CPNRE FAQs

The Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE®) is the current national exam for LPN applicants in Canada. There is one more sitting of the CPNRE before the REx-PN becomes the recognized LPN registration exam in B.C. 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).

How many times can I take the exam?: You have three attempts to pass the CPNRE®. You must pass the exam within three years of applying for registration with BCCNM. If you have failed the CPNRE three times, you are still eligible to apply to write the REx-PN.
How can I become familiar with the computer-based testing technology?: Yardstick Assessment Strategies (YAS) administers the exam. It has a computer-based demo that you can use to get familiar with the features before writing the exam. Once you are eligible to write the exam, we will let you know where to go for resources, exam demos, and predictor tests.
How much does the exam cost?: For more information please visit the fees page.
Are there any other fees associated with the exam?: For more information please visit the fees page.
Are exam fees refundable?: No. Once BCCNM determines you are eligible to take the CPNRE®, the exam fee is not refundable.
When and how do I schedule my CPNRE® appointment?: First, you will receive an email from BCCNM advising which testing window you are authorized to write in.
Next, you will receive a separate email from Pearson VUE (the approved testing centre) with instructions on how to schedule your writing date and pay the test centre fee.
Then, you follow Pearson VUE's instructions to schedule your exam.
How long before I hear from Pearson VUE to schedule my exam?: We expect that you will receive an email from Pearson VUE within a week of receiving authorization to take the exam from BCCNM.
What happens if I do not get an email from Pearson VUE to schedule my exam?: Check your email junk or spam folders to make sure the email was not displaced.
Contact the registration team if you have not received an email within 10 days after receiving your eligibility from BCCNM.
What is an authorized testing window?: An authorized testing window is the date range the CPNRE® is open.
View the dates of the upcoming CPNRE® testing windows.
Each window is approximately 20 days in length.
Where do I write the exam?: You can schedule your exam appointment at any Pearson VUE testing centre across Canada.
Do I have to write in the testing window I am made eligible for?: Yes. Applicants are expected to schedule and write in the authorized testing window.
BCCNM views your submission of an application as your commitment to complete all steps in the registration process.
For information on your risks of not scheduling or writing in the authorized testing window, read the next two FAQs.
What if I have an extenuating circumstance that prevents me from writing on the day I scheduled my exam?: Refer to the resources provided by Pearson VUE for details about cancelling and rescheduling your appointment.
Also, contact BCCNM about your extenuating circumstance if you are near the end of the testing window.
NOTE: If you do not contact BCCNM before your authorized test window closes, you may be required to pay another application fee and YAS exam fee before being authorized to write in a future testing window.
An example of an extenuating circumstance is an unplanned significant life event impacting your ability to write the exam. Additional documentation will be required.
What if I do not get my preferred date, time and location I want for the exam?: BCCNM does not guarantee a date, time, or test centre location. Waiting to schedule an appointment may reduce the available number of appointments and locations.
NOTE: Travel may be required outside of your preferred location in order to write in your authorized test window.
When do I receive my exam results?: We will email your exam results within four to six weeks of completing the CPNRE®.
Results are sent to the primary email address you provided to BCCNM. Results are not provided by phone or in person.
You are responsible for updating your current contact information in your BCCNM online account.
Will I be able to change, edit, or go back to a previous question on the computer-based exam?: Refer to the resources provided by YAS for details about navigating the exam on the computer.
On the day of my exam appointment, what time should I be at the test centre?: Refer to the resources provided by Pearson VUE for details about your exam day. Pearson VUE provides everything you need to know about your scheduled exam.
What can I bring into the exam?: Refer to the resources provided by Pearson VUE for details about exam day. Pearson VUE provides everything you need to know about testing centre rules.
Are there scheduled and unscheduled breaks during the exam?: Refer to the resources provided by Pearson VUE for details about exam day. Pearson VUE provides everything you need to know about testing centre rules.
What happens if the computer crashes or I am unable to finish due to technical difficulty?: Refer to the resources provided by Pearson VUE for details on exam interruption. Should the interruption relate to the test centre’s ability to continue with the exam, e.g., weather outages, computer issues, they will advise you what to do. Should you not be able to finish the exam due to unforeseen circumstances, contact BCCNM’s registration team as soon as possible to discuss next steps for completing this requirement for registration.