The REx-PN (Regulatory Exam – Practical Nurse) is the licensing exam for practical nurses in Ontario and British Columbia. It's a computer-adaptive test of 90 to 150 questions with a four-hour limit, delivered at Pearson VUE test centres, and you can book it year-round once your regulator approves you. In B.C. it costs $350 plus GST per attempt. This guide covers who writes it, how the adaptive format works, the test plan, fees, results and retakes, and how to study using the free official tools and paid question banks. It's for practical nursing graduates and internationally educated nurses applying to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) or BCCNM, and it matters because the new 2027 test plan takes effect on January 1, 2027. Facts were checked on November 8, 2026.

Quick answer

REx-PN at a Glance

The REx-PN is a 90–150 question computer-adaptive exam with a four-hour limit. Of those questions, 60 to 120 are scored and 30 are unscored pretest items you can't tell apart.

DetailREx-PN
Full nameRegulatory Exam – Practical Nurse
Developed byNCSBN (the organization behind the NCLEX)
Used forRPN registration in Ontario (CNO) and LPN registration in B.C. (BCCNM)
FormatComputer-adaptive test (CAT)
Questions90–150 total; 60–120 scored, 30 unscored
TimeFour hours
WherePearson VUE test centres, in English or French
Fee$350 plus GST per attempt in B.C. (paid to Pearson VUE)
AttemptsNo limit in Ontario or B.C.
Retake waitAt least 60 days

Writing in another province? Most other provinces and territories, including Alberta, use a different exam, the CPNRE. Check with the regulator where you want to work before you register.

Eligibility

Who Writes the REx-PN

You write the REx-PN if you're applying to become a Registered Practical Nurse with the CNO in Ontario or a Licensed Practical Nurse with BCCNM in B.C.

That includes new graduates of Canadian practical nursing programs and internationally educated nurses whose regulator has approved them to test. Your regulator decides eligibility first. Only then can you register and pay with Pearson VUE. If you're training as a registered psychiatric nurse, your exam is the RPNCE, not the REx-PN.

Format

How the Adaptive Format Works

The REx-PN adjusts to you: each answer changes the difficulty of the next question, and the exam stops once it's confident whether you're above or below the passing standard.

That's why the length varies from 90 to 150 questions. Finishing early doesn't mean you failed, and running to 150 doesn't mean you passed. There's no fixed number of correct answers that guarantees a pass. You need to perform consistently above the passing standard.

Question types include multiple choice, select all that apply, fill-in-the-blank calculations, exhibits and graphics. From January 2026, select-all-that-apply questions earn partial credit, while every other question type is scored right or wrong. There's no time limit per question. CNO says candidates on similar exams typically spend 60 to 90 seconds on each one.

Test plan

The REx-PN Test Plan

Management of Care is the largest area at 21% of the exam, followed by Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies at 17%.

Client needs categoryShare of exam (2022 test plan)
Management of Care21%
Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies17%
Safety and Infection Control13%
Psychosocial Integrity11%
Reduction of Risk Potential11%
Health Promotion and Maintenance9%
Basic Care and Comfort9%
Physiological Adaptation9%

Source: NCSBN REx-PN test plan webinar. A new test plan takes effect on January 1, 2027, according to BCCNM. Study the plan that's in effect on your exam date, which you can download free from NCSBN. CNO notes that the test plan also lists the lab values you're expected to know.

Fees

REx-PN Fees, Results and Retakes

In B.C., the REx-PN costs $350 plus GST per attempt and isn't refundable. There's no limit on attempts, but you must wait at least 60 days between them.

  • Fee: $350 plus GST per attempt in B.C., paid to Pearson VUE, plus BCCNM's application and licence fees. Ontario candidates also pay Pearson VUE for the exam; check CNO's fee page for the current amount and its own application fee.
  • Booking: once your regulator confirms eligibility, you register with Pearson VUE and receive an Authorization to Test (ATT). In B.C., the ATT is valid for 90 days, and you must test within it.
  • Results: CNO says Ontario candidates get their result in the online portal within one week. BCCNM sends an initial notice, then a candidate report within two weeks if you fail.
  • If you fail: you get a report showing your performance by area. You can retake after 60 days, which allows up to six attempts a year.
  • Provisional licence (B.C.): you can keep practising after a first failure. After a second failure, the provisional licence expires six to eight weeks after notification.

Study plan

How to Study for the REx-PN

Start with the free official test plan, tutorial and exam preview, then use an adaptive PN question bank to practise under real conditions.

Free official resources:

  • REx-PN Test Plan: the same guide the exam's question writers use. It's free from NCSBN, in English and French.
  • Exam Preview: a free 125-question practice exam. It isn't scored and doesn't predict your result, but it shows you the real question style.
  • Candidate Tutorial: a Pearson VUE sample test for getting used to the screen and question types.
  • Candidate Bulletin: registration and test-day rules from start to finish.

Paid question banks: several NCLEX-PN prep companies also sell PN question banks for the REx-PN, such as Archer Review's PN question bank in an adaptive format. Neither the CNO nor BCCNM reviews or endorses third-party courses, and no prep company has access to real REx-PN questions.

A simple plan:

  1. Download the test plan in effect on your exam date, and list your weakest client needs categories.
  2. Review Management of Care and pharmacology first, since together they make up 38% of the 2022 plan.
  3. Practise select-all-that-apply questions, now that they earn partial credit, and calculation questions.
  4. Take the free Exam Preview to check pacing for about 60 to 90 seconds a question.
  5. Do timed, adaptive practice sessions in your final weeks, then book your exam within your ATT window.

FAQ

How many questions are on the REx-PN?

The REx-PN has 90 to 150 questions. Between 60 and 120 count toward your score, and 30 are unscored pretest questions mixed in. Because it's computer-adaptive, the exam ends once it's confident whether you're above or below the passing standard.

How much does the REx-PN cost?

In B.C., the REx-PN costs $350 plus GST per attempt, paid to Pearson VUE, according to BCCNM. The fee isn't refundable, and BCCNM's application and licence fees are separate. Ontario candidates should check the College of Nurses of Ontario's fee page.

How many times can you write the REx-PN?

There's no limit on attempts in Ontario or B.C., but you must wait at least 60 days between them, so you can write it up to six times a year. In B.C., a second failure ends a provisional licence six to eight weeks later.

Is the REx-PN the same as the CPNRE?

No. The REx-PN is used in Ontario and B.C. Most other provinces and territories, including Alberta, use the CPNRE. Both lead to practical nurse registration, so check which exam the regulator where you want to work requires.

How we reviewed

Sources