How Much Does the PCCN Exam Cost? $260 Member, $375 Nonmember (2026)

The PCCN exam costs $260 for members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and $375 for nonmembers on the first attempt, as of October 2026. A retest costs $185 for members and $290 for nonmembers. AACN Certification Corporation sets these fees in its PCCN Exam Handbook (July 2026), and the handbook lists one computer-based exam fee with no separate application fee on top of it. Individual AACN membership costs $78 for 1 year, $148 for 2 years, or $200 for 3 years, so joining before you apply saves $115 on the exam fee and nets $37 even after a 1-year membership. Certification lasts 3 years from the first day of the month you pass. Renewal costs $150 (member) or $230 (nonmember) by Synergy CERPs, $185 or $290 by exam, and $95 or $175 for Inactive status, per the PCCN Renewal Handbook (July 2026). Smaller incidentals include a $100 extension fee, a $100 processing fee on a cancelled application, and a $25 duplicate score report.

Figures current as of October 2026, from AACN’s PCCN Exam Handbook (July 2026), PCCN Renewal Handbook (July 2026), and Certification Exam Policy Handbook (September 2026). AACN states that fees are subject to change without notice.

Initial Exam Fees: Member vs Nonmember

As of October 2026, the computer-based PCCN exam costs $260 for AACN members and $375 for nonmembers, a $115 difference. Fees are payable in U.S. funds by credit card, check, or money order, and AACN charges $15 for a returned check. Membership in the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is not an eligibility requirement for the PCCN exam; it only selects the lower fee tier. The fee table in the handbook does not list a different price for testing at a PSI testing center versus testing through live remote proctoring, so both computer-based options fall under the same exam fee. For comparison, the CCRN charges the same fees.

The fees above come from the Direct Care Eligibility Pathway handbook. The Knowledge Professional pathway has its own PCCN handbook, so confirm the fee there if that is the pathway you will use.

Groups of 10 or more candidates who apply together can get computer-based testing discounts, and employers may pre-purchase vouchers at a further discounted rate.

What the Full Fee Schedule Looks Like

Why the Retest Fee Is Lower

AACN gives candidates who do not pass a discounted retest fee: $185 for members and $290 for nonmembers, as of October 2026. That is $75 below the member initial fee and $85 below the nonmember initial fee. You can apply for a retest online, by mailing or faxing a paper application with the retest option selected, or by calling AACN Customer Care at 800-899-2226. Candidates may take the same exam up to 4 times in a rolling 12-month period.

For a quick sense of total spend, here is our own arithmetic from AACN’s fees. A new member who passes on the first try pays $338 ($260 plus a $78 membership). One retest brings that member to $523, and two retests to $708. A nonmember pays $375 for a first-attempt pass, $665 with one retest, and $955 with two.

Does Joining AACN Pay for Itself?

For the initial exam alone, yes. A 1-year membership at $78 against a $115 fee difference leaves a net savings of $37, which is the same figure AACN prints on its application. Each retest adds another $105 in member savings ($290 minus $185). Renewal changes the picture slightly. Renewal by Synergy CERPs saves members $80 ($230 minus $150), and Renewal by Exam saves $105, so a 1-year membership bought only at renewal time nets $2 for CERP renewal and $27 for renewal by exam. On exam fees alone, membership pays off most clearly when you join before you first apply.

Renewal Costs for the 3-Year Cycle

PCCN certification is granted for 3 years, beginning the first day of the month in which you pass. For example, passing in February 2023 gives a certification period of February 1, 2023 through January 31, 2026. The PCCN Renewal Handbook (July 2026) lists three paid options, as of October 2026. Renewal by Synergy CERPs requires 100 Continuing Education Recognition Points, with at least 60 in Category A and at least 10 each in Categories B and C, and costs $150 for members and $230 for nonmembers. Renewal by Exam costs $185 for members and $290 for nonmembers, and the exam must be completed before your scheduled renewal date. Inactive Status costs $95 or $175 and gives up to 3 years from the scheduled renewal date to meet renewal eligibility requirements. AACN states that renewal fees are for processing and are nonrefundable.

Two timing rules affect cost. Renewal by Exam is unavailable in the last month of the renewal period, and a candidate who does not pass cannot fall back on CERPs. You also have up to 90 days past expiration to renew, but CERPs and practice hours cannot be earned during that grace period.

Other Fees and Costs Worth Budgeting For

Several smaller charges apply only in certain situations, as of October 2026. If you cannot test within your eligibility period, you must call AACN Customer Care before it expires to request an extension, which costs $100. The Exam Handbook describes the eligibility period as normally a 90-day window, but currently a 180-day window. If you cancel your application through AACN Customer Care, you receive a refund minus a $100 processing fee. A duplicate score report is $25 per copy.

The policy handbook also describes how appointment problems turn into costs. You may reschedule or cancel an appointment up to 48 hours before your exam date, and the handbook attaches no fee to doing so. There are no refunds or extensions for missed appointments. If you miss your appointment, you can reactivate an application less than one year old by paying a fee equivalent to the retest fee, or submit a new application plus a fee equivalent to the retest fee if it is older. Arriving without acceptable photo identification that matches your AACN record also results in denied admission and a required retest fee.

Before You Pay: Eligibility in Brief

Paying the fee is only worthwhile once you meet eligibility (see what’s on the PCCN exam and how hard the PCCN exam is for what you will face), which the Direct Care Eligibility Pathway handbook defines as a current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license plus one of two practice hour options. The Two-Year Option requires 1,750 hours in direct care of acutely ill adult patients in the previous 2 years, with 875 of those hours in the most recent year. The Five-Year Option requires at least 2,000 hours in the previous 5 years, with 144 of those hours in the most recent year. The Knowledge Professional pathway requires 1,040 practice hours in the previous 2 years, with 260 in the most recent year. You also name an RN or physician who can verify your hours.

Start practicing for the PCCN with full-length practice tests, or try a free PCCN practice test to see where your knowledge stands before you pay the exam fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the PCCN exam cost?

$260 for AACN members and $375 for nonmembers, as of October 2026, per AACN’s PCCN Exam Handbook (July 2026). A retest costs $185 for members and $290 for nonmembers.

Do you need to be an AACN member to take the PCCN exam?

No. Membership is not an eligibility requirement. It only determines whether you pay the member or nonmember fee. A 1-year membership costs $78, as of October 2026, while the member discount on the initial exam fee is $115, a net savings of $37.

How much does PCCN renewal cost?

As of October 2026, Renewal by Synergy CERPs costs $150 for members and $230 for nonmembers. Renewal by Exam costs $185 for members and $290 for nonmembers. Inactive Status costs $95 for members and $175 for nonmembers. Certification is granted for 3 years.

Are there extra fees beyond the exam fee?

Only in certain situations. AACN lists a $100 extension fee, a $100 processing fee when you cancel an application, a $25 fee per duplicate score report, and a $15 fee for a returned check. A missed appointment can also require a payment equivalent to the retest fee to reapply.

Sources

• aacn.org, PCCN Exam Handbook, Direct Care Eligibility Pathway (July 2026): Application Fees, Eligibility, Application Process
• aacn.org, PCCN Renewal Handbook, Direct Care (July 2026): Renewal Fees and Options
• aacn.org, Certification Exam Policy Handbook (September 2026): Scheduling, Extensions, Retake Policy, Duplicate Score Reports
• aacn.org, PCCN (Adult) certification page
• aacn.org, Frequently Asked Questions About PCCN Certification

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