The role

What this body does

Shared RN licensure examination program used by United States boards and Canadian regulators

Jurisdiction boundary

Where this role applies

United States and Canada; regulator eligibility remains jurisdiction-specific

The role stops at that scope. Licensing, registration, immigration, work authorisation, and eligibility decisions belong to other bodies.

Applicability

Who needs this body, pathway by pathway

Connected pathway pages

Connected process steps

Connected official evidence

Fees, timing, and other official information

Official fee facts

Published timing information

No confirmed duration is shown for this body. Check the official source directly; no end-to-end estimate is inferred.

Connected-step cautions

Common mistakes in connected steps

  • Treating exam registration, or a passing result, as the licence itself.
  • Treating Pearson registration or a passing result as a state licence.

Questions about this official body

Who decides if I can sit the NCLEX-RN, and who issues the licence?
The United States board or Canadian regulator you apply to decides eligibility and issues the licence. NCSBN develops the NCLEX-RN and Pearson VUE administers the exam.

Evidence record

Official source ledger

Each entry records who published the source, what it covers, and when it was last checked.

  1. National Council of State Boards of Nursing and Pearson VUE

    NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin, April 2026

    Scope
    United States and Canada NCLEX administration
    Last verified
    Open official source (external site)
  2. National Council of State Boards of Nursing and Pearson VUE

    Fees and Payment

    Scope
    United States and Canada NCLEX administration
    Last verified
    Open official source (external site)

NCSBN develops the NCLEX-RN and Pearson VUE administers it. Your chosen state or province decides eligibility and issues the licence.