All LPN applicants seeking BCCNM registration must write and pass the registration exam. The exam tests the applicant’s knowledge of the competencies expected of entry-level licensed practical nurses for safe and effective practice. You may be eligible for provisional registration, which allows you to work as an LPN while you are preparing to write the exam.
Learn more about provisional registration.
The Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE®) is the current national exam for LPN applicants in Canada. CPNRE® is a computer-based test (answer questions on a computer screen instead of paper) and can be taken at any of the approved Pearson VUE test centres across Canada (except Newfoundland & Labrador, Quebec, and Yukon).
Final CPNRE writing
There is one remaining test window for the CPNRE before the REx-PN takes effect on Jan. 4, 2022. If you have met all exam requirements prior to the dates below, you may apply for the November exam window. Applications received after October 25, 2021 will be assessed for eligibility to write the REx-PN.
Action
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Nov. 8-28, 2021 exam window
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Deadline to apply (including payment)
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Oct. 25, 2021
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Deadline for BCCNM to receive transcripts from program
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Oct. 25, 2021
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Resources
Coming soon: REx-PN
BCCNM and the College of Nurses of Ontario have partnered with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to develop a new entry-to-practice exam for practical nurses. The Regulatory Exam - Practical Nurse (REx-PN) will launch on Jan. 4, 2022.
How to apply (not yet!)
Until the application deadline to write the last sitting of the CPNRE has passed, we cannot assess applicants for eligibility to write the REx-PN.
If your program will not be completed by Oct. 25, 2021, please do not apply until after Nov. 2, 2021. After Nov. 2, details on how to register will be provided on this page.
Exam cost
The fee to write the
REx-PN will be $350 plus applicable taxes per attempt. This fee is non-refundable and is in addition to BCCNM application and registration fees.
How to prepare for the REx-PN
You can't register to write the exam yet, but there are materials available to help you prepare for the REx-PN:
- Test plan
- The
REx-PN test plan provides and overview of what information will be tested, the type of questions you will be asked to answer, and some sample questions. It is designed to help you prepare for the exam, and is the same guide used by the individuals who write and review exam questions.
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- REx-PN practice exam
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A set of two
REx-PN practice exams of 80 questions each is available for a fee of US$150 from the exam developer. These practice exams can give you a sense of the look and feel of a computerized adaptive test (CAT), which is the formal of the actual REx-PN exam you will take on your test day.
- Information about computerized-adaptive testing (CAT)
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Watch this video for more information
REx-PN Using CAT from
NCSBN on
Vimeo.