National Council Licensure Examination for Practical/Vocational Nurses

Exam at a glance

Exam fee

$200 USD registration for U.S. licensure candidates plus nursing regulatory body licensure fees; $150 international scheduling fee if applicable

Questions on exam

85-150 items, including 15 unscored pretest items; minimum-length exams include 52 scored standalone items and three 6-item Next Generation case-study sets

Duration

5 hours including introductory screens, breaks, and exam time

Passing score

NCLEX-PN passing standard -0.18 logits through March 31, 2029, with 95% confidence interval, maximum-length, and run-out-of-time decision rules

Retake policy

45-day retake wait by NCSBN policy unless a jurisdiction is stricter

Validity

Licensure exam has no certification renewal; LPN/VN license renewal and CE are jurisdiction-specific

Published exam facts, from the official outline.

What’s on the NCLEX-PN exam

1. Coordinated Care (18-24%)
2. Safety and Infection Prevention and Control (10-16%)
3. Health Promotion and Maintenance (6-12%)
4. Psychosocial Integrity (9-15%)
5. Basic Care and Comfort (7-13%)
6. Pharmacological Therapies (10-16%)
7. Reduction of Risk Potential (9-15%)
8. Physiological Adaptation (7-13%)

Official exam blueprint domains — your practice bank mirrors this outline.