The Short Answer
Booking the NMC CBT costs £83 for both parts, according to the NMC's fee information for the Test of Competence CBT. You book through Pearson VUE once the NMC has authorised you to take the test, and you can sit the exam at test centres in the UK and in most countries around the world.
There is no fixed, published pass mark. The NMC's candidate information booklet explains that an initial standard is set and statistical techniques maintain that standard across different versions of the test. Any specific percentage you see circulating in preparation groups is unofficial.
The rest of this post walks through each of those points in detail: the booking steps, the full fee table including resits, how scoring works, and the rules on rescheduling and further attempts. If you want to know what the exam itself is like on the day, read our NMC CBT format guide. This post covers the admin around it.
How to Book the NMC CBT Step by Step
You cannot book the CBT directly as your first step. The booking sits inside the NMC registration process, so the sequence matters.
1. Start your NMC application
Create an account on the NMC website and begin your registration application as an internationally educated nurse. The NMC assesses your eligibility first. Our overview of the NMC registration process covers this stage in full.
2. Wait for authorisation to test
The NMC's candidate information booklet states that you must receive authorisation to take the test (ATT) from the NMC before you can book and pay for your exam with Pearson VUE. Once the NMC confirms you need to take the Test of Competence, you will receive an email from Pearson VUE with confirmation that your account has been created, along with a temporary password.
3. Book through your Pearson VUE account
Log in to the Pearson VUE portal, select the exam type that matches your field (for example adult nursing or mental health nursing), and choose both modules, Part A and Part B, for your first attempt. You then pick a test centre and an appointment slot. According to Pearson VUE's NMC page, bookings can be made online or over the phone up to one working day before the test date.
Two practical warnings from the official guidance:
- Book the correct CBT type. Pearson VUE warns that if you book the wrong CBT, the NMC will not be able to accept your application and the payment cannot be refunded.
- Watch your deadline. The NMC tells you the date by which you must complete your CBT, and Pearson VUE cannot change that date.
4. Choose a test centre
The CBT is available at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and in most countries worldwide, so many candidates sit it in their home country before travelling. Slots at busy centres can fill up weeks ahead, so check availability early rather than waiting until you feel fully prepared.
What the NMC CBT Costs
The NMC publishes the CBT fees on its Test of Competence CBT page. At the time of writing, the fees are:
| Booking | Fee |
|---|---|
| Both parts (first attempt) | £83 |
| Resit of both parts | £83 |
| Resit of Part A (numeracy) only | £50 |
| Resit of Part B (theory) only | £70 |
You pay Pearson VUE when you book. Because parts are passed and failed independently, a resit is often cheaper than the first sitting: if you passed Part A and only failed Part B, you rebook Part B alone at the lower fee.
Fees can change, so confirm the current amount on the NMC website before you budget. Remember that the CBT fee is only one of the costs of registration; the NMC charges separate fees for the application itself and for the OSCE, which are outside the scope of this post.
The Pass Mark: How CBT Scoring Works
The pass mark generates more confusion than any other part of the CBT, so it is worth being precise about what the NMC actually says.
What the exam is out of
According to the NMC's candidate information booklet, the CBT comprises 115 questions in total: Part A is a 15-mark numeracy assessment and Part B is a 100-mark theory assessment. The total time allowance is 3 hours, including any optional breaks. All questions are scored as correct or incorrect, there is no partial credit, and there is no negative marking for wrong or unanswered questions.
There is no fixed, published pass mark
The booklet's section on the passing standard says this: an initial standard will be set, and statistical techniques will be used to maintain the standard across different versions of the test over time.
In plain terms, the NMC does not publish a universal number of marks you must score. Each version of the test is calibrated so that the standard required to pass stays consistent, even though different sittings contain different questions. This is a common approach in professional exams, and it means any claim that "you need X out of 100 to pass Part B" is not an official figure. Treat numbers circulating in WhatsApp groups and forums as rumour.
Pass mark and pass rate are different things
The pass mark is the standard an individual paper is measured against. The pass rate is the proportion of candidates who meet it. Knowing that the pass mark is maintained by standard setting tells you nothing about how many people pass; for that, read our analysis of the NMC CBT pass rate.
Each part is passed or failed on its own
Part A and Part B are taken together in a single sitting but are passed or failed independently. Passing Part B cannot rescue a failed Part A, and the reverse is also true. If you fail one part, you only need to resit that part.
How and when you get your result
The booklet states that results are emailed to candidates within 48 hours of taking the examination, and you can also see your result by logging in to your Pearson VUE account. You receive a pass or fail for each part. The NMC does not disclose further feedback on your answers, in order to protect the integrity of the test.
Rescheduling, Cancelling and Resits
Rescheduling and cancelling
You manage your booking through the same Pearson VUE account you used to schedule it, and Pearson VUE confirms any booking, reschedule, or cancellation by email. The specific notice period and any charges are set out in your booking confirmation, so check those terms as soon as you book rather than discovering them the week before your exam.
How many attempts you get
The rules on attempts are strict and worth knowing before you book your first sitting. According to the NMC:
- You may sit the CBT up to three times as part of one application.
- There must be a minimum of 10 days between each sitting.
- All attempts need to be taken within one year.
- If you fail three times, your application closes and you must wait six months before submitting a new application.
A resit only covers the part you failed. The booklet states that a Part A resit takes 30 minutes and a Part B resit takes 2.5 hours, and that you are given a new form of the test for each resit, so you will not see the same paper twice.
The NMC may grant an additional attempt in exceptional circumstances, for example where the test centre did not follow agreed processes or where there was an unanticipated interruption such as a fire alarm. That is decided case by case on application to the NMC.
The practical lesson from these rules is that attempts are a limited resource. Booking early is sensible, but sitting the exam before you are ready spends one of your three attempts and at least £50. Give yourself enough preparation time to make the first attempt count.
After Your Result
If you pass both parts, the CBT stage of your registration is complete and your application moves on. For most candidates the remaining hurdles are the OSCE and the final registration checks, which we cover in the NMC registration process guide.
If you fail a part, use the 10-day minimum gap wisely. You know which part you failed, so your revision can be targeted: numeracy practice if it was Part A, and structured work across the theory topics if it was Part B.
Practise While You Wait for Your Test Date
The gap between booking and sitting the CBT is your preparation window, and practice questions are the most direct way to use it.
For Part A, work through NMC numeracy practice questions until drug calculations, IV rates, and unit conversions are quick and reliable. For Part B, start with the free module on Professional Practice and the NMC Code, which needs no card details and covers the professional standards the theory paper leans on heavily.
NMC Prep is a practice-question platform for exam revision. For authoritative guidance on your application, fees, and test rules, always check the NMC and Pearson VUE websites directly.