How many times can you fail the NCLEX in Texas? The four-year retest rule
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 5 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
Texas does not publish a cap on how many times you can fail the NCLEX; its limit is time. The Texas Board of Nursing says, citing Board Rule 217.2, that you must be within four years of your graduation date to retest, and NCSBN's 45-day wait still applies between attempts. Past four years, Texas requires a new nursing program, not a refresher course.
A time limit, not an attempt count
The board's examination page states it in capitals: per Board Rule 217.2(c)(d), all applicants retaking the NCLEX must be within four years of their graduation date. Applicants past that point will not be issued an Authorization to Test. Neither that page nor the board's licensure FAQ publishes a maximum number of attempts or a remedial course after three failures.
Inside the four-year window, NCSBN's policy sets the pace: up to eight attempts a year with at least 45 test-free days between them. A Texas candidate who fails three times is not stopped by the board for that reason alone. The question that decides your options is how many months remain before your four-year date.
Past the deadline the only route the board accepts is re-education, which it defines as completing a new initial nursing education program and graduating with a new graduation date. It says plainly that refresher courses, which are meant for nurses returning to practice, are not acceptable for this purpose.
Retest steps for US-educated candidates
Log in to the Texas Nurse Portal and submit the NCLEX RETEST application for US graduates. The board's FAQ says the matching retest application and its fee appear in your Nurse Portal. Then register again with Pearson VUE for $200 ($350 from February 1, 2027 per NCSBN); the board will not issue an ATT until that registration exists.
You do not repeat everything. Your Affidavit of Graduation, fingerprint results and Nursing Jurisprudence Exam results stay on file. Board staff review a retest application for an ATT within 15 business days of receiving the last required item, and the FAQ says the ATT is future dated to cover the 45-day wait, so you can file early.
If you had testing accommodations before and need them again, the board asks you to attach a statement requesting the same accommodations. Leaving this out can hold up your approval, because applicants are not approved to retake until all required information is received.
Internationally educated retesters face two clocks
International graduates, including Puerto Rico graduates, file the NCLEX RETEST application for international graduates. They may need a new Verification of Licensure for any license held in another country, because Texas treats each verification as valid for one year after it is signed and sealed. The CES report, fingerprints, English results and NJE results stay on file.
The eligibility test is stricter than for US graduates. An international applicant retesting with Texas must have worked within the four years before filing and be within four years of the date of eligibility, which Texas defines as the issue date of the first ATT. Both conditions apply together, so check both dates before paying the Pearson VUE fee.
Worked example: counting down your window
| Step | Rule | Example date |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation | Starts the four-year retest window | May 2023 |
| Failed attempt | Result posts to the Nurse Portal in about 24 to 48 hours | Exam on March 2, 2026 |
| Earliest next exam | At least 45 test-free days after the last exam | Mid-April 2026 |
| Board review | Within 15 business days of the last required item | File retest and Pearson VUE in early March |
| Last month to retest | Must still be within four years of graduation | May 2027 |
The example shows why timing matters more than the count. With eight possible attempts a year, this candidate still has room for several more tries before May 2027, but each attempt also uses up time. If you are within a year of your four-year date, plan each attempt so that one failure does not push the next one past the deadline.
Texas also says its ATT is valid for 75 days and cannot be extended. If you let a retest ATT expire, you have to register and pay again, and that lost time counts against the same four-year window.
Get your Candidate Report before restudying
The Texas FAQ says applicants who fail can request a Candidate Report by sending a message through the Nurse Portal Message Center. NCSBN describes this report as showing how many items you answered and your relative strengths and weaknesses by test plan area, which is the most useful input for planning your next attempt.
Ask for it straight away rather than waiting until you feel ready to study. With a 45-day minimum gap and a 15 business day board review, a candidate who files the retest application and requests the report in the first week can study from the report for most of the waiting period.
Sources
Texas Board of Nursing: Graduates and NCLEX Examinations. Rule 217.2(c)(d) four-year retest limit, re-education definition, refresher not acceptable, retest steps, $200 Pearson VUE, 15 business day review, ATT valid 75 days, international retest rules, results posting in 24-48 hours
Texas Board of Nursing: Licensure FAQs. Retest application and fee in Nurse Portal, ATT future dated for the 45-day wait, accommodations statement, Candidate Report request via Message Center
2026 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (NCSBN). Eight attempts a year with 45 test-free days, Candidate Performance Report contents
Florida Board of Nursing: Licensed Practical Nurse and Registered Nurse licensing. Florida's remedial course requirement after three consecutive failures, used as a contrast
Common questions
Does Texas limit NCLEX attempts?
Not by count on its published pages. The Texas Board of Nursing limits retesting by time: you must be within four years of your graduation date under Board Rule 217.2. Within that window, NCSBN's policy allows up to eight attempts a year with 45 test-free days between them.
Is there a Texas remediation rule after 3 NCLEX fails?
The Texas Board of Nursing's examination page and licensure FAQ, checked in November 2026, do not publish a remedial course requirement after three failures. That rule exists in some other states, such as Florida. In Texas the requirement to re-educate is triggered by passing the four-year mark, not by the number of fails.
Is there a 4-year limit for the NCLEX in Texas?
Yes. US-educated candidates must be within four years of their graduation date to retest. International candidates must have worked within the four years before filing and be within four years of their first ATT. Past the limit, Texas requires a new initial nursing program; a refresher course does not count.