NCLEX-PN guideRegistration & exam day
How to Register for the NCLEX-PN
NCLEX-PN registration is a two-party process: apply to your U.S. nursing regulatory body, then register and pay with Pearson. NCLEX-PN is used for U.S. licensure only. LPN and LVN take the same exam type.
Short answer
Registering for the NCLEX-PN is a multistep process. First apply for licensure to the U.S. nursing regulatory body where you want to practice. Then register and pay through Pearson. After the NRB finds you eligible and Pearson registration is complete, you receive an Authorization to Test email and can schedule. Official registration states that the NCLEX-PN is used for U.S. licensure only. LPN and LVN candidates take this same exam type.
NRB first, Pearson second
NCLEX’s registration page describes a multistep process. You must meet the requirements of the nursing regulatory body where you seek to practice, then register with Pearson for payment and scheduling. Once the appointment exists, keep PN preparation moving so logistics do not become your only project.
LPN versus LVN is a title your jurisdiction uses. It does not create a second exam. You still register for NCLEX-PN.
Official copy states: The NCLEX-PN is used for U.S. licensure only. Do not treat Canadian NCLEX registration as a PN path.
Step sequence
- Graduate / eligibility. Your NRB decides whether your practical-nursing program and any extra requirements (fingerprints, transcripts, English proficiency) are complete. Passy cannot list one state’s packet as a national rule.
- Apply to the NRB for licensure/registration, including testing accommodations if you need them—accommodations are requested with the NRB.
- Register with Pearson and pay the NCLEX registration fee. How much the NCLEX-PN costs includes the announced February 1, 2027 increase.
- Wait for the ATT email. NCLEX-PN ATT explains validity dates.
- Schedule at a Pearson center. First-time testers are offered an appointment within 30 days of trying to schedule; repeat testers after 45 days.
If you do not receive registration confirmation within two days, the fees page says to contact Pearson Candidate Services before submitting a second paid registration.
Names, exam type, and $50 change fees
Your identification must match the first and last names you registered. Exam-day ID rules are on NCLEX-PN exam day.
The current U.S. fee table charges $50 USD to change exam type (RN/PN) after registration. Confirm PN before you pay. NCLEX-PN vs RN if you are still choosing a license type.
After you book
Work mixed PN items so the calendar does not go empty.
Registration itself is not studying.
If Coordinated Care is still fuzzy, practice that Client Need.
Fees are not refunded for failing to appear or for cancelling inside the bulletin’s notice window. Read the current Candidate Bulletin before you move an appointment.
Repair Coordinated Care before the ATT week is mostly empty.
Trust the source
Official sources
Exam policies can change. Use these primary sources for the most current details.