NCLEX results on hold or Quick Results not available: what it means
Written and reviewed by Rachel Goldberg, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
A hold on your NCLEX result is not a sign you failed. NCSBN and boards hold or withhold results for specific reasons, such as an incident report at the test center, a stopped payment or a board that has not released results yet. Wait up to six weeks, then contact your state board.
Official reasons a result is held
The October 2025 candidate bulletin names several. Writing on anything other than the erasable note board, including your own hand, triggers an incident report and results are placed on hold. If your registration payment is stopped after you test, NCSBN and the boards may hold or cancel the result.
NCSBN also reserves the right to withhold or cancel results when there is a testing irregularity, an apparent problem with identification, or misconduct under the candidate rules. It may withhold a result when there is reason to question its validity even without evidence that the candidate was personally involved.
When Quick Results says nothing is available
Quick Results is a convenience, not the official channel. NCLEX.com says unofficial results can be bought in your Pearson VUE account two business days after the exam, and your card is charged only if results are available. Seeing nothing to purchase most likely means the unofficial result is not ready yet.
Boards also differ in how they treat it. The Texas Board of Nursing, for example, says it takes part in Quick Results but that the service does not replace the official result in its Nurse Portal. A blank Quick Results screen is not a result at all, so do not read pass or fail into it.
Does a hold mean you failed?
No. None of the official hold reasons depend on your score. A hold reflects a process issue, such as an incident report, a payment problem or a validity review. Failing candidates receive a Candidate Performance Report from their board through the normal release process, not a hold.
It is easy to confuse a held result with a held license. A board can confirm a pass and still delay the license until other steps finish. California's Board of Registered Nursing, for instance, requires every applicant to submit fingerprints for a criminal history check and must process the DOJ and FBI results before it issues an interim permit.
How long a hold lasts and what to do
No official source gives a standard length for a hold, because it depends on the reason. What NCSBN does set is the outer limit for normal release: boards send results within six weeks. The bulletin says that if six weeks pass without a result, contact your board, not Pearson VUE, the test center or NCSBN.
Use the waiting time well. Confirm your payment went through and your contact details are current. If something at the test center affected your exam, the bulletin says to tell the proctor before you leave; the bulletin also lists Exam Candidate Services for complaints about the exam or its administration. Keep your Authorization to Test email and appointment confirmation handy for that conversation.
Sources
NCSBN, 2025 NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin (October 2025). Results placed on hold after note-taking incident; hold or cancel on stopped payment; withholding for irregularities; six-week release; contact board
NCLEX.com, Quick Results. Quick Results two business days; card charged only if results are available; $7.95
Texas Board of Nursing, Licensure FAQ. Quick Results does not substitute for the official result in the Nurse Portal
California Board of Registered Nursing, Applicant FAQs. Fingerprints required of all applicants; DOJ and FBI results processed before an interim permit
Common questions
Why are my NCLEX results on hold?
Official reasons include an incident report (such as writing somewhere other than the note board), a stopped payment, or a validity review after a testing irregularity. Sometimes the board simply has not released results yet.
Does a hold mean I failed?
No. The official hold reasons are procedural and do not depend on your score. A failing result arrives as a normal release with a Candidate Performance Report.
How long does a results hold last?
No official standard exists. Boards normally send results within six weeks; if six weeks pass without one, NCSBN tells candidates to contact their state board directly.