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Booking and feesNCC

RNC-OB certification cost, application and booking

Facts read in NCC's 2026 Candidate Guide and 3 other documents listed under Sources

Per NCC's 2026 registration catalog, the exam fee for RNC-OB certification is $325, which includes a nonrefundable $50 application fee. Application and payment go through an online account with the board; once approved, you book a seat with PSI. The window runs 90 days from approval; schedule within the first 30 days.

Fees and booking rules

ItemFactSource
Exam fee$325, which includes a nonrefundable $50 application fee The same fee applies at a test center and with remote proctoring.2026 Candidate Guide [1][2]
Changes and cancellationsMoving your test date, or switching between a test center and remote proctoring, within the original 90-day window is free; a change request costs $125 A change request, allowed once, covers a new eligibility window, a missed testing date or a different exam category; its $125 fee is nonrefundable. Cancel a PSI appointment at least 4 business days ahead. Withdrawing refunds $160 of the $325 fee.2026 Candidate Guide [1][2][3]
Retake feeThe full $325 again, with a new application2026 Candidate Guide [1][2]
Other fees$55 hand score; $30 to reprocess an incomplete application or license; $30 returned payment2026 Candidate Guide [1][3]
Renewal fee$100; $80, $70 or $60 when 15, 30 or 45 hours of NCC CE are used2026 Maintenance Catalog, core certifications [4]
How to bookApply and pay in your NCC account; once approved, schedule with PSI within the first 30 days of your 90-day window Approval can take up to 2 weeks. You can cancel an application within 6 hours of submitting it.NCC: 2026 Registration Catalog, core RNC exams [2][3]
Window to test90 days from approval; schedule within the first 30 daysNCC: 2026 Registration Catalog, core RNC exams [2]
Where you testPSI test centers in the US and Canada, or live remote proctoring at home Book at least 4 business days ahead for a test center and at least 2 for remote proctoring.NCC: 2026 Registration Catalog, core RNC exams [2][3]
Test providerPSIGuide to Testing Methods [2][3]

Each row read on Nov 6, 2026. Fees are 2026 list prices, checked Nov 6, 2026; new catalogs come out each year.

Five steps to an inpatient OB exam seat

  1. Confirm you qualify: license, months and hours.
  2. Set up an online account with the board; the application and fee go through it.
  3. Wait for approval. Approval opens a 90-day window, and the booking has to fall early in it, so have dates in mind before you apply.
  4. Reserve your seat through PSI: a testing center near you, or a webcam session from home with a live proctor.
  5. Take the exam, then expect the outcome in your account within 15 business days.

The full cost of certification

One attempt costs the exam fee above, of which the application part is never refunded. A failed attempt is charged again in full, and you can retest no sooner than 45 days after the attempt. Once certified, maintenance comes every 3 years at the fee in the table, lower if you use the board's own CE.

Smaller charges apply only if something goes wrong: an incomplete application, a returned payment, a hand-scored report or a change request outside your original window.

Moving your test date or withdrawing

Inside your original window, the date and the testing method can be changed without charge; give PSI the notice it asks for. Outside that, a change request (a new window, a missed date or another exam category) is a paid service. Withdrawing altogether refunds only about half of the fee (see the table). Scheduling has to happen early in the window, so book as soon as approval arrives.

Before and after you book

  • RNC-OBWho can sit the inpatient obstetric exam, what it covers, and renewal
  • RNC-OB practice testA free set of inpatient obstetric questions in the three-option format
  • RNC-OB exam factsFormat, scoring without a fixed percentage, results and retakes
  • RNC-OB study guideThe five content categories: what each covers, its weight, its traps

Sources

  1. [1]NCC: 2026 Candidate Guide, Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (PDF) nccwebsite.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
  2. [2]NCC: 2026 Registration Catalog, core RNC exams (PDF) nccwebsite.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
  3. [3]NCC: Guide to Testing Methods (PDF, modified Sept. 9, 2026) nccwebsite.org, opened Nov 6, 2026
  4. [4]NCC: 2026 Maintenance Catalog, core certifications (PDF) nccwebsite.org, opened Nov 6, 2026

Paying for and booking the inpatient OB exam

Is remote proctoring an option for the inpatient OB exam?

Yes. Besides PSI test centers in the US and Canada, live remote proctoring at home is offered too.

After approval, how long is the window to book the inpatient OB exam?

It runs 90 days from approval; schedule within the first 30 days. Book early: the date and method can be changed free inside the window, but a new window means a paid change request.

Is a retake of the inpatient obstetric exam any cheaper?

No. As of the 2026 catalog, a retake is the full $325 again, with a new application.