How Many Times Can You Take the NCLEX-RN? Retake Rules, Wait Time and Fees
NCSBN allows up to eight NCLEX attempts a year with 45 test-free days between them. How retakes work, where boards are stricter, what a retake costs and how to plan the next attempt.
Table of contents
Under NCSBN's retake policy, you can take the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN up to eight times a year, with at least 45 test-free days between attempts. Your nursing regulatory body can set stricter limits. Each retake is a new registration with Pearson VUE and a new fee, set by the date you register.
If you have just received a result you did not want, the rules can wait a day. Failing the NCLEX Is Not the End is about the part that comes first.
How Many Times Can You Take the NCLEX-RN?
NCSBN, which develops the exam, states the rule in one sentence: candidates who have applied for licensure or registration with a participating nursing regulatory body (NRB) can take the NCLEX eight times a year, and there must be 45 test-free days between each examination.
The same policy covers an NCLEX-RN retake and an NCLEX-PN retake.
Can you retake the NCLEX? Yes. How many times can you retake the NCLEX in total? NCSBN states its limit per year only; an overall limit, a deadline or a required course comes from your board.
Each attempt is also independent. On a new attempt, the computerized adaptive testing process begins again, and item selection is based on your responses during that attempt. You do not start "where you left off," and the exam excludes any item you saw in a previous attempt. How the NCLEX Works explains the adaptive format.
If You Fail the NCLEX, When Can You Take It Again?
How long after failing the NCLEX can you retake it? At least 45 test-free days must pass between one exam and the next. The NCSBN retake policy allows a retake 45 days after the exam was administered, and the Candidate Bulletin confirms that repeat candidates are offered an appointment after 45 days.
Some boards ask for more time. NCSBN notes that some NRBs require candidates to wait longer between exams, and that this will be reflected in the validity dates of your new Authorization to Test (ATT). Go by those dates, not your own count.
Your official result comes from your NRB, which sends it within six weeks of the exam.
Your Board Can Set Stricter Rules
Some jurisdictions have stricter limits on the number of NCLEX exams a candidate can take each year, and the Candidate Bulletin notes that the policy applies unless your jurisdiction only offers a limited number of NCLEX exams per year.
Two examples of boards that publish stricter rules:
- Florida. The Florida Board of Nursing states: "After three failures of the same level of examination (RN or LPN), regardless of jurisdiction, the applicant must successfully complete a Florida Board of Nursing approved remedial course." The course includes classroom and clinical components, and proof of completion must come directly from the course provider before you are approved to take the exam a fourth time.
- Manitoba. The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba gives Canadian-educated applicants "as many attempts as are possible within the three years immediately following the completion date of their nursing education programs." Graduate nurses who do not pass on their second write are no longer permitted to practice as graduate nurses.
These are examples, not a full list. Rules differ from board to board and change, so the only reliable answer to how many times you can fail the NCLEX is the one your own board gives. NCSBN encourages candidates to contact their NRB for its NCLEX retake policy, and its website lists every NRB's contact information.
How to Retake the NCLEX: Re-Registration Step by Step
NCSBN lists five steps for a retake:
- Contact your NRB and tell them you plan to retake the exam.
- Wait for your NRB's instructions. The NRB will tell you about any fees or materials it requires to make you eligible to test again.
- Re-register with Pearson VUE and pay the registration fee.
- Wait for a new ATT.
- Schedule a new exam appointment.
Two rules help you avoid paying twice:
- One open registration at a time. You cannot have two NCLEX registrations of the same exam type open at once. If you re-register while a current registration is still open, the second registration is denied and its fee is not refunded. If you are unsure, ask Pearson VUE or your NRB before you pay.
- The ATT window is fixed. You must test within the validity dates on your ATT. Those dates average 90 days and cannot be extended for any reason. If you miss them, you have to re-register and pay again.
How Much Does It Cost to Retake the NCLEX?
The NCLEX retake fee is the same as any registration fee: NCSBN applies the same fee to all NCLEX registrations, including retakes, based on the date the registration is completed.
For U.S. licensure, that means $200 USD if you complete your retake registration before February 1, 2027, or $350 USD if you register on or after that date. The exam date does not affect the fee; the 2027 fee change explains why the registration date matters. Fees for Canadian and Australian licensure, and the other NCLEX fees, are on our page about what the NCLEX costs.
On a retake, three points matter:
- Your board's fees are separate. Any fees your NRB requires to make you eligible again are set by the NRB, not by NCSBN.
- There are no refunds. NCLEX fees are not refunded for any reason.
- A missed appointment costs a full fee. To change or cancel, contact Pearson VUE at least one full business day (24 hours) before your appointment; for a Saturday, Sunday or Monday appointment, do it no later than the Friday before and at least 24 hours ahead of your appointment time. Not showing up, or changing without that notice, forfeits the exam fee and invalidates the ATT, and you have to register and pay again.
