NCLEX in Puerto Rico: requirements, the Guaynabo center, and the extra fee
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
To take the NCLEX in Puerto Rico you need what every candidate needs: eligibility from a US state board and an Authorization to Test. The surprise is that NCSBN treats Puerto Rico as an international location for US licensure, so the single Guaynabo center accepts only a passport and adds a $150 scheduling fee. The exam is in English.
Why Puerto Rico counts as international
NCSBN's FAQ defines domestic test centers for US licensure as those in the US plus American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the US Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico is not on that list. It appears instead in the list of international NCLEX locations, alongside countries such as the Philippines and India.
That one line drives three rules. First, as of November 2026 NCSBN adds a $150 international scheduling fee, plus value added tax where applicable, to the $200 registration fee, and neither is refundable. Second, the only ID accepted at international centers, Puerto Rico included, is a passport book or card. A driver's license or other state ID will not get you in. Third, changes to an international booking go through Pearson Candidate Services by phone.
The Guaynabo center and booking dates
NCSBN's October 2026 international center list shows one Puerto Rico site, a Pearson Professional Center in the DASE Building in Guaynabo. There are no fixed national test dates. NCSBN says the NCLEX runs year-round at Pearson centers, so available days depend on seats at that one site during your authorization window.
Your Authorization to Test averages about 90 days and NCSBN will not extend it for any reason. If Guaynabo has no seat in time, you can book any other Pearson center. Moving to a stateside center forfeits the $150 international fee, while switching between international centers keeps it. From February 1, 2027, the registration fee rises to $350.
Can you take the NCLEX in Spanish?
No. NCSBN translates the NCLEX-RN into French for Canadian candidates and offers no other translated version. Candidates in Puerto Rico seeking a US state license sit the same English exam as everyone else, so practice reading clinical stems in English under time pressure, not just reviewing content.
Education matters to some boards too. NCSBN's resource manual for boards notes that nurses educated in US territories are not federally required to pass an English test, but states can set their own rules, and it points out that Puerto Rico nursing programs are generally taught in Spanish. Check whether your chosen board asks Puerto Rico graduates for an English exam.
Is the NCLEX required in Puerto Rico?
It depends on where you want to practice. NCSBN's manual for boards notes that most US jurisdictions require an NCLEX pass for licensure, so a nurse leaving Puerto Rico for a stateside job should expect to sit it through that state's board. Puerto Rico itself is regulated by the Puerto Rico Board of Nurse Examiners, which NCSBN lists as an associate member rather than a member board.
For a license to practice in Puerto Rico, the local board sets the requirements, so confirm them with that board directly before you plan around the NCLEX. If you want both options, plan for two separate applications: one with the Puerto Rico board and one with the US state board that will make you NCLEX eligible.
Sources
NCLEX: Frequently asked questions. Domestic center definition excludes Puerto Rico; passport-only ID at international centers including Puerto Rico; ATT about 90 days; French is the only translation
NCLEX: Fees and payment. $200 registration, $150 international scheduling fee plus VAT, no refunds, $350 from February 1, 2027
NCSBN: International Pearson Professional Center sites and addresses (updated October 2026). Single Puerto Rico center in Guaynabo
NCSBN: Licensure of Internationally Educated Nurses, a resource manual (2023). Territory graduates and English proficiency; Puerto Rico programs generally taught in Spanish; Puerto Rico not an NCSBN member board
NCSBN: Associate members. Puerto Rico Board of Nurse Examiners listed as an associate member
Common questions
Is the NCLEX required in Puerto Rico?
Most US state boards require it for licensure. Practice in Puerto Rico is licensed by the Puerto Rico Board of Nurse Examiners, an NCSBN associate member that sets its own requirements, so confirm with that board.
Can you test in Spanish in Puerto Rico?
No. The NCLEX for US licensure is given in English. NCSBN's only translated version is a French NCLEX-RN for Canadian candidates.
Do I need a passport to take the NCLEX in Puerto Rico?
Yes. NCSBN says the only ID accepted at international test centers, including Puerto Rico, is a passport book or card.