How to Register for the NCLEX in North Carolina (NCBON): Steps, Fees, Documents

To work as an RN in North Carolina you license with the North Carolina Board of Nursing through its Nurse Portal. The exam application is US$75 plus US$38 for the SBI/FBI criminal background check (Live Scan in state), your program director confirms completion electronically, you pay Pearson VUE US$200, and the Board releases the Authorization to Test within five business days once both payments are in; it is valid 180 days. North Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state.

At a glance

The steps, in order (graduates of a North Carolina program)

7 steps

Create a Nurse Portal account and complete the Exam Application (US$75)The application asks for your contact details, primary address of residence, your nursing degree with program name and completion date, and any other licences you hold. Pay the US$75 application fee.NCBON: RN/LPN by Examination →
Pay US$38 and complete the criminal background checkEvery exam candidate has a fingerprint-based State Bureau of Investigation and FBI criminal history check. In North Carolina, complete the Live Scan application and have your digital prints transmitted; outside the state, use fingerprint cards per the Board's instructions.NCBON: Criminal Background Check / Live Scan →
Your program director confirms completion electronicallyFor Board-approved North Carolina programs the director submits electronic verification that you met the program's requirements (21 NCAC 36 .0211). Graduates of other NCSBN-member programs have a transcript sent directly from the program, National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment.21 NCAC 36 .0211 Eligibility and application for licensure by examination →
Register and pay Pearson VUE (US$200)The Board needs Pearson VUE's electronic confirmation that you are registered before it can make you eligible.Pearson VUE: NCLEX →
ATT within 5 business days, valid 180 daysOnce the Board has the Exam Application, the US$75 and US$38 payments and your Pearson VUE confirmation, it releases the Authorization to Test within five business days. North Carolina's ATT is valid for 180 days from the eligibility date; the ATT cannot be released before both payments are made.
Write the NCLEX-RNResults reach the Board electronically from Pearson VUE. Pearson VUE requires 45 days between attempts; the Board's application stays valid for one year from filing or until it is told you passed or failed, whichever is first.What to bring on exam day →
Licence issued after the pass and a clear fileTo be licensed you need a valid Social Security number, a passed NCLEX-RN, an unencumbered record, the completed background check and no court-ordered probation or monitoring; written explanations go with any conviction. The licence runs to the end of the current two-year period. Multistate licences follow your declared primary state of residence.NCBON: Fee schedule →

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

Have CGFNS or IEE verify your education electronicallyRule .0211 accepts electronic verification from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS, now TruMerit) or International Education Evaluation (IEE) that your program is equivalent to North Carolina's prelicensure requirements.21 NCAC 36 .0211 →
Prove English: IELTS 6.5 overall (6.0 each module) or TOEFL 83Rule .0211 sets the minimums: IELTS overall 6.5 with at least 6.0 on every module, or TOEFL 83 or higher.
Be eligible for licensure where you trainedYou must be eligible for RN or LPN licensure in the country where you completed the program.
Exam Application, background check, Pearson VUE, ATTThe same Nurse Portal application (US$75), US$38 SBI/FBI check with fingerprint cards from abroad, and Pearson VUE (US$200, plus US$150 to test outside the US). A valid Social Security number is required before the licence can be issued.NCBON: RN/LPN by Examination →

Documents to have ready

Fees

How long it takes

Mistakes that cost people time or money

Pay all three (US$75, US$38, Pearson VUE) in the same week; the ATT clock does not start until the last one lands.
A 180-day ATT is generous; do not let it push your exam into the autumn if you are ready in summer.
Out of state? Order fingerprint cards early; Live Scan is only for people physically in North Carolina.
The Board's web pages sit behind a bot-protection wall; open them in a normal browser, not a download tool.

Questions people ask about North Carolina

How do I register for the NCLEX in North Carolina?

Complete the Exam Application in the NCBON Nurse Portal (US$75), pay US$38 for the SBI/FBI criminal background check and complete Live Scan or fingerprint cards, have your program director verify completion electronically, and register with Pearson VUE (US$200). The Board releases the Authorization to Test within five business days of both payments; it is valid 180 days.

How much does a North Carolina RN licence cost?

US$113 to the Board (US$75 exam application plus US$38 background check) and US$200 to Pearson VUE, plus the fingerprint vendor's charge.

Can I work in North Carolina before I pass the NCLEX-RN?

Not as a nurse. The Board does not list a routine graduate permit for exam candidates on its examination pages (the 'Graduate Nurse' status was a time-limited COVID-19 measure); plan to start after your licence is issued.

Is North Carolina a compact state?

Yes, since January 19, 2018. The Exam Application asks for your primary address of residence; if North Carolina is your primary state of residence and you meet the uniform requirements, your licence is a multistate licence.

How long is the North Carolina ATT valid?

180 days from the date of eligibility, longer than the 90-day average elsewhere. The Board releases it within five business days of receiving both of your payments and your Pearson VUE confirmation.

Which English tests does North Carolina accept for internationally educated nurses?

Under 21 NCAC 36 .0211, IELTS with an overall 6.5 and at least 6.0 on every module, or TOEFL with an overall score of 83 or higher, plus CGFNS/TruMerit or IEE electronic verification of the education.

Official links and sources

Rules and fees change. Everything on this page was read on NCBON'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 North Carolina Board of Nursing.

Exam application (NCBON)non-refundable	US$75
Criminal background check (NCBON)plus the Live Scan or fingerprint-card vendor's charge	US$38
NCLEX-RN registration (Pearson VUE)per attempt, non-refundable. US$350 from Feb 1, 2027.	US$200
Total to the Board for first-time exam candidatesbefore the US$200 to Pearson VUE	US$113

How to register for the NCLEX in North Carolina