Your board may ask for more: the Florida Board of Nursing tells candidates to give Pearson VUE three business days' notice, and in Florida a missed exam also ends GN/GPN status.
Start With Your Candidate Performance Report
Candidates who do not pass receive a Candidate Performance Report (CPR), which NCSBN describes as a guide to prepare for the retake.
The CPR is an individualized, two-page document. It shows your performance across the NCLEX Test Plan content areas and the clinical judgment categories, each marked as:
- Below the Passing Standard
- Near the Passing Standard
- Above the Passing Standard
"Near" means your result in that area was not clearly above or below the standard. The report also includes resources for further review before you retest.
NCSBN suggests an order: concentrate first on the areas listed under "Below the Passing Standard," then work up to the areas listed as "Near the Passing Standard." Areas above the standard still deserve study, so you keep your proficiency.
The NCLEX is not graded in sections: your overall performance decides pass or fail. If you did not answer the minimum number of items, you receive an abbreviated CPR: how many questions you answered and how many are required for an evaluation, with no further diagnostic information.
A Realistic NCLEX Retake Plan
No plan can guarantee a result, but a plan can make sure the next attempt is built on evidence rather than panic.
1. Give yourself a short pause. The 45-day rule means you cannot test again tomorrow anyway, so use the first days to recover. The NCLEX anxiety guide can help if fear starts running the plan.
2. Contact your NRB early. Ask what it needs from you, whether it requires a longer wait, and whether it has an attempt limit or a deadline. Your timeline depends on those answers.
3. Rebuild the plan around your CPR. List your "Below" and "Near" areas and study them in NCSBN's order, "Below" first, then "Near," with regular review of the rest. The 2026 NCLEX study roadmap turns the Test Plan into a weekly routine, and evidence-based study methods explains why active practice beats rereading notes. Before you set a date, read how to pass the NCLEX and look for any pattern that sounds like your first attempt.
4. Practice the format, not only the content. Clinical judgment items and the one-way, adaptive format are part of the exam. The NCLEX test-taking strategies guide helps you practice decisions under the same conditions.
5. Schedule when you are ready, inside your ATT window. Re-register when your plan is realistic, and book a date within the ATT validity dates. Review what to expect on test day so the logistics do not take attention away from the questions.
NCLEX Retake Rules at a Glance
| Question | NCSBN policy | Where your board may differ |
|---|---|---|
| How often can I test? | Up to eight times a year | Fewer attempts a year, or a time window (Manitoba: three years after completing the program, Canadian-educated applicants) |
| How long do I wait? | At least 45 test-free days between exams | A longer wait, shown in your new ATT's validity dates |
| What do I do to retake? | Contact your NRB, re-register with Pearson VUE, pay the fee, wait for a new ATT | Extra materials or fees to become eligible again |
| What does it cost? | The registration fee in effect on the date you register; no refunds | The NRB's own fees |
| After several failed attempts? | A Candidate Performance Report after each attempt you do not pass | A required course (Florida: after three failures, before a fourth attempt) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times can you fail the NCLEX?
NCSBN's policy allows up to eight attempts a year, with 45 test-free days between them. Your board can add its own limits, so ask your NRB which rules apply to you.
Do you have to wait 45 days to retake the NCLEX?
Yes. NCSBN requires at least 45 test-free days between exams. Some NRBs require a longer wait, which shows in the validity dates of your new ATT.
If you fail the NCLEX-PN, when can you retake it?
The same rules apply to the NCLEX-PN: at least 45 test-free days between exams and up to eight attempts a year, unless your board is stricter.
Who do I contact to retake the NCLEX?
Your nursing regulatory body first; it tells you what it needs, then you re-register with Pearson VUE.
Does my next attempt start where the last one ended?
No. Each attempt is independent. The adaptive testing process begins again, item selection is based on your answers during that attempt, and you will not see items from your previous exams.
Will my retake cost the new fee after February 1, 2027?
Only if you complete the retake registration on or after February 1, 2027. The fee follows the date you register, not the date you test, as the 2027 fee change explains. For the full list of NCLEX fees, see what the NCLEX costs.
Do I get a Candidate Performance Report if I pass?
No. The detailed report goes only to candidates who do not pass, to help them direct their preparation.
Before You Register Again
A retake is a second chance to take the exam, not a return to the beginning. You already know the format, the test day and the areas your report points to. Explore ExamReady NCLEX preparation when you want a structured place to practice before you register again.
Official resources
- NCLEX: Results and retake policy
- NCLEX: Candidate Performance Report
- 2026 NCLEX Candidate Bulletin
- NCLEX: Frequently asked questions
- NCLEX: Registration
- NCLEX: Scheduling, rescheduling and cancellation
- NCLEX: Fees and payment
- Florida Board of Nursing: NCLEX FAQs
- College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba: NCLEX-RN exam
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