Why CNO charges fees

CNO uses fees to pay for the costs of regulating the nursing profession in the public interest and maintain public confidence and safety.

In Ontario, legislation identifies certain professions that are self-regulated to ensure public safety. Nursing is one of these self-regulated professions, along with 25 other health care professions. Members of these professions pay a regulatory body like CNO to set and enforce standards and entry requirements.

You must pay certain fees to become registered with CNO, and an annual fee to remain authorized to practice in Ontario or to remain registered in the Non-Practising Class. It is your contribution to nursing regulation and public protection.

You may also need to pay fees to third parties as part of your application or registration process. Those fees help cover the costs of the service providers involved in examinations, assessments and other services.

How CNO uses your fees

CNO uses fees to fund its regulatory functions in the public interest. These functions include work like processing applications, providing practice support and customer service, and conducting investigations when necessary.

Application and annual registration fees support the important work of protecting the public by promoting safe nursing practice. Your fees help us to:

  • maintain the registration of over 200,000 nurses in Ontario
  • manage new registrations by ensuring that applicants meet all the requirements to practice in their category and class
  • support innovative programs that respond to system challenges, such as the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership (SPEP), which has matched more than 3,200 applicants with more than 650 employers
  • make registration simpler for applicants from other Canadian jurisdictions and internationally trained nurses
  • help nurses provide safe, high-quality care to patients by engaging in quality assurance activities that promote self-reflection and lifelong learning
  • increase access to quality care across the province through updates to RN prescribing practice standards, which allow registered nurses who meet requirements to prescribe certain medications and communicate a diagnosis
  • maintain the voluntary Nurses’ Health Program for Ontario nurses, which encourages them to seek treatment for substance use and mental health disorders that may affect their ability to practice nursing safely

Paying your fees

All fees listed on this page are in Canadian dollars and are non-refundable unless otherwise noted.

Ontario’s Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) of 13% is included in each amount (except for the jurisprudence exam fee, where other taxes may apply). Your payment amount may differ depending on the taxes where you reside.

Please do not make a payment through CNO until you are presented with the exact amount, because only some fees may apply to you.

Application, registration and services fees can be paid only by credit card. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards. Any fees you are required to pay must be paid in full. Annual fees are not pro-rated for partial years.

You can pay your annual fees using a credit card, Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit or a prepaid credit card. We no longer support INTERAC Online transactions.

List of current fees

CNO increases fees occasionally, when an increase is necessary to cover our costs as a regulator.

Taxes listed below are based on Ontario tax laws. Taxation may vary depending on where you are a resident for tax purposes.

Fees for services from third-party providers may change without notice. CNO makes every effort to keep this list updated, but please confirm current fees with the service provider.

In the fee tables:

  • RPN means Registered Practical Nurse
  • RN means Registered Nurse
  • NP means Nurse Practitioner
  • IEN means internationally educated nurse

Application fee

Registration Class Application Fee

General Class (RPN or RN)

Extended Class (NP)

$489.29

Temporary Class (RPN or RN)

Special Assignment Class

$82.49

Non-Practising Class

Included in
registration fee

Note: See the Reinstatement section on this page for application fees related to reinstatement.

Registration exam fee

Exam Graduates of an approved Canadian nursing program Nurses registered in another Canadian province or territory IENs not registered in Canada

RPN (REx‑PN)
(see note 1)

$395.50

Not required

$395.50

RN (NCLEX‑RN)
(see note 2)

$406.80

Not required

$406.80

NP

$768.75

Not required

$768.75

Temporary Class and Special Assignment Class

Not required

Not required

Not required

Notes:

These registration exam fees do not include HST. Local taxes apply.

A complete list of REx-PN fees can be found here.

The NCLEX-RN is the registration examination for anyone in Canada (excluding Quebec) applying to become a Registered Nurse. A complete list of NCLEX-RN fees can be found here.

The CNPE is the registration examination for NP applicants of the Primary Health Care specialty until June 30, 2026. Applicants will pay both the exam fee and a seating fee of $105.00 plus tax to Meazure Learning. Find more information in the  Candidate Examination Handbook by Meazure Learning.

