Licensure - Examination Information

U.S. EDUCATED APPLICANTS APPLYING FOR THEIR FIRST ATT WITH TEXAS:

Complete the appropriate application in your Texas Nurse Portal:

• LVN/LPN GRADUATES: select the application titled “NCLEX-PN Application – U.S. Graduates”
• RN GRADUATES: select the application titled “NCLEX-RN Application – U.S. Graduates”

Have you previously tested with Texas or received an ATT with Texas? Review the requirements under Step 8.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK

Effective 2004, all applicants for Texas licensure are required to submit fingerprints for a Criminal Background Check (CBC). The CBC is completed through the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and are sent directly to the TXBON by each agency.

DPS & FBI CBC results cannot be sent in by the applicant or be results previously completed for another facility or agency. Results cannot be transferred to our office/agency by another licensing/state agency, employer, and/or educational institution.

If you already completed a CBC submission for the TXBON (either as a student or during a previous application) you will not need to resubmit fingerprints for a CBC unless you are instructed to do so by TXBON staff.

The following information will assist you in completing the fingerprinting process:

If you are a Texas resident follow the instructions:
For Applicants Residing in Texas

If you are not a Texas resident follow the instructions:
For Applicants Residing Outside of Texas

If you do not have a U.S. issued Social Security number, follow the instructions:
For Applicants Without a Social Security Number

NOTE: The Texas Board of Nursing does not make judgments regarding the fingerprints that are submitted. Occasionally the DPS and/or the FBI will notify the BON that the fingerprints submitted were not usable and/or readable and therefore have been rejected. You will be notified if a rejection has been received and another set of fingerprints is required. The BON can only submit a request to initiate a name search on your behalf if our office has received two (2) quality rejections from the FBI. A rejection for any other reason (i.e. smudging, impressions too light, etc.) would not count toward this requirement.

Criminal Background Check

PEARSON VUE REGISTRATION

Register with Pearson Vue. The cost is $200.

The Board recommends that applicants complete this step a minimum of THIRTY (30) DAYS prior to graduation.

Your Pearson Vue registration MUST be completed BEFORE an ATT can be issued.

NURSING JURISPRUDENCE EXAMINATION

Effective September 2008, all NCLEX applicants are required to complete the Nursing Jurisprudence Exam (NJE) prior to receiving an ATT. The NJE is 2 hours long and based on the Texas Nursing Practice Act (NPA) and Texas Board Rules & Regulations. The Board recommends that applicants review both in preparation for the NJE.  

You can register for the NJE on our website. If you have previously completed this requirement, and the results are on-file, then you do not need to complete this again. Board staff will review your prior completion and update this requirement to your application at the time your application is initially reviewed.

Nursing Jurisprudence Examination

AFFIDAVIT OF GRADUATION

After graduation, your program dean/director must complete an Affidavit of Graduation (AOG) and submit it to our office.

GRADUATES OF TEXAS PROGRAMS:

Your program dean/director will submit the AOG electronically through the Texas AOG Portal. Your program dean/director cannot submit your AOG unless you have provided the correct NCSBN/Pearson Vue Program Code on your NCLEX Application.

GRADUATES FROM OTHER U.S. STATES & TERRITORIES (EXCLUDING PUERTO RICO):

Your program dean/director must complete the appropriate paper AOG form and submit it directly to our office. The AOG form MUST include an original seal and signature and be submitted by email to licensing@bon.texas.gov. MAILED FORMS AND FORMS SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT WILL BE REJECTED.

RN AOG FORM

LVN AOG FORM

ATT REVIEW

An ATT review will not take place until Board staff have received the following:

• NCLEX Application and fee
• Fingerprint submission/criminal background check results (completed eligibility review IF needed)
• Pearson Vue registration
• NJE completion
• Affidavit of Graduation

If the items above have been received, Board staff will review your file for an ATT within 15 business days of the last item being received. Once reviewed, Board staff will update your NCLEX checklist item (in your Nurse Portal application status page) to “Eligible”. You will receive your ATT email within 5 business days of Board staff completing your ATT review and updating your status to “eligible” in your Nurse Portal; your GN/GVN permit (if eligible) will be posted in your Nurse Portal account and the Texas Verification Portal within 5 business days of receiving your ATT email.

Your ATT and GN/GVN permit are valid for 75 days and cannot be extended.

NCLEX RESULTS

The Board will receive your NCLEX results (Pass or Fail) from Pearson Vue within 24-48 hours of your exam date. The update will post to your NCLEX checklist item in your Application status of your Texas Nurse Portal account.

Your permanent license will be issued within 15 business days AFTER we receive your passing NCLEX results.

U.S. EDUCATED APPLICANTS RETAKING THE NCLEX WITH TEXAS:

1. Complete the appropriate application in your Texas Nurse Portal:
   1. Select “NCLEX RETEST Application – U.S. Graduates”
2. Register with Pearson Vue. The cost is $200.
   1. Your Pearson Vue registration MUST be completed BEFORE an ATT can be issued.

Your AOG, fingerprint results, and NJE results are on file and do not need to be completed again.

