The Canadian Nurse Practitioner Licensure Exam (CNPLE) is a new written exam that reflects current NP education and practice, which includes all client ages and practice settings. BCCNM will administer its first sitting of the CNPLE in February 2027.
If you are an applicant, the exam you write will depend on when you apply for BCCNM licensure.
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Before or on Dec. 31, 2026: BCCNM will continue to accept NP exams currently approved by the college for applications submitted on or before December 31, 2026. If you choose to take an exam other than the CNPLE, you must submit your exam result by April 30, 2027. If you do not submit your result by this date, you will be required to take the CNPLE.
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On or after Jan. 1, 2027: The CNPLE will be the only NP licensure exam accepted for initial applicants submitting applications on or after Jan. 1, 2027.
Why was a new licensing exam needed?
Regulatory exams are one tool that BCCNM uses to evaluate an NP applicant’s readiness to practice safely and competently. A new exam was required to reflect the evolution of NP education and practice in Canada. The exam was developed as part of the Nurse Practitioner Regulation Framework project, an initiative to create consistent regulation of NPs across Canada.
Answering your questions
- Will NPs already licensed in other Canadian provinces or territories have to take the CNPLE to practice in British Columbia?
- No.
- Will NPs currently practising in Canada need to take the exam to continue practising?
- No. NP licensees have already met the requirements for licensure.
- I’m an NP practising in the United States. Will I have to take the CNPLE?
- Until Dec. 31, 2026, we will continue to accept other approved NP exams.
- After Jan. 1, 2027, CNPLE will be the only NP licensure exam accepted by BCCNM. Internationally educated NPs that are eligible for NP licensure in B.C. will be required to pass the CNPLE.
- We’re currently working on a strategy to support internationally educated NPs who were educated in specialized practice or specific populations, which may include required additional education to ensure competence to practice with all populations and across practice settings prior to eligibility for the CNPLE.
- Why wait until February 2027 to administer the CNPLE?
- The February 2027 exam sitting is the first writing we can administer based on exam timelines and system readiness. The exam will be offered every in February, May, June, and September. Specific dates and deadlines for the 2027 administrations will be updated as soon as they become available.
- What is the format of the CNPLE?
- The CNPLE is a written exam that uses a linear-on-the-fly (LOFT) format. Each test-taker will receive a unique batch of questions, but all test-takers will complete the same number of questions at the same level of difficulty. Learn more.