How to Register for the NCLEX in Minnesota (Minnesota BON): Steps, Fees, Documents

To work as an RN in Minnesota you license with the Minnesota Board of Nursing: US$105 application plus US$35 criminal background check, a fingerprint packet emailed the next business day, your school's Confirmation of Program Completion and Pearson VUE. The ATT is valid 90 days and the Board mails the licence about 10 business days after you test. You must take the exam within a year of applying, and after five years from graduation a review course is required. Minnesota is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact.

At a glance

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

8 steps

Submit the licensure by examination application and US$140Apply online (or with the downloadable packet by cashier's cheque or money order): US$105 application fee plus US$35 for the criminal background check. Fees are non-refundable.Minnesota BON: RN licensure by exam, US program →
Watch for the fingerprint packet the next business dayThe Criminal Background Check program office emails a fingerprint packet the business day after you apply; submit your prints as soon as possible. This check is independent of any other fingerprinting you have done.
Ask your school to confirm program completionMinnesota programs confirm online; schools elsewhere send the Confirmation of Program Completion form directly to the Board.
Register with Pearson VUE (US$200) using the exact name on your applicationPearson VUE emails the Authorization to Test, valid 90 days. Miss it and your Pearson VUE registration lapses.NCSBN: NCLEX →
Test within one year of your applicationIf you do not take the exam within a year of the Board receiving your application, the application is nullified and you start again.
Write the NCLEX-RN; results free on the Board's siteResults are posted on the Board's website at no charge (Pearson VUE charges for quick results). Minnesota has no graduate permit, so the licence that is mailed about 10 business days after the exam is your first authorization to practise.What to bring on exam day →
If you fail: Examination Retake Request (US$60)The Board sends a retake packet and a diagnostic profile. Pearson VUE requires 45 days between attempts; the re-examination application is US$60. Five years or more after completing your program, a review course is required before you may test again.Minnesota BON: RN/PN review course requirement →
Renew every two yearsRegistration renewal is US$85. Minnesota is not a compact state; other states need their own licences.Minnesota BON: licensure fees →

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.

2 steps

Use the Board's international program applicationGraduates of programs outside the US follow the Board's international licensure-by-exam instructions (credential evaluation and English proficiency) rather than the US program packet.Minnesota BON: apply for a licence →
Application, background check, Pearson VUEUS$105 plus US$35, the emailed fingerprint packet, and Pearson VUE (US$200, plus US$150 to test outside the US). The one-year and 90-day rules apply equally.NCSBN: NCLEX →

Documents to have ready

Fees

How long it takes

Mistakes that cost people time or money

Apply when you are genuinely ready to test: the one-year application life and 90-day ATT both start running.
Check results on the Board's website; it is free, unlike Pearson VUE's quick results.
Minnesota has no graduate permit, so start dates follow the mailed licence, roughly two weeks after the exam.
Minnesota is not in the compact; Wisconsin, Iowa and the Dakotas each need their own licence.

Questions people ask about Minnesota

How do I register for the NCLEX in Minnesota?

Submit the licensure by examination application to the Minnesota Board of Nursing with US$105 plus US$35 for the background check, return the fingerprint packet the Board emails, have your school confirm program completion, and register with Pearson VUE (US$200). The Authorization to Test is valid 90 days.

How much does a Minnesota RN licence cost?

US$140 to the Board (US$105 application + US$35 background check) and US$200 to Pearson VUE. A re-examination application is US$60 and renewal US$85 every two years.

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

No. Minnesota issues no graduate permit; the licence mailed about 10 business days after you pass is your first authorization to practise.

Is Minnesota a compact state?

No. Minnesota issues single-state licences only.

How long is a Minnesota NCLEX application valid?

One year from the date the Board receives it; if you do not test within that year the application is nullified. The ATT itself is valid 90 days.

What if I graduated more than five years ago?

You must complete a Board-approved review course after the Board receives your application before you can take (or retake) the NCLEX.

Official links and sources

Rules and fees change. Everything on this page was read on Minnesota BON'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 Minnesota Board of Nursing.

Application for licensure by examinationnon-refundable	US$105
Criminal background checkpaid with the application	US$35
Re-examination application	US$60
NCLEX-RN registration (Pearson VUE)per attempt, non-refundable. US$350 from Feb 1, 2027.	US$200
Registration renewal (two years)	US$85

How to register for the NCLEX in Minnesota