How to Register for the NCLEX in Massachusetts (Massachusetts BORN): Steps, Fees, Documents

To work as an RN in Massachusetts you license with the Board of Registration in Nursing through the Health Professions Licensing Portal (US$230). Every applicant proves Good Moral Character, signs a notarized CORI acknowledgment for the Massachusetts criminal history check, and consents to a Department of Children and Families check before the Authorization to Test is issued. Massachusetts issues no temporary licences and, although it has enacted the Nurse Licensure Compact, is not yet issuing multistate licences.

At a glance

The steps, in order (graduates of a Massachusetts program)

8 steps

Create an account on the Health Professions Licensing Portal and apply (US$230)Nursing moved to the Health Professions Licensing System on December 4, 2023. Complete the RN licence by exam application and pay US$230 by credit card, the only accepted payment.Mass.gov: Apply for a nursing licence by exam →
Answer the Good Moral Character questions and consent to the DCF checkMassachusetts General Laws c. 112, ss. 74, 74A and 76 require documentation if you answer yes to any criminal or disciplinary question. You also consent to a Department of Children and Families database check at submission.Mass.gov: Good Moral Character requirements →
Sign the CORI Acknowledgement Form in front of a notarySince December 4, 2023 every applicant has a Massachusetts criminal history (CORI) check and a Sex Offender Registry check before licensure or an Authorization to Test. The notary must verify your identity with government photo ID.CORI Acknowledgement Form (PDF) →
Your program confirms graduationGraduation from a Board-approved nursing program is verified by the program. Graduates of out-of-state programs should read the Board's eligibility information for US programs.
Provide your Social Security numberThe Bureau of Health Professions Licensure must collect it and forward it to the Department of Revenue for tax and child-support compliance checks.
Register with Pearson VUE (US$200); ATT after the CORI checkThe Authorization to Test is issued only after the Massachusetts criminal history check is complete. Pearson VUE then emails the ATT.Pearson VUE: NCLEX →
Write the NCLEX-RN; no temporary licence while you waitMassachusetts does not issue temporary licences. You can start working only once your licence number appears on the Health Professions Licence Verification site; you and your employer may print the verification from there. Pearson VUE requires 45 days between attempts.What to bring on exam day →
Licence issued; compact status pendingMassachusetts has enacted the Nurse Licensure Compact but is not yet issuing multistate licences, so for now every Massachusetts licence is single-state.NCSBN: NLC map and implementation status (PDF) →

If you were educated outside the United States

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

4 steps

Order a credential evaluation released to the Massachusetts BoardFrom TruMerit (formerly CGFNS), Josef Silny & Associates or SpanTran. Then tell Professional Credential Services (PCS), the Board's processing agent, that the report is available; reports marked 'applicant copy' are not accepted.Mass.gov: Apply for a nursing licence by exam (foreign-educated section) →
Apply on the portal (US$230), Good Moral Character, notarized CORIThe same application, fee and background requirements as Massachusetts graduates.Mass.gov: Good Moral Character requirements →
Register with Pearson VUE after approvalUS$200, plus US$150 to test outside the US. The ATT follows the completed CORI check.Pearson VUE: NCLEX →
Free help from the Welcome Back CenterThe Welcome Back Center at Bunker Hill Community College helps internationally educated nurses living in Massachusetts through the agencies, forms and any additional education.BHCC Welcome Back Center →

Documents to have ready

Fees

How long it takes

Mistakes that cost people time or money

Get the CORI form notarized before you apply; it is the usual reason an ATT is delayed.
There is no temporary licence in Massachusetts: do not accept a start date before your licence number is posted.
The compact is enacted but not live; if you expect to work in New Hampshire or Rhode Island too, you still need those licences by endorsement for now.
Internationally educated and living in Massachusetts? The Welcome Back Center is free and knows the PCS step.

Questions people ask about Massachusetts

How do I register for the NCLEX in Massachusetts?

Apply on the Health Professions Licensing Portal and pay US$230, answer the Good Moral Character questions, submit the notarized CORI Acknowledgement Form and consent to the DCF check, and have your program confirm graduation. After the Massachusetts criminal history check is complete the Board authorizes you to test and Pearson VUE (US$200) emails the ATT.

How much does a Massachusetts RN licence cost?

US$230 to the Board, US$200 to Pearson VUE, a notary fee for the CORI form and, for internationally educated nurses, the credential evaluation.

Can I work in Massachusetts before I pass the NCLEX-RN?

No. Massachusetts does not issue temporary licences; you may start work once your licence number appears on the Health Professions Licence Verification website.

Is Massachusetts a compact state?

Massachusetts has enacted the Nurse Licensure Compact but has not implemented it, so the Board does not yet issue multistate licences and does not accept other states' multistate privileges. Its own eligibility page states it does not take part in the NLC.

What is the CORI requirement?

Since December 4, 2023 every nursing applicant has a Massachusetts criminal history (CORI) check and a Sex Offender Registry check before licensure or an Authorization to Test, and must submit a CORI Acknowledgement Form signed before a notary who checked government photo ID.

What does an internationally educated nurse need for Massachusetts?

A credential evaluation from TruMerit, Josef Silny & Associates or SpanTran released to the Board (and reported to PCS), the US$230 application, Good Moral Character and CORI compliance, and the NCLEX-RN. The Welcome Back Center helps nurses living in Massachusetts.

Official links and sources

Rules and fees change. Everything on this page was read on Massachusetts BORN'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 Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing.

Application for licensure by examinationper application; credit card only	US$230
NCLEX-RN registration (Pearson VUE)per attempt, non-refundable. US$350 from Feb 1, 2027.	US$200
Notary for the CORI form	varies
Credential evaluation (international)paid to TruMerit, JS&A or SpanTran	varies

How to register for the NCLEX in Massachusetts