Board staff will review your retest application for an ATT within 15 business days of receiving the last required item.

PER BOARD RULE §217.2(c)(d), ALL APPLICANTS APPLYING TO RETAKE THE NCLEX MUST BE WITHIN FOUR (4) YEARS OF THEIR GRADUATION DATE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO RETEST. Applicants who are past four (4) years of their graduation date will not be issued an ATT. To be eligible to retest, you will need to re-educate by completing a new nursing program. You can find the list of approved programs on our website. Please note that a refresher course is not acceptable as reeducation. Re-education refers to completing a new initial nursing education program and graduating with a new graduation date. Refresher courses (for nurses who are returning to practice) are not acceptable.

INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED APPLICANTS APPLYING FOR THEIR FIRST ATT WITH TEXAS:

1. Complete the appropriate application in your Texas Nurse Portal:
   • Select “NCLEX Application – International Graduates (Including Puerto Rico)”
   • Have you previously tested with Texas or received an ATT with Texas? Review the requirements under Step 10.

1.  Complete the Nursing Jurisprudence Exam (see step 4 above for more information)
2. Complete a fingerprint submission for a criminal background check (see step 2 above for more information)
3. Submit proof of receiving a passing score on an English Proficiency exam accepted by the Board (if your program was not conducted in English). The Board accepts any of the following English Proficiency exams:
• the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a passing score of 560 paper based or 220 computer based
• the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) internet-based test (iBT) with a minimum passing score of 83
• receipt of both the Test of Spoken English (TSE) with a minimum score of 50 and the Test of Written English (TWE) with a minimum score of 4.0
• the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an overall score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in all four modules
• the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with an overall score of 55 with a minimum of 50 in each of the four modules
• The Michigan English Test (MET) with a passing standard score of 55 overall, with a minimum speaking section score of 55
• the Occupational English Test (OET Nursing), paper or computer, with a minimum score of 300 in each sub-test (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking). Remotely proctored exams are not accepted. Passing scores must be earned during a single test appointment.
4. Submit an original Credential Evaluation Service (CES) Full Education Professional report completed by one of the providers accepted by the Board.

Note: The CES report must be dated within one year of issuance by the certification organization.

1. Submit a Verification of Licensure (VR) from all countries, states, provinces, and/or territories where you hold or have held a license. The VR must come directly from the licensing authority and must bear the authority’s official seal. The VR is only valid for one (1) year after it is signed and sealed by the licensing authority.
   *Note: the CES Full Education course-by-course report will contain your original country of licensure’s VR.
2. The CES Report, English Proficiency Exam report, and Verification of Licensure MUST be submitted directly to our office by the appropriate authority/agency who completes each report. Applicant copies will not be accepted.
3. An international applicant applying for the first time with Texas must have worked within the 4 years preceding the filing of the examination application OR be within 4 years of his/her graduation date in order to sit for the NCLEX. Applicants who are past their 4 years of eligibility are required to re-educate to retake the NCLEX with Texas. Please note that a refresher course is not acceptable as re-education. Re-education refers to completing a new initial nursing education program and graduating with a new graduation date. Refresher courses (for nurses who are returning to practice) are not acceptable.

NOTE: An applicant may be requested to show proof of working if the BON has cause to question an applicant’s eligibility. Proof would consist of a ‘statement of practice’ including dates worked and listing of functions performed, completed on letterhead and sent directly to our office from the facility in which the practice took place.

INTERNATIONALLY EDUCATED APPLICANTS RETAKING THE NCLEX WITH TEXAS:

1. Complete the appropriate application in your Texas Nurse Portal:
   1. Select “NCLEX RETEST Application – International Graduates (including Puerto Rico)”
2. Submit an updated Verification of Licensure (VR) for any nursing license(s) held in other countries. NOTE: A new VR is only required if the VR currently on file has expired (all VRs are valid for one (1) year after being signed and sealed by the licensing authority).
3. Register with Pearson Vue. The cost is $200.
   1. Your Pearson Vue registration MUST be completed BEFORE an ATT can be issued.

Your CES Report, fingerprint results, English Proficiency results (if required), and NJE results are on file and do not need to be completed again.

Board staff will review your retest application for an ATT within 15 business days of receiving the last required item.

An international applicant applying to retest with Texas must have worked within the 4 years preceding the filing of the examination application AND be within 4 years of his/her date of eligibility in order to sit for the NCLEX. For purposes of the NCLEX, the date of eligibility is defined as the issuance date for the initial Authorization to Test (ATT).

Applicants who are past their 4 years of eligibility are required to re-educate to retake the NCLEX with Texas. Please note that a refresher course is not acceptable as re-education. Re-education refers to completing a new initial nursing education program and graduating with a new graduation date. Refresher courses (for nurses who are returning to practice) are not acceptable.

NOTE: An applicant may be requested to show proof of working if the BON has cause to question an applicant’s eligibility. Proof would consist of a ‘statement of practice’ including dates worked and listing of functions performed, completed on letterhead and sent directly to our office from the facility in which the practice took place.