How Many Times Can You Take The NCLEX?

Testing doesn't end when nursing school does. Before you can work, you have to pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX), either the NCLEX-PN for practical nurses or the NCLEX-RN for registered nurses. Plenty of people fail on the first try. You can retake it, but how many times depends on your state.

Failing and Retaking the NCLEX

Hundreds of thousands of candidates sit for the NCLEX every year, and most pass. Many do not. In 2022, about 20% of NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN candidates failed on the first attempt. A fail isn't the end. You retake it.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which administers the exam, sets the retake floor: you wait 45 days between attempts, capping you at eight tries per year. There's no nationwide limit on total attempts. Individual states layer on their own time limits, remediation requirements, and caps, covered below.

States With Unlimited NCLEX Attempts

These states let you retake the NCLEX as many times as you need, as long as you follow the NCSBN 45-day rule:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Connecticut
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Pennsylvania
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• South Dakota
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin

States With Additional Rules for Retaking the NCLEX

If your state isn't listed above, it adds its own time limits or remediation requirements. Here's how it breaks down.

Alaska

Pass within two years of your first attempt. Keep failing past two years and you complete a remedial course before testing again.

Colorado

Three attempts within three years of your first test. For a fourth attempt, within two years of the third you must identify your deficiencies, complete a course or review, and submit a petition. Fail a fourth time and you enroll in another nursing education program.

Delaware

You can keep retaking for up to five years.

Florida

After three failed attempts, complete a remedial course approved by the Florida Board of Nursing.

Georgia

Pass within three years of graduating from a nursing education program.

Hawaii

Fail three times and you take a remedial course, then repeat the exam within six months of finishing it.

Illinois

You get three years to pass after your initial application. Miss that window and you complete additional education and submit a new licensure application.

Indiana

Fail after three attempts and you undergo a board review.

Kentucky

Fail two or more times and the Kentucky Board of Nursing sends a letter. You reapply for licensure, pay the fee again, and complete the background check and jurisprudence exam if enough time has passed.

Louisiana

Practical nurses get four attempts within two years, no later than three years after finishing a practical nursing program. Fail the NCLEX-PN and you complete the entire practical nursing program again.

Michigan

Pass within three years of graduating. If you don't, you complete a certification of skills competency or request an extension from the board.

Minnesota

No cap on attempts, but submit a retake request within eight months and repeat the test within a year.

Mississippi

Up to six attempts within two years of graduating from your nursing education program.

Missouri

File a repeat examination application with the required documents, then retake within one year from the date the application is notarized.

Nevada

Up to four attempts.

New Hampshire

Up to five attempts, including attempts in other states.

New Jersey

Fail three times and you complete board-approved remedial training before a fourth attempt.

New Mexico

A maximum of three attempts within three years of your initial eligibility.

Oklahoma

Test within two years of completing a nursing education program. Miss that and you complete a refresher course or supervised clinical experience before testing again.

Oregon

You have up to three years to pass.

South Carolina

Fail to pass within one year of your first attempt and you complete a remediation plan approved by the South Carolina Board of Nursing before reexamination. Fail to pass within three years of graduation and you requalify by enrolling in an approved nursing education program.

Tennessee

Fail twice and the board may set conditions, decided case by case. Don't pass within three years of graduating and you complete another accredited nursing program.

Texas

Don't pass within four years of graduation and you complete an approved nursing education program before retaking.

Utah

Pass within five years of graduation. Miss it and you complete another approved program.

Vermont

Don't pass within five years of graduation and you complete another nursing education program before testing again.

West Virginia

Fail twice and you complete state-approved activities to remedy knowledge gaps, listed on the state RN board's site. Fail four times and you show the board evidence of completed courses and assessments.

Wyoming

Up to 10 attempts within five years of graduation.

Frequently Asked Questions About the NCLEX

How many times can you take the NCLEX? Under NCSBN rules, eight times a year with 45 days between attempts. Many states set no total cap. Others limit you to three to five attempts before requiring a remedial course or other action.

Are there states with unlimited attempts? Yes. Even there, you still follow the NCSBN cap of eight attempts per year.

Does the NCLEX get harder each time you take it? No. The NCSBN doesn't change the difficulty based on how many times you've tested. If it feels harder, that's the pressure you're putting on yourself.

How many people fail the NCLEX the first time? About 20% to 25%, depending on the year. In 2022, about 26% of candidates failed, including repeat NCLEX-RN test-takers. The prior year it was about 20%.