NCLEX in New Jersey: a no-fee retake application and a rule after three fails
In New Jersey you apply online to the Board of Nursing, your school sends a letter confirming you completed the program, and you register with Pearson VUE. The Board’s own overview has two features worth knowing: a retake application costs the Board nothing, and after three NCLEX failures you must complete a 30-hour review course before a fourth ATT is issued.
Last checked October 2026. Based on the Board’s exam application overview and third-party fee summaries. The Board’s fee table was only partly legible to us, so confirm the application and license fees on its site.
The path for a new graduate
Complete the licensure by examination application on the Board's website, with supporting documents and the required fees.
Register on Pearson VUE's NCLEX site and pay $200.
Your program submits a letter of completion to the Board.
The Board mails a Universal Fingerprint Form for IdentoGo after you submit your application. Out-of-state applicants are sent fingerprint cards.
ATTs are issued once the application, fees and school letter are in, and Pearson VUE then emails the ATT.
If you fail
- The retake application costs nothing at the Board, but you re-register with Pearson VUE and pay its $200 fee again.
- After three NCLEX failures, you must complete a 30-hour review course before a fourth ATT is issued, according to the Board’s overview.
- A report on the process: candidates in public forums say fingerprints are needed for the license number but not for the ATT. Treat that as unconfirmed and check with the Board.
Common questions
What does the Board charge in total?
Reports put the US graduate cost at a $75 application fee, a $120 license fee and a $5 surcharge. The Board’s foreign graduate packet lists $100, $120 and $5, so confirm which applies to you.
Is New Jersey a compact state?
Third-party summaries list New Jersey as a Nurse Licensure Compact state. Confirm with the Board before you rely on a multistate license.