NCLEX in Arkansas: a temporary permit, and your primary state of residence
Arkansas asks you to complete two applications, one with its Board of Nursing and one with Pearson VUE, and register with Pearson VUE before or at the same time as you submit the state application. A temporary permit is available only if you are registered with Pearson VUE and your background checks are clear.
Last checked October 2026. Based on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s RN initial by exam page and third-party fee summaries. Confirm current fees on the Board’s page.
The path for a new graduate
The Board says to complete registration with the testing vendor before or at the same time as the state application. Select Arkansas as the state of licensure.
Apply through the Nurse Portal, ideally about 60 days before graduation according to a guide, and pay the fee. You declare your primary state of residence in the application.
After submitting your application and fee, follow the Board's criminal background check instructions carefully. State and federal results must reach the Board before a license is issued.
If you graduated from a program outside Arkansas, your program director completes a paper Affidavit of Graduation and mails it directly to the Board.
Once the Board has everything, it tells Pearson VUE you are eligible and your ATT is issued.
Primary state of residence
The Board’s application says that if your primary state of residence is a compact state, you must apply for licensure there. If it is Arkansas or a non-compact state, you can apply in Arkansas. Check this before you pay.
Common questions
What if I fail?
A guide reports you submit the rewrite application in the Nurse Portal with its fees, and register again with Pearson VUE and pay again.
Can I take the PN exam after failing the RN?
The Board says a graduate of an approved RN program who fails the RN exam may be admitted to the practical nurse exam if otherwise qualified, with a transcript and a copy of the failure results.