How many times can you fail the NCLEX in Florida? The remedial course rule
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 4 min read · Updated November 2026
Checked against official sources: November 2026
Rules, fees and deadlines differ by state and change without notice. Check with your state board of nursing before you rely on them.
Short answer
Florida lets you fail the NCLEX three consecutive times before you must complete a board-approved remedial course; after the course you may be approved for up to three more attempts, and you must apply to retest within six months of finishing it. Under section 464.008(3), Florida Statutes, failures in any jurisdiction count toward the three.
How Florida counts your attempts
The Florida Board of Nursing's FAQ answers the question directly: yes, there is a limit. After three failures of the same level of examination, RN or LPN, regardless of jurisdiction, you must complete a Florida Board of Nursing approved remedial course before you can be approved to test a fourth time.
Two details in that rule matter. The count is per level, so a failed NCLEX-PN does not count toward the NCLEX-RN limit. And attempts in other states count, so testing elsewhere first and then applying to Florida does not reset the number. NCSBN's national policy still applies on top: at least 45 test-free days between attempts and no more than eight a year.
| Stage | What Florida requires |
|---|---|
| Attempts 1 to 3 | Licensure by re-examination application plus a new Pearson VUE registration each time |
| After 3 consecutive fails | Complete a board-approved remedial course with classroom and clinical parts |
| Attempts 4 to 6 | Apply to retest within six months of finishing the course |
Retesting before the third fail
Florida treats a retake as licensure by re-examination, a separate application in the MQA Online Services portal for anyone who applied by examination and has not passed. As of November 2026 the board lists a $50 application and licensing fee to the board, $200 to Pearson VUE, and a fee that varies by Livescan provider for fingerprints.
After approval your Authorization to Test is valid for 90 days and the date cannot be extended. The board warns that if you miss your appointment or change it without three business days' notice, you forfeit the exam fee, your ATT is invalidated, and you lose GN or GPN status, so pick a date you can keep.
What the remedial course involves
For RN candidates, the board's re-examination page describes a board-approved refresher or remedial course with a classroom component of 80 hours and a clinical component of 96 hours. The board publishes separate lists of approved RN and LPN course providers; the pages reviewed do not state the hours for the LPN course, so confirm them with your provider.
The paperwork runs in a set order. After three consecutive fails you request a letter to begin the course by emailing [email protected]. You do not need that letter to start the theory part, but clinical sites may, so the provider requests approval for the clinical portion with your completed theory hours, clinical site and expected finish date.
When you finish, the board accepts only a verification letter sent electronically by the provider on its official letterhead with the course director's original signature. A certificate you forward yourself will not count. Ask your provider how and when it sends that letter before you enroll.
The six-month deadline after the course
The board's re-examination page states that Florida law requires you to apply to retake the NCLEX within six months of completing your remedial course. Treat the course end date as the start of a countdown: have your re-examination application ready to file and your Pearson VUE registration planned before your last clinical day.
A separate rule catches a different group. Applicants who passed the NCLEX more than five years ago and were never issued a license must also complete an approved remedial course before Florida will license them, under Rule 64B9-3.014 of the Florida Administrative Code, effective April 10, 2022.
Sources
Florida Board of Nursing: LPN and RN licensing (Licensure by Re-Examination). Section 464.008(3) three consecutive fails rule, three more attempts, six-month deadline, 80 classroom and 96 clinical hours, $50 board fee, $200 Pearson VUE, Livescan
Florida Board of Nursing: approved remedial courses. Letter to begin, clinical approval request, electronic verification letter on letterhead, five-year rule under Rule 64B9-3.014, RN and LPN provider lists
Florida Board of Nursing NCLEX FAQ. Limit after three failures of the same level regardless of jurisdiction, forfeited fee and lost GN/GPN status after a missed appointment
Florida Board of Nursing FAQ: ATT validity. ATT valid 90 days and cannot be extended
2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (NCSBN). Eight attempts a year with at least 45 test-free days between exams
Common questions
What happens after 3 NCLEX fails in Florida?
You cannot be approved for a fourth attempt until you complete a board-approved remedial course with classroom and clinical parts and the provider sends the board a verification letter. You may then be approved for up to three more attempts, applying within six months of finishing the course.
Do I need a remedial course in Florida after one or two fails?
No. Florida requires the course only after three consecutive failures at the same level. Before that, you file a licensure by re-examination application, pay the board's $50 fee and Pearson VUE's $200 (NCSBN raises it to $350 on February 1, 2027), and wait at least 45 test-free days between attempts.
Do NCLEX fails in another state count in Florida?
Yes. Section 464.008(3), Florida Statutes, and the board's FAQ both count failures regardless of the jurisdiction where you tested, so three consecutive fails elsewhere still trigger the remedial course when you apply to Florida.