You’ve Completed the NCLEX - But You Still Have Questions

This brochure provides recent NCLEX candidates information on how their results are processed, what happens if they don’t pass the exam, the NCLEX Quick Results Service and who to contact if there is a problem with the NCLEX or its administration.

Download Bulletin

Official Results

For quality control purposes, every NCLEX is scored twice, once by the computer at the test center and then after the exam record has been transmitted to Pearson VUE. The nursing regulatory body (NRB) will send the official results to candidates.

Passing Standard Considerations

Official results are ONLY available through the NRB and will be sent to candidates within six weeks after taking the exam.
Do not call NCSBN, Pearson VUE Candidate Services or the test centers for exam results.
Although the exam is scored as the candidate completes each item, no results are released at the test center. In fact, test center staff do not have access to the exam results.
If more than six weeks have passed and candidates have yet to receive a result, contact the NRB.

Quick Results

Candidates seeking licensure in the U.S. can receive their unofficial results two business days after the exam, if their NRB participates in the Quick Results Service.

Get Quick Results

Practice Analyses

NCSBN Practice Analyses are the basis for the development of the NCLEX Test Plans and are conducted every three years. These job analyses assist NCSBN in evaluating the validity of the content distribution on the NCLEX.

GET THE PRACTICE ANALYSES

Retake Policy

The NCSBN retake policy allows candidates to retake their exam 45 days after administration of the exam. Some NRBs require candidates to wait longer between exams. This will be reflected in the new ATT’s validity dates.

Candidates who have applied for licensure/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. Some jurisdictions have stricter limits on the number of NCLEX exams a candidate can take annually. Candidates are encouraged to contact the NRB for their NCLEX retake policy.

NRB Contact Details

NCLEX Retake Steps

Contact the NRB and notify them the plan to retake the exam.
The NRB will inform candidate of any fees or materials that are required to be made eligible to test again.
Reregister with Pearson VUE and pay the fee.
Wait to receive a new ATT.
Schedule a new exam appointment.

Scenarios that Render Invalid Results

A testing irregularity occurs.
An apparent discrepancy in, or falsification of, a test taker's identification.
A test taker engages in misconduct or irregular behavior.
A violation of candidate rules or otherwise breaches their Confidentiality Agreement.
The results are believed to be invalid for any other reason, notwithstanding the absence of any evidence of a candidate's personal involvement in irregular activities.

Test Security & Invalid Results

NCSBN strives to report results that accurately reflect the ability of each test taker. Accordingly, our standards and procedures for administering exams have two related goals: giving test takers comparable opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and preventing any test takers from gaining an unfair advantage over others.

NCSBN may cancel or withhold a candidate's results if, in NCSBN's judgment, there is a good faith basis to question the validity of the results for any reason, notwithstanding, the absence of any evidence of a candidate's personal involvement in irregular activities. Evidence of invalid results may include, but are not limited to, unusual answer patterns or unusual score increases from one exam to another. If a candidate's result is cancelled, revoked or invalidated without a finding that the candidate engaged in irregular behavior, the candidate may appeal the decision and/or will be offered a free retest. An appeal is a candidate's exclusive means of redress with regard to NCSBN's decision to take this action.

EXAM RESULTS