Canada · Licensing examWhich RPN exam do you write in Ontario?
The REx-PN became the registration exam for Ontario practical nurses on January 4, 2022, replacing the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE). The CPNRE is no longer an option here. If you passed it by the end of 2021 as part of your CNO application, it meets the requirement. If you failed it three times before the switch, you can reapply and write the REx-PN if you meet the eligibility rules.
The jurisprudence exam is a different test. It covers the laws, regulations, by-laws and practice standards for nursing in Ontario. You write it online, at any time, and it’s open-book. The REx-PN doesn’t cover those topics.
How do you register for the RPN exam with CNO?
- Open an RPN application in CNO’s Maintain Your Membership portal and pay the application fee. If you’re asking for accommodation, do that here too.
- If you studied outside Canada, have your credentials verified by an approved service first.
- Wait for CNO’s portal message saying you’re eligible. Ontario graduates become eligible after CNO has heard from their nursing school.
- Register with Pearson using the same name you gave CNO, and pay the exam fee.
- Book your seat once Pearson emails your Authorization to Test.
- Write the exam, then watch the portal for your result.
You have two years from opening your application to meet every requirement. After two years it closes and you reapply.
What CNO charges RPN applicants
These are CNO’s own fees, in Canadian dollars, and 13% Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) is added. Pearson sets and collects the exam fee separately, so CNO doesn’t publish it.
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| General Class application | $433 | $454 |
| Jurisprudence exam | $40 | $42 |
| Initial registration fee | $69 | $72 |
The registration fee covers you until December 31 of the year you register. CNO asks you not to pay anything until it has told you the exact amount, because not every fee applies to everyone.
Asking CNO for exam accommodation
Everyone who writes an exam as part of a CNO application can ask for accommodation, such as additional time, a separate room, or a screen reader or assistant. It has to rest on a professionally recognized diagnosis or another protected ground, it has to be about a condition you live with, not one you no longer have, and you must show how it affects your writing of the exam.
Send the request form and your health professional’s form to CNO before you book with Pearson. If you book first, CNO can’t grant it until you cancel. CNO charges nothing for the request, though you pay any assessment costs. You need a new request for each attempt.
Ontario RPN exam rules worth knowing
- Tell CNO about every earlier attempt on a CNO-approved exam. Leaving one out can cost you your application or certificate.
- Starting the exam counts as a write, however little of it you do. If you feel you can’t write that day, tell the invigilator before you sit down.
- You can write in English or French, and you can change your choice on a later attempt.
- If you meet its requirements, you can apply for the Temporary Class to work as a nurse while you finish.
Sources: CNO and 7 more. Checked November 2026.
- CNO: Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Registration Examinations ↗
- CNO: REx-PN FAQs ↗
- CNO: Registration Examination ↗
- CNO: Examinations ↗
- CNO: Application Fees ↗
- CNO: Requesting Accommodation ↗
- CNO: Registration guide for Ontario graduates ↗
- CNO: Nursing Registration Exams Report for 2025 ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
Explore