Free NCLEX-RN Practice Test

Answer Next Generation NCLEX questions written to the 2026 RN test plan, read the rationale for every option, then sit a timed exam with three unfolding case studies, scored the way NCSBN scores it.

Take the full NCLEX-RN practice exam

85 questions including three unfolding case studies, weighted to the 2026 test plan, with NCSBN partial-credit scoring and a rationale for every option.

Or start with a free drill
  • 643 original questions with a rationale for every option
  • 161 select-all-that-apply items and 8 unfolding case studies
  • 10 free drills, one per client-needs category plus SATA and case study
Free sample · Question 1 of 5Reduction of Risk Potential

The nurse is starting a peripheral IV on an older adult with fragile veins. Which choice is best?

The NCLEX-RN at a glance

The NCLEX-RN is the licensure examination for registered nurses in the United States, its territories and Canada, developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and delivered by Pearson VUE. In 2025, 328,443 candidates took it for U.S. licensure and 69.1% passed.

Test plan
2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029
Format
Computer adaptive (CAT): 85 to 150 items, including 15 unscored pretest items and three six-item clinical judgment case studies
Time
5 hours, including the tutorial and all breaks; optional breaks are offered after 2 hours and after 3.5 hours
Item types
Stand-alone items and case studies in multiple formats; items with more than one key earn partial credit (plus/minus, zero/one or rationale scoring)
Pass or fail
Decided by the 95% confidence interval rule once 85 items are answered; at 150 items or when time runs out, the final ability estimate decides
Fee
$200 registration ($360 CAD in Canada) until January 31, 2027; $350 ($570 CAD) from February 1, 2027. $150 extra to schedule outside the United States
Retakes
Up to eight times a year with at least 45 test-free days between attempts; your nursing regulatory body may allow fewer
Pass rates (2025)
86.7% of first-time U.S.-educated candidates; 47.3% of first-time internationally educated candidates; 52.7% and 30.5% of repeat candidates
Line drawing of a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, a clipboard chart, a cup of tablets, an IV bag on a pole and an ID badge on a lanyard

The 2026 test plan, and a free drill for each category

Every NCLEX-RN draws its stand-alone items from eight client-needs categories in these proportions (±3% on any one exam). Each drill is ten questions with a rationale for every option after each answer; create a free account to save your results. Each category also has its own guide page.

Client-needs categoryShare of examWhat it testsDrill
Management of CareSafe and Effective Care Environment15–21%Delegation and supervision, prioritizing by acuity, handoff, advocacy, consent, advance directives, confidentiality, ethics, legal scope and the plan of care.10-question drill
Safety and Infection Prevention and ControlSafe and Effective Care Environment10–16%Hand hygiene, isolation precautions, sterile technique, client identification, falls and injury prevention, restraints, hazardous materials, emergency plans and safe equipment.10-question drill
Health Promotion and MaintenanceHealth Promotion and Maintenance6–12%Prenatal, labor, postpartum and newborn care, growth and development across the lifespan, screening, immunizations, prevention and client teaching.10-question drill
Psychosocial IntegrityPsychosocial Integrity6–12%Therapeutic communication, mental health conditions, substance use and withdrawal, abuse and neglect, crisis, grief, end-of-life care and cultural practices.10-question drill
Basic Care and ComfortPhysiological Integrity6–12%Activities of daily living, nutrition and tube feeding, elimination, mobility and assistive devices, skin integrity, sleep, pain and nonpharmacological comfort.10-question drill
Pharmacological and Parenteral TherapiesPhysiological Integrity13–19%Medication rights and calculations, high-alert drugs, adverse effects and interactions, IV therapy, blood products, central lines, parenteral nutrition and pain medication.10-question drill
Reduction of Risk PotentialPhysiological Integrity9–15%Vital sign trends, lab and diagnostic results, focused assessments, preoperative and postoperative care, procedures, specimens, tubes, catheters and complications.10-question drill
Physiological AdaptationPhysiological Integrity11–17%Acute and chronic illness management, fluid and electrolyte and acid-base imbalances, hemodynamics, emergencies, ventilators, drainage devices and pathophysiology.10-question drill

Next Generation NCLEX item types

Select All That ApplyTen select-all-that-apply items from every category, scored with NCSBN’s plus/minus rule so you learn to commit to each option.10 questions · UntimedUnfolding Case StudyOne Next Generation NCLEX case study: six questions about one client, from recognizing cues to evaluating outcomes, with the chart tabs beside each question.6 questions · Untimed

Ready for the full exam?

Take the full NCLEX-RN practice exam

85 questions including three unfolding case studies, weighted to the 2026 test plan, with NCSBN partial-credit scoring and a rationale for every option.

Or start with a free drill

Two timed mock exams

The real exam is adaptive: it ends anywhere from 85 to 150 items, within five hours. Our mock exams are the two ends of that range, both paced at two minutes per item, both with three unfolding case studies, both weighted to the midpoint of every category range.

