NCLEX-PN
Offered by NCSBN
The NCLEX-PN is the National Council Licensure Examination for practical/vocational nurses (LPN/LVN) in the United States. Like the NCLEX-RN, it is a...
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NCLEX-PN exam at a glance
Format
Variable-length CAT: 85–150 items (including clinical-judgment case studies and 15 unscored pretest items)
Duration
Up to 5 hours (includes tutorial and all breaks)
Delivery
Pearson VUE test center
Passing score
Pass/fail via the CAT algorithm against the NCSBN passing standard (−0.18 logits for NCLEX-PN)
Exam cost
$200 USD registration fee for U.S. licensure candidates (plus any state board fees)
Validity
Licensure is maintained per your state nursing board's renewal rules
Prerequisites
Graduation from an approved PN/VN program and authorization to test from a nursing regulatory body
About the NCLEX-PN certification
The NCLEX-PN is the National Council Licensure Examination for practical/vocational nurses (LPN/LVN) in the United States. Like the NCLEX-RN, it is a variable-length computerized adaptive test (CAT) from the NCSBN and includes Next Generation NCLEX clinical-judgment items.
The 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan is effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029. The PN and RN exams are scored on separate scales and have different passing standards.
Who it’s for: Graduates of approved practical or vocational nursing programs seeking LPN/LVN licensure.
Official exam page· Details verified 2026-08
What the NCLEX-PN exam covers
- Safe and Effective Care Environment
- Health Promotion and Maintenance
- Psychosocial Integrity
- Physiological Integrity
How to study for the NCLEX-PN
- 1Study the 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan (effective April 1, 2026–March 31, 2029).
- 2Practice NGN clinical-judgment case studies and stand-alone items.
- 3Focus on scope of practical nursing: what an LPN/LVN may do versus what must be RN-delegated.
- 4Do large volumes of practice questions and review rationales.
- 5Simulate CAT pacing; the exam stops between 85 and 150 items.
NCLEX-PN — frequently asked questions
How is NCLEX-PN different from NCLEX-RN?
They are separate exams with different scopes and passing standards. PN reflects practical/vocational nursing; RN reflects registered-nurse practice. Item counts (85–150) and the 5-hour limit are the same CAT structure.
How many questions will I get?
Between 85 and 150. The number does not predict pass/fail — the adaptive algorithm stops once it is 95% confident you are above or below the passing standard.