For the first time since 2000, the price of the NCLEX is going up. Starting Feb. 1, 2027, registering for the exam in the United States will cost $350 instead of $200, a $150 jump. The detail most students miss: the price is locked by the day you register, not the day you sit for the test.
What happened
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which owns the NCLEX, announced on Aug. 21, 2026 that its Delegate Assembly had voted at the annual meeting to change the registration fee. The new amounts take effect Feb. 1, 2027: $350 in the United States, $350 in Australia and $570 CAD in Canada. The current U.S. fee is $200.
NCSBN’s rule for who pays what is simple. If your registration with Pearson VUE is completed before Feb. 1, 2027, you pay the current fee. If you register on or after Feb. 1, you pay the new one. In NCSBN’s words, “The exam date does not affect the fee.”
The increase covers every NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN registration, retakes included. International scheduling fees and the change fees (for switching your board of nursing or exam type) stay the same, and the REx-PN fee is not affected. NCSBN points to 25 years of inflation and rising costs for running the exam, protecting candidate data and cybersecurity. One thing has not changed: registration fees are not refunded for any reason, including a no-show or a duplicate registration.
Why it matters at the bedside
Every new graduate who passes the NCLEX becomes part of the bedside workforce, and the stretch between graduation and the first paycheck is already tight. Licensure application fees, background checks, fingerprinting, scrubs and moving costs pile up before a new nurse earns anything. Another $150 lands in exactly that gap.
The bigger cost is a retake. Each attempt is a fresh registration, so after Feb. 1 every attempt costs $350. A graduate who needs a second try is out $700 in registration fees alone, plus the weeks of delayed income while waiting to test again. For hospitals counting on a new-grad cohort to fill shifts, a failed first attempt pushes a start date back. Preceptors, clinical instructors and nurse residency coordinators who work with December graduates can help simply by making sure those students know the date.
Try it on NurseSavvyTake the free NCLEX readiness exam →An adaptive practice exam that shows where you stand and what to fix first, so you schedule when you are ready and pay for one attempt.What it means for nursing students and the NCLEX
This is logistics, not content, but the logistics trip people up. Getting to test day takes two separate steps. You apply for licensure with your state board of nursing, and you register for the exam with Pearson VUE and pay the fee. Only after the board confirms your eligibility do you receive your Authorization to Test (ATT) and pick a test date. The fee change is tied to the Pearson VUE step.
That means fall 2026 graduates who register before Feb. 1 should pay $200 even if they test in February or March. But do not assume that any early registration automatically works out. How long a registration and an ATT stay valid, and the order your board wants the steps done in, are details to confirm with your own state board of nursing before you pay. Because fees are never refunded, a registration that expires or gets duplicated is money gone.
The other trap is registering early and then testing before you are ready just because the clock is running. Saving $150 does not help if it leads to a $350 retake. The smart order is: know your readiness, set a realistic test window, then register so the timing works with your study plan.
Try it on NurseSavvyMap your study runway to test day →Enter a date and see the days you have left split into learn, questions, misses-only and rest phases.What to do now
- Graduating in December 2026 or January 2027? Aim to register well before Feb. 1, 2027. Registrations completed before that date pay the current $200 fee; do not leave it to the last night.
- Call or check your state board of nursing before registering early. Ask how long your registration and ATT stay valid and what order the board wants for the licensure application and the Pearson VUE registration.
- Register once. Duplicate registrations are not refunded. Use the same name that appears on your ID and your board application.
- Check your readiness before you schedule. A practice exam now tells you whether to book an early test date or give yourself more runway.
- Budget for the new price if you are graduating later in 2027, and count the cost of a possible retake into your plan.
Common questions
Does my NCLEX test date decide whether I pay $200 or $350?
No. NCSBN says the fee is set by the date you register with Pearson VUE. A registration completed before Feb. 1, 2027 pays the current $200 U.S. fee, even if the exam itself happens later. A registration on or after Feb. 1 pays $350.
Do NCLEX retakes cost $350 after Feb. 1, 2027?
Yes. Every retake is a new registration, and the new fee applies to all NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN registrations made on or after Feb. 1, 2027, including retakes.
Can I register now and test whenever I want?
Not necessarily. How long a registration and your Authorization to Test stay usable depends on the testing rules and your state board of nursing, and fees are never refunded. Check with your board before you register early.