The NCLEX-RN exam: questions, length, passing score and pass rates
The NCLEX-RN has between 85 and 150 questions and a five-hour limit that includes breaks. There is no fixed percentage to hit: you pass when your ability estimate is at or above 0.00 logits. In 2025, 86.7% of first-time, US-educated candidates passed, according to NCSBN.
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How many questions are on the NCLEX?
How many questions on the NCLEX-RN you see depends on you. Every candidate answers at least 85 items and at most 150, and 15 of them are unscored pretest items you cannot tell apart from the rest. So how many questions is the NCLEX for a typical candidate? NCSBN’s 2025 statistics for first-time, US-educated RN candidates give an average test length of 103 items; 59.1% stopped at the minimum and 20.5% went to the maximum.
The count ends according to three rules: the exam stops once it is 95% certain you are above or below the passing standard; at 150 items the final ability estimate decides; and if time runs out, candidates below the minimum fail while the rest are judged on their final estimate.
Source: NCSBN — NCLEX-RN Test Plan, effective April 2026. Checked 18 October 2026.
How long is the NCLEX exam?
The time limit is five hours regardless of how many items you get, and the clock does not stop for breaks. Breaks are optional: the first is offered after two hours of testing, the second after three and a half hours.
How long is NCLEX-RN exam time in practice? For first-time, US-educated candidates in 2025, NCSBN reports an average testing time of 2 hours 14 minutes, and only 0.5% used the full five hours. Plan your pacing for the full limit anyway.
Source: NCSBN — 2026 NCLEX Candidate Bulletin. Checked 18 October 2026.
NCLEX passing score
The NCLEX passing score is not a percentage. NCSBN sets a passing standard on its ability scale: 0.00 logits for the NCLEX-RN, in force through March 31, 2029. The Board of Directors reevaluates it every three years, when the test plans are reviewed.
Passing the NCLEX therefore means your final ability estimate is at or above that standard. Two candidates can both pass with different numbers of correct answers, because the exam adapts the difficulty of each item.
Source: NCSBN — NCLEX passing standard. Checked 18 October 2026.
NCLEX-RN pass rate
NCSBN publishes pass rates by candidate group. For 2025 (January to December), the NCLEX-RN pass rate for US licensure was:
- First-time, US-educated: 86.7% (167,272 of 192,916)
- Repeat, US-educated: 52.7% (22,404 of 42,513)
- First-time, internationally educated: 47.3% (24,999 of 52,827)
- Repeat, internationally educated: 30.5% (12,271 of 40,187)
- All candidates: 69.1% (226,946 of 328,443)
Source: NCSBN — 2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics (Research Brief Vol. 96, June 2026). Checked 18 October 2026.
What the NCLEX pass rate tells you
The overall NCLEX pass rate mixes very different groups. First-time, US-educated candidates passed at 86.7% in 2025, while repeat candidates passed at a much lower rate, so the first attempt is the one to prepare for properly. NCSBN also publishes an interactive dashboard with pass rates by program and by first-time versus repeat status.
Source: NCSBN — 2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics (Research Brief Vol. 96, June 2026). Checked 18 October 2026.
How to register for the NCLEX
NCLEX registration has a fixed order. Apply for licensure to your nursing regulatory body (NRB) first, then register for the NCLEX with Pearson online at nclex.com or by phone through Pearson NCLEX Candidate Services, and pay the fee. Pearson confirms with a Registration Acknowledgment email.
Once your NRB declares you eligible, you receive the Authorization to Test (ATT) email. The ATT is valid for a period your NRB sets, on average 90 days, and cannot be extended. Request testing accommodations through your NRB, not Pearson.
Source: NCSBN — 2026 NCLEX Candidate Bulletin. Checked 18 October 2026.
NCLEX-RN schedule and NCLEX exam dates
There are no national NCLEX exam dates. You schedule NCLEX appointments with Pearson online or by phone once you hold your ATT, and testing runs year-round at Pearson Professional testing locations. First-time candidates are offered an appointment within 30 days; repeat candidates after 45 days.
Build your NCLEX exam schedule around the ATT window: book early enough to keep a buffer inside it. You can change your NCLEX-RN schedule up to 24 hours before the day and time of the appointment. Retakes are allowed up to eight times a year, with at least 45 test-free days in between.
Source: NCSBN — Register for the NCLEX. Checked 18 October 2026.
NCLEX-RN exam: questions people ask
How many questions is the NCLEX?
Between 85 and 150, including 15 unscored pretest items. Source: NCSBN NCLEX-RN Test Plan, checked 18 October 2026.
How long is the NCLEX-RN exam?
Up to five hours, breaks included. The 2025 average for first-time, US-educated candidates was 2 hours 14 minutes. Source: NCSBN, checked 18 October 2026.
What is the passing score for NCLEX-RN?
A passing standard of 0.00 logits, not a percentage, through March 31, 2029. Source: NCSBN passing standard page, checked 18 October 2026.
What is the NCLEX pass rate?
In 2025, 86.7% for first-time, US-educated candidates and 69.1% for all candidates testing for US licensure. Source: NCSBN 2025 NCLEX Examination Statistics, checked 18 October 2026.
How do I register for NCLEX-RN?
Apply to your NRB, register and pay with Pearson online or by phone, then schedule after you receive your ATT email. Source: NCSBN 2026 Candidate Bulletin, checked 18 October 2026.
How do I schedule the NCLEX exam?
Through Pearson online or by phone, once you have your ATT. First-time candidates are offered an appointment within 30 days. Source: NCSBN, checked 18 October 2026.
