(a) Except as provided by § 301.452, an applicant is entitled to take the examination prescribed by the board if:
(1) the board determines that the applicant meets the qualifications required by § 301.252; and
(2) the applicant pays the fees required by the board.
(b) Each examination administered under this section must be prepared by a national testing service or the board. The board shall ensure that the examination is administered in various cities throughout the state.

(c) The examination shall be designed to determine the fitness of the applicant to practice professional nursing or vocational nursing.
(c-1) The board shall:
(1) adopt policies and guidelines detailing the procedures for the testing process, including test admission, test administration, and national examination requirements; and
(2) post on the board’s Internet website the policies that reference the testing procedures by the national organization selected by the board to administer an examination.
(d) The board shall determine the criteria that determine a passing score on the examination. The criteria may not exceed those required by the majority of the states.
(e) A written examination prepared, approved, or offered by the board, including a standardized national examination, must be validated by an independent testing professional.
(f) The board shall develop a written refund policy regarding examination fees that:
(1) defines the reasonable notification period and the emergencies that would qualify for a refund; and
(2) does not conflict with any examination fee or refund policy of the testing service involved in administering the examination.
(g) The board may recommend to a national testing service selected by the board to offer examinations under this section the board’s written policy for refunding an examination fee for an applicant who:
(1) provides advance notice of the applicant’s inability to take the examination; or
(2) is unable to take the examination because of an emergency.