CEN passing score: 99 of 150. Here's what that means.
BCEN changed the CEN outline and the pass mark on July 6, 2026. Here is the number, straight from BCEN, from a nurse who has been there.
The short answer
You need 99 right out of the 150 scored questions. That's 66%.
The CEN has 175 questions: 150 scored and 25 unscored pretest questions you can't tell apart, in 180 minutes. 99 correct on the scored questions passes. It isn't curved, so how everyone else does that day doesn't matter.
Checked October 18, 2026 against the official sources listed at the bottom of this page.
BCEN set the new pass mark with a 2026 passing point study (a criterion-referenced Angoff method), alongside the new outline from its 2025 emergency nursing job analysis. Both took effect July 6, 2026. Older numbers you see online are for the old exam.
If you didn't pass
Wait 90 days before you retest.
The retest fee is $200 within a year of your first attempt.
More questions
What is the passing score for the CEN exam?
99 correct out of 150 scored questions, from July 6, 2026. The exam has 175 questions in all; 25 are unscored pretest questions.
Is the CEN curved?
No. BCEN uses a criterion-referenced passing point, so your result doesn't depend on how other test-takers do.
How soon can you retake the CEN?
After a 90-day wait. The retest fee is $200 within a year of the first attempt.