NCLEX-PN by state: fees, separate boards and special rules
Most boards run the PN application through the same system as the RN one, but the fee, the board or the rules sometimes differ. This page collects the PN-specific facts we could verify for 35 states. For the step-by-step application process, use the state guide for your state, which is written for the RN route and applies to most of the PN process too.
Last checked October 2026. Based on state board instructions where noted and third-party summaries otherwise. States not listed are ones where we did not verify PN-specific details, so read your board’s practical nurse page.
| State | What we found for PN |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $375 in total for LPN, the same as RN, split as a $200 application fee, $100 license fee and $75 fingerprint fee (Board). |
| Arizona | A guide says candidates who fail the RN exam can apply for the NCLEX-PN with a new application and fee, without further program verification. |
| Arkansas | RN program graduates who fail the RN exam may be admitted to the PN exam if otherwise qualified (Board). |
| California and Texas | The license is called licensed vocational nurse (LVN), though the exam is the NCLEX-PN. |
| Connecticut | LPN application reported at $150, against $180 for RN. The Board recommends registering with Pearson VUE before applying. |
| Delaware | RN and LPN licensure by examination reported at the same fee. |
| Indiana | A guide reports the same $50 application fee for LPN and RN. |
| Iowa | $143 for both LPN and RN, including the background check (Board). |
| Kansas | LPN $50 and RN $75 (Board instructions). |
| Kentucky | The Board says the process is the same for LPNs and RNs, with a $125 application fee. |
| Louisiana | Practical nurses go through the separate Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. A new application, fee and Pearson VUE registration is required for each testing attempt (Board). |
| Maine | LPN $50 against $75 for RN (Board). |
| Maryland | The Board lists a $100 exam fee for RN and LPN applicants. |
| Michigan | $212.90 for either RN or LPN by examination, covering the application and two-year license (LARA). |
| Minnesota | The Board’s annual report lists the same $105 application fee for RN and LPN examination applicants. |
| Mississippi | LPN $60 against $100 for RN. The Board says state law does not allow LPN licensure based on partial completion of an RN program. |
| Missouri | LPN reported at about $41, against $45 for RN. |
| Montana | The Board’s instructions list a $100 licensure by examination fee for both RN and LPN. |
| Nebraska | $123 for RN and LPN applicants unless you qualify for the low-income waiver (DHHS). |
| Nevada | LPN $90 against $100 for RN (Board). |
| North Carolina | A summary reports a $75 application fee and a $38 background check for the LPN route, the same as RN. |
| North Dakota | A guide reports a $145 combined initial RN/LPN exam application. |
| Ohio | $75 for both the PN and RN exam applications. A new application is required after a failed attempt (Board). |
| Oklahoma | A guide says RN graduates who fail the NCLEX-RN can apply for LPN licensure using an equivalency application packet. |
| Oregon | A summary reports a $160 application fee for LPN or RN by examination, and a $25 retake application. |
| Rhode Island | LPN reported at about $45, against about $135 for RN. |
| South Dakota | Offers LPN licensure by equivalency for some RN applicants who did not pass the NCLEX-RN (Board). |
| Tennessee | The Board’s new-graduate instructions cover RN and LPN together. LPN applicants must use OCA code 1704 for the background check, and RN applicants 1703. |
| Utah | The authorization to test application to DOPL is separate from the license application, and the license fee is listed at $90. |
| Vermont | The Office of Professional Regulation publishes a separate LPN application instructions sheet, with the same online process as RN. |
| Virginia | LPN $170 against $190 for RN (Board form). |
| West Virginia | A guide says a separate Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses handles LPN licensure. |
| Wisconsin | A guide reports the same application fee for RN and LPN. |
| Wyoming | A guide reports a $130 application fee and a $60 background check for LPN, the same as RN. |
PN application fees exclude the $200 Pearson VUE fee and usually exclude background checks. ‘Reported’ means a third-party summary, not the board’s own page.
How to use this page
- Start with your state’s guide in the directory for the application steps, then check the row above for any PN difference.
- Treat fees as a guide. Boards change them, and several of these come from third-party summaries.
- If your state is not listed, go to your board’s page for licensure by examination for practical nurses and note the fee, the background check and any extra steps.
Official source & community discussion
NCSBN: contact your board of nursing (official) →
See related questions on Quora →