GED Las Vegas: who can take the test, the passing scores, and what it gets you
GED Las Vegas test takers are using a high school equivalency test that Nevada law recognizes as a substitute for finishing high school. Nevada accepts three tests, not just the GED. You can usually start at 17. At 16, you need the school district's OK. You only retake the parts you fail, and the certificate itself is free. Here is what Nevada law says.
What you do now
1. Check that you can sign up. You must be 17 or older, not a high school graduate,
and not enrolled in high school (NRS 390.055(2)). There is no rule that you must have lived in Nevada
for any length of time (NAC 390.115(1)).
2. If you are 17, get a parent's signature. A 17-year-old needs written permission
signed by a parent or legal guardian (NRS 390.055(2)(b)).
3. Pick your test. Nevada accepts the General Educational Development Test (GED), the
HiSET Exam, and the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) (NAC 390.135(1)). Each counts the same.
4. Take it at an approved site. Only test sites approved by the Nevada Department of
Education may give the test (NAC 390.155).
5. Bring photo ID. You must show valid ID with your photo, like a current driver's
license. The proctor checks that your signature matches the one on your application
(NAC 390.125).
Passing scores Nevada sets
| Test | What you need to pass | Source |
|---|---|---|
| GED, taken on or after Jan. 1, 2014 | At least 145 on each of the 4 subtests | NAC 390.135(2)(b) |
| GED, taken before Jan. 1, 2014 | At least 450 on each of the 4 subtests | NAC 390.135(2)(a) |
| HiSET Exam | At least 8 on each of the 5 subtests, and an average of 9 across all 5 | NAC 390.135(2)(c) |
| TASC | At least 500 on each of the 5 subtests | NAC 390.135(2)(d) |
| Failed a part | Retake only the subtests you failed. No limit on retakes, though the number of test versions can limit how many you take in 12 months | NAC 390.145 |
| Your certificate | A certificate of educational equivalence is issued free to anyone who passes | NAC 390.155 |
Read 2026-11-07 off the Nevada Revised Statutes: chapters 388H and 390 revisions stamped 4/15/2026 (2025), chapters 392 and 396 revisions stamped 9/9/2026 (2026R1); and the Nevada Administrative Code, chapter 390 revision stamped 8/26/2026.
If you are 16
Ask the school board. The board of trustees of your school district may let you take
the test for good cause. You must live in the district, have written permission from a parent or
guardian, not be a graduate, not be enrolled in high school, and meet any other rule the board sets
(NRS 390.055(3), NAC 390.115(2)).
School attendance. Once you have permission, you are excused from going to school.
But after you take the test, you must go back to school until you are told you passed
(NRS 392.075).
Getting ready. If you are 16 or 17 and left high school to take the test, the school
board may let you attend an adult high school program to prepare. That permission ends the day you
pass (NAC 390.117(1)).
GED or adult diploma: know the difference
Equivalency certificate. Passing the GED, HiSET or TASC shows you
reached a level that is an acceptable substitute for finishing high school (NRS 390.055(1),
NAC 390.105).
Adult standard diploma. This is a real high school diploma. You earn
it through a school district's adult high school program (NAC 390.018).
Your test scores can count toward the diploma. Good scores on an
equivalency test can waive some credits in language arts, math, science and social studies for an
adult standard diploma (NAC 390.500(1), NAC 390.115(5)). They cannot waive credits for a regular high
school diploma (NAC 390.115(4)).
Already passed and over 18? You can still enroll in an adult high
school program (NAC 390.117(2)).
What it opens up for college
No out-of-state tuition. If you passed the equivalency test in
Nevada, the state college system may not charge you the tuition charge for non-residents, even if you
have not lived here 12 months (NRS 396.540(2)(n)).
Nevada Promise Scholarship. Passing the test before age 20 is one way
to qualify for this community college scholarship. There are other requirements too
(NRS 396.9665(1)(c)).
Special cases
Veterans who left school to serve. If you left high school to serve
in World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam Era, were discharged under honorable conditions, and
missed your diploma because of that service, you are treated as having earned a regular high school
diploma. A school district may issue it on request, even if you already hold a GED. A family can ask
for it after the veteran has died (NRS 390.630(1), (2)).
In jail or prison. Nevada's statewide education program for
incarcerated people may include classes to prepare for and take the equivalency test, along with
high school diploma, literacy and English classes (NRS 388H.020(2)).
You moved here from another state. You do not have to wait. Nevada
sets no minimum time living here before you can test (NAC 390.115(1)).
You finished high school somewhere else. The equivalency test is for
people who did not graduate from an accredited high school in the United States (NAC 390.115(1)(b)).
If you did graduate, ask that school for a copy of your diploma or transcript instead.
What not to do
Don't pay for "the real test answers." It is unlawful to share the
test questions or the approved answers (NRS 390.065). Anyone selling them is lying or breaking the
law.
Don't pay for a "certificate" without a test. Nevada's certificate
comes only from passing one of the three approved tests at an approved site, and it is issued free
(NAC 390.135(1), NAC 390.155).
Don't stay enrolled while you sign up. You cannot be enrolled in high
school when you take the test (NRS 390.055(2)(d)).
Good to know
Need a photo ID for test day? See driver's license replacement or REAL ID in Nevada.
For test fees, dates and approved test sites near you, check with the Nevada Department of Education
or your school district's adult education program. Call 211 for help finding a
free prep class.