Is there an easiest state for the NCLEX? Florida, Texas and New York compared
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 4 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
No state has an easier NCLEX, because the exam and passing standard are national, so the easiest state is the board whose paperwork fits you. Among three large boards as of November 2026, Florida lets you apply and test without a Social Security number, Texas publishes its ATT review times, and New York does not require a credentials service.
Same exam everywhere, different paperwork
Every candidate sits the same computerized adaptive exam against the same passing standard set by NCSBN, whichever board approves them. A Filipino nurse testing for Florida and one testing for New York face identical items and identical scoring. The word easiest only makes sense for the steps before the exam.
Those steps differ on four points worth checking on the board's own pages: whether you need a Social Security number, which credentials report the board accepts, when it demands an English test, and whether it publishes processing times or deadlines. The three boards below show how much these vary.
Florida: no Social Security number needed to test
The Florida Board of Nursing's information sheet for applicants educated outside the US states that a Social Security number is not required to complete the application or take the NCLEX, though you must have one before a license is issued. It requires a full education credentials review sent electronically by one of six approved agencies, including CGFNS and Josef Silny & Associates, and notes reports can take several months.
Florida asks for English proof only if your textbooks and instruction were not in English. Its approved minimums are IELTS academic 6.5 overall with 7.0 speaking, OET 300, PTE Academic 55, Michigan English Test 55 with 55 speaking, or TOEFL 4.5 out of 6 with 4.5 speaking for tests taken on or after January 21, 2026.
Texas: published timelines and a four-year rule
The Texas Board of Nursing wants a Credential Evaluation Service Full Education Professional report from an accepted provider, dated within one year, plus licensure verification from every country where you have held a license, also valid for one year. You must pass the two-hour Nursing Jurisprudence Exam and submit fingerprints, and the board has separate fingerprint instructions for applicants without a Social Security number.
Texas is the one of the three that publishes timing: ATT review within 15 business days of the last required item, the ATT email within 5 business days after that, and an ATT valid for 75 days with no extension. The catch is eligibility: you must have worked in the 4 years before applying or be within 4 years of graduation.
New York: two ways to verify your education
New York's Pathway 5 for graduates of foreign nursing schools charges a $143 license and first registration fee and requires approved infection control and child abuse reporting courses unless you qualify for an exemption. For education, you choose between TruMerit's Credential Verification Service for New York State and having your school certify your education on Form 2F with your transcript.
The state says the TruMerit route is optional but that applying without it is often more difficult and time consuming. Pearson VUE will not let you sit the NCLEX until the New York State Education Department finishes reviewing your application and credentials, so the verification route you pick sets your test date.
Picking a board with a Philippine BSN
Run this checklist before paying anyone. Does the board let you test without a Social Security number? Does it accept the evaluation you can get fastest? Was your program taught in English, and how does the board want that shown? Does it have an age-of-education or recent-practice rule you fail, like the Texas four-year limit?
Then weigh where you will work. A license from a board you never use means applying again by endorsement later. Budget for the exam too: NCSBN lists a $200 registration fee plus $150 for an international test center, and registrations made on or after February 1, 2027 cost $350 before the international fee.
Sources
Florida Board of Nursing: Licensure Information for Applicants Educated Outside the United States. SSN not required to apply or test but required before licensure, six approved credentialing agencies, reports take several months, English competency rule and minimum scores including TOEFL change for tests from January 21, 2026.
Texas Board of Nursing: Licensure by Examination. CES Full Education Professional report dated within one year, verification of licensure valid one year, English if program not in English, Nursing Jurisprudence Exam, fingerprints for applicants without SSN, four-year rule, 15 and 5 business day timelines, 75-day ATT.
New York State Education Department: RN Pathway 5, Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. $143 fee, required coursework, TruMerit Credential Verification Service optional versus Form 2F, Pearson VUE will not allow testing until NYSED review is complete.
NCLEX Fees and Payment (NCSBN). $200 registration fee, $150 international scheduling fee, $350 registration fee from February 1, 2027.
Common questions
Which state does not require a Social Security number for the NCLEX?
Florida's board states that a Social Security number is not needed to apply or take the NCLEX, though one is required before your license is issued. Rules change, so confirm on the board's current international applicant page.
Which state is fastest for foreign nurses?
No official ranking exists. Of Florida, Texas and New York, only Texas publishes review times: 15 business days for ATT review after your last document, then 5 business days for the ATT email.
Is the NCLEX easier in some states?
No. Every board uses the same NCLEX and the same national passing standard. States differ only in eligibility paperwork, fees and processing.