM's emailUse the link in BCCNM's eligibility email to register and pay CA$360 plus GST per attempt. Do not register before the email: BCCNM says so plainly, and the fee is not refundable.BCCNM: the NCLEX-RN exam →
Book a date inside the 90-day ATT windowPearson VUE emails your Authorization to Test. It is valid for 90 days; if you do not test inside it, the registration is cancelled and you pay again.Scheduling the NCLEX →
Write the NCLEX-RNUp to five hours, 85 to 150 questions. If you fail, BCCNM emails the result first and the candidate report within two weeks; you must wait 45 days to retake, with no limit on attempts while your application is valid.What to bring on exam day →
Pass, and your licence becomes practisingA provisional licence converts to practising automatically and the online directory updates. Without a provisional licence, BCCNM emails you to pay the registration fee (CA$781.10 for a full year in 2026-27), and you are an RN.BCCNM fees →

If you were educated outside Canada

The exam is the same; the path to being allowed to write it is longer. These are the extra steps.

7 steps

Apply to Inspire Global Assessments first (free)Inspire checks your identity, your English, your nursing education and your nursing skills, and sends BCCNM an applicant package. Thanks to funding from the B.C. government the Inspire and BCCNM applications currently cost nothing for internationally educated nurses.Inspire Global Assessments, British Columbia →
Create your BCCNM account and apply for practising licensureApply in your BCCNM account. The listed international RN assessment fee is CA$690 including GST, but see the step above about current funding.Internationally educated nurses: how to apply →
Have your practice and licences verifiedEmployers and regulators send verification forms directly to BCCNM, completed in English. You cannot forward them yourself.
Prove your EnglishCELBAN (reading 8, listening 9, writing 7, speaking 8) or IELTS Academic (overall 7.0; reading 6.5, listening 7.0, writing 6.5, speaking 7.0), all four parts, no older than two years, scores sent to BCCNM. A BCCNM-recognized program or practice in a mainly English setting can count instead.BCCNM English proficiency →
BCCNM assesses your education and may ask for a courseBCCNM compares your education with its recognized programs. If there is a gap you may be asked for transitional education, from a single course to a re-entry program. Send the completion confirmation to IENapplications@bccnm.ca.
Write the NCLEX-RN when BCCNM says you are eligibleRegister through the link in BCCNM's email, pay CA$360 plus GST (plus CA$150 to test outside Canada), book inside the 90-day ATT window, and write. Many applicants write before moving to B.C.BCCNM: the NCLEX-RN exam →
Provisional registration, then practisingIf every requirement except the exam is complete you can take provisional registration and work under conditions. After you pass, it converts to practising automatically; otherwise BCCNM emails you to pay the licence fee.Provisional registration →

Documents to have ready

Fees

How long it takes

Mistakes that cost people time or money

Do not register with Pearson VUE until BCCNM emails you; an early registration is a wasted, non-refundable CA$360.
Take provisional registration if you have a job offer: you can start working as a licensed graduate nurse while you prepare.
Internationally educated: start with Inspire, not with BCCNM. BCCNM cannot assess you without Inspire's package.
Use the same legal name everywhere; the ID you show at the test centre must match the ATT exactly.

Questions people ask about British Columbia

How do I register for the NCLEX in British Columbia?

Apply to the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) in your online account and pay the application assessment fee. When your school confirms your program (or BCCNM finishes assessing an international file), BCCNM emails you an exam invitation. Only then register with Pearson VUE through that link, pay CA$360 plus GST, and book a date inside the 90-day Authorization to Test.

How much does it cost to become an RN in B.C.?

For a B.C. graduate in 2026-27: CA$265 application assessment, CA$360 plus GST for the NCLEX-RN and CA$781.10 for a year of practising registration. Internationally educated nurses are listed at CA$690 for the assessment, currently covered by provincial funding, and pay CA$150 more if they write the exam outside Canada.

Can I work in B.C. before I pass the NCLEX-RN?

Yes, as a provisional registrant (licensed graduate nurse) once every other requirement is complete. The provisional licence converts to practising when you pass and ends four to six weeks after a second fail.

Which English tests does BCCNM accept?

CELBAN (reading 8, listening 9, writing 7, speaking 8) and IELTS Academic (overall 7.0; reading 6.5, listening 7.0, writing 6.5, speaking 7.0), taken within the last two years with all four components. A BCCNM-recognized program or nursing practice in a predominantly English setting can meet the requirement instead.

Is the Inspire assessment required, and is it really free?

Internationally educated nurses apply to Inspire Global Assessments first; it checks identity, English, education and skills and sends BCCNM a package. BCCNM states that, with Government of B.C. funding, the Inspire and BCCNM applications currently have no cost for applicants. Confirm the current position on Inspire's fee page before you start.

How many times can I take the NCLEX-RN for BCCNM?

There is no limit on attempts while your application stays valid, but you must wait at least 45 days between attempts and pay the exam fee each time.

Official links and sources

Rules and fees change. Everything on this page was read on BCCNM's and NCSBN's own pages on October 7, 2026; when a detail matters to you, confirm it there:

This guide explains the process; it is not legal or immigration advice. Decisions about your eligibility are made by British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives.

B.C. RN application assessment (2026-27)includes GST; not refundable	CA$265
Canadian RN application assessment (2026-27)includes GST; for nurses licensed elsewhere in Canada	CA$345
International RN application assessment (2026-27)includes GST; currently covered by B.C. government funding, confirm on BCCNM's page	CA$690
NCLEX-RN exam fee (Pearson VUE)per attempt, non-refundable. CA$570 from Feb 1, 2027.	CA$360 + GST
International scheduling feeonly if you write the exam outside Canada	CA$150
Practising or provisional RN registration (2026-27)annualized; only registration fees are refundable	CA$781.10
Inspire Global Assessments (internationally educated)funded by the Government of B.C.; check Inspire's fee page	currently CA$0

How to register for the NCLEX in British Columbia