NCLEX in Ohio: the $75 board fee, WebCheck fingerprints and a new application after a fail
In Ohio you apply to the Ohio Board of Nursing through its eLicense system, pay a $75 non-refundable application fee, complete BCI and FBI fingerprint checks, and register with Pearson VUE. The Board then tells Pearson VUE you are eligible and your Authorization to Test is emailed.
Last checked October 2026. Based on the Board’s RN examination application instructions and third-party summaries. The state also charges an eLicense transaction fee on top of the application fee, so check the Board’s fee schedule.
The path for a new graduate
Submit the licensure by examination application in the state's eLicense portal and pay online, or it stays pending.
Complete BCI and FBI checks through the WebCheck program and ask for a Direct Copy to the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Register and pay $200. The information you give Pearson VUE must match your Board application.
Graduates of non-Ohio programs send a signed and sealed official transcript directly to the Board.
Once the Board confirms you are eligible, Pearson VUE emails your ATT.
If you fail
Ohio’s instructions say your application will show as closed and you must submit a new licensure application to the Board and register with Pearson VUE again. The earliest test date Pearson VUE allows is 45 days after the date you failed.
Common questions
Do I need a multistate license?
Reports describe both a single-state and a multistate Ohio license, at $75 and $100. Confirm which you are eligible for and what each allows on the Board’s site.
Is $75 the whole cost?
The Board’s instructions note that the state charges an eLicense system transaction fee on top of the $75, so budget slightly more and check its fee schedule.