NCLEX-RN practice exam (85 items)The minimum-length NCLEX-RN: three unfolding case studies (18 items) plus 67 stand-alone items weighted to the 2026 test plan, in 2 hours 50 minutes.85 items · 2 h 50 min · Needs a practice passNCLEX-RN maximum-length practice exam (150 items)The longest sitting the real exam can run: three case studies plus 132 stand-alone items weighted to the test plan, in the full five hours.150 items · 5 hours · Needs a practice pass

How the Next Generation NCLEX works

Since April 2023 the exam measures clinical judgment directly. Every exam includes three case studies: six items about one client that unfold through the six steps of NCSBN’s Clinical Judgment Measurement Model. About 10% of the stand-alone items also measure clinical judgment.

  1. 1Recognize cues
  2. 2Analyze cues
  3. 3Prioritize hypotheses
  4. 4Generate solutions
  5. 5Take action
  6. 6Evaluate outcomes

Items with more than one key earn partial credit. Select-all-that-apply items use plus/minus scoring (+1 per correct option selected, −1 per incorrect option selected, never below zero). Items that ask for a set number of responses use zero/one scoring, and paired drop-down rationale items need both parts right. Our practice applies the plus/minus and zero/one rules to every item, so your points mean what they would mean on exam day.

The exam starts with items near the passing standard and then selects items at your estimated ability. It stops once it is 95% certain you are above or below the standard, which can happen at item 85 or not until item 150 or the five-hour limit, so the length of your exam says nothing about the result.

Guides for the candidates who fail most often

In 2025, 86.7% of first-time U.S.-educated candidates passed. Internationally educated first-time candidates passed at 47.3%, and repeat candidates at 52.7% (U.S.-educated) and 30.5% (internationally educated).

NCLEX-RN for internationally educated nursesIn 2025, 47.3% of internationally educated first-time candidates passed the NCLEX-RN, against 86.7% of U.S.-educated candidates. Pass rates by country, what the exam tests, and practice built on the 2026 test plan.Read the guideRetaking the NCLEX-RNFailed the NCLEX-RN? You can retest after 45 test-free days, up to eight times a year. 52.7% of U.S.-educated and 30.5% of internationally educated repeat candidates passed in 2025. How to read your Candidate Performance Report and practice by category.Read the guide

Common questions

How many questions are on the NCLEX-RN?

Between 85 and 150. The exam is computer adaptive and stops as soon as it is 95% certain you are above or below the passing standard, once you have answered at least 85 items. Every exam includes 15 unscored pretest items and three clinical judgment case studies of six items each, so the minimum-length exam has 52 stand-alone scored items, 18 case-study items and 15 pretest items.

How long is the NCLEX-RN?

Five hours, whatever the number of items. The clock includes the introductory tutorial and all breaks. Two optional breaks are offered, after two hours and after three and a half hours of testing.

What does the 2026 NCLEX-RN test plan cover?

Eight client-needs categories: Management of Care (15–21%), Safety and Infection Prevention and Control (10–16%), Health Promotion and Maintenance (6–12%), Psychosocial Integrity (6–12%), Basic Care and Comfort (6–12%), Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies (13–19%), Reduction of Risk Potential (9–15%) and Physiological Adaptation (11–17%). The 2026 plan took effect on April 1, 2026 and keeps the 2023 percentages; the second category was renamed from Safety and Infection Control.

What are Next Generation NCLEX case studies?

Six items about one client that unfold in order through the six steps of NCSBN’s Clinical Judgment Measurement Model: recognize cues, analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action and evaluate outcomes. Every exam has three of them. Our mock exams include three case studies, and the case-study drill lets you practice one at a time.

How are select-all-that-apply questions scored?

With NCSBN’s plus/minus rule: you earn one point for every correct option you select and lose one point for every incorrect option you select, never below zero. A question with three keys is worth three points. Our drills and mock exams score select-all-that-apply items exactly that way and show the points for each question.

How does the NCLEX decide pass or fail?

By your ability estimate against the passing standard. Usually the exam stops when the computer is 95% certain of the result, which can happen at 85 items. If you reach 150 items, your final ability estimate decides. If you run out of time before 150 items, you pass only if you have answered at least 85 items and your final estimate is at or above the standard.

How much does the NCLEX cost, and how often can I retake it?

Registration is $200 (CAD $360 in Canada) for registrations completed before February 1, 2027, and $350 (CAD $570) from that date, for first attempts and retakes alike. Scheduling outside the United States adds $150. You can test up to eight times a year, with at least 45 test-free days between attempts; some nursing regulatory bodies allow fewer attempts.

Is this practice exam adaptive like the real NCLEX?

No. Our 85-item and 150-item mock exams are fixed-length, weighted to the midpoint of every client-needs range and paced at the real exam’s two minutes per item. Like the real exam, you answer one item at a time and cannot go back, and the three case studies unfold in clinical-judgment order. Your report scores every category and every case so you know what to drill next.

Ready for exam day?

Take the full NCLEX-RN practice exam

85 questions including three unfolding case studies, weighted to the 2026 test plan, with NCSBN partial-credit scoring and a rationale for every option.

Or start with a free drill

Sources

Original practice questions for exam preparation, written to the 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan. Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) or Pearson VUE. NCLEX and NCLEX-RN are registered trademarks of NCSBN. Follow your employer’s policies and the health care provider’s orders in practice.