From July 1, 2026, the registration examination for NP applicants will be the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Licensure Exam (CNPLE). Check this page for any pricing updates.

Jurisprudence exam fee

Registration Class Exam Fee

Non-Practising Class

Not required

All other applicants

$45.20

Registration fee (until December 31 of the year you become registered)

Registration Class Exam Fee

Non-Practising Class
(includes application fee)

$160.46

All other applicants

$493.81

Note: Nurses also registered in another Canadian province or territory (interjurisdictional nurses) as a practicing nurse in the same category as the one in which they are registering with CNO will receive a 25% rebate on their annual fee if they remain registered to practice in another jurisdiction as their home jurisdiction and with CNO as their host jurisdiction. CNO will apply this rebate when you pay your annual fee. Learn more about Interjurisdictional Nurse Licensure (INL).

Other application & registration fees

Evaluation fees

Fee Description Fee

Educational Credential Assessment
(internationally educated nurses)

Varies by service provider

Nurses educated outside Canada (IENs) must have their education credentials assessed by an approved educational credential assessment (ECA) service provider. Each ECA service provider sets its own fees.
Fee Description Fee

Additional Evaluation (RPNs and NPs)

$366.12

This fee applies if you must complete a Competency Assessment Supplement after CNO assesses your education. This evaluation is required if CNO identifies that your education is not substantially equivalent to an Ontario nursing program in the same category.
Fee Description Fee

Additional Evaluation (RNs)

$812.47

This fee applies if CNO tells you that you must complete a Competency Assessment Supplement as an alternative to completing the Touchstone Institute evaluation. This evaluation is required if CNO identifies that your education is not substantially equivalent to an Ontario nursing program in the same category.
Fee Description Fee

Additional Full Evaluation (NPs)

$1,624.94

This fee applies only to NP applicants whose NP program has not been previously reviewed by CNO and must be fully assessed to determine whether the program meets the entry-to-practice competencies for NPs in Ontario.
Fee Description Fee

Issuance of a specialty certificate

$77.97

This fee applies only to applicants who are eligible to register as an NP in one of three specialty areas: Adult, Pediatrics or Primary Health Care. Specialty certificates will no longer be issued from July 1, 2026 as NP certification transitions to a single classification without specialties.

Note: Whether you are an IEN who needs an Education Credential Assessment is based on where you received your nursing education, not on your place of birth or your current citizenship status. For example, a Canadian citizen who completes a nursing program at a school outside Canada will pay the same fees and go through the same application process as other IENs.

Annual fees and penalties

When you pay your annual fees before December 31, you are renewing your authorization to practice nursing for the next calendar year or your registration in the Non-Practising Class. There are penalties for paying your annual fee after the deadline.

Fee Description Fee

Annual renewal fee

$415.84

For all RNs, RPNs and NPs in the General, Extended and Temporary classes.
Fee Description Fee

Annual renewal penalty fee

$152.55

An additional fee for nurses who pay their annual fees after the December 31 annual renewal deadline.

Lifting of suspension fee

$82.49

A fee required in addition to any outstanding fees or information (if any) when a suspended member asks for their suspension to be lifted.
Fee Description Fee

Non-Practising Class annual renewal fee

$77.97

A fee required of all members in the Non-Practising Class.

Non-Practising Class annual renewal penalty fee

$40.68

An additional fee for nurses in the Non-Practising Class who pay their annual fees after the December 31 annual renewal deadline.

Reinstatement fees

Fee Description Fee

Application for reinstatement of membership

$244.08

RN or RPN reinstatement fee

$82.49

Note: Former members who apply for reinstatement may also need to pay additional fees. The exact amount depends on individual circumstances. Contact CNO for more information.

Health profession corporation fees

Fee Description Fee

Certificate of Authorization

$565.08

Nurses who want to incorporate their practice have the option of setting up a Health Profession Corporation authorized by CNO.

Annual renewal of Certificate of Authorization

$282.50

Verification fees

Fee Description Fee

Verification of registration

$16.95

This fee applies only to members who require verification of their CNO registration. This is often required when a nurse wants to practice in a jurisdiction outside Ontario.

Verification of Registration Request