Hearing Aid Dispensing Examinations

Hearing Aid Specialists and Dispensing Audiologists who wish to engage in the practice of fitting and dispensing hearing aids in the State of Nevada must complete the following examinations:

International Hearing Society ILE Written Examination

Scheduling Process

Upon receipt of application for licensure, Board staff will submit an ILE Candidate Authorization Form to IHS.
The candidate will receive an email from IHS with instructions for scheduling the examination and payment of fees.
IHS will notify the Board via email of the candidate’s pass/fail status. (Note: the Board does not receive actual scores - the candidate must request this directly from IHS.)
The Board will the notify the candidate of their pass/fail status and as applicable, begin the process outlined below to schedule the practical examination.

International Hearing Society Practical Examination

Scheduling Process

Upon notice that the candidate has passed the ILE Written Examination, the Board will contact the candidate to schedule the Practical Examination.
The examination will be scheduled on an individual basis in Reno or Las Vegas with a Board-appointed proctor. Board staff will make every effort to schedule the examination in a timely manner but may be limited or delayed by proctor and/or candidate availability.
Once scheduled, the candidate must pay the Practical Examination Fee online through our Make a Payment page or by check mailed to the Board office. Payment must be received prior to the scheduled exam date.
Candidates are required to bring the following to the examination, with a more detailed list of requirements provided once the exam is scheduled:
- An audiometer; and
- An adult test subject. This individual may not be a person who would be a candidate for this examination in the foreseeable future.
At the time of the examination, the proctor, candidate, and test subject must complete an Informed Consent and Waiver of Liability form.

Retaking the Exam

Per NAC 637B.0373 a candidate who fails this examination must wait a minimum of 30 days to retake the examination.

Exceptions & Special Circumstances

Written ILE within 24 Months

The Board may accept a passing score obtained on the ILE Examination taken within the immediately preceding 24 months.

Apprentice Candidates

An apprentice may apply to convert to a Standard HAS license upon completion of 18 months of their apprenticeship period for purposes of scheduling and taking the written and/or practical examinations.

The written examination must be completed with a passing score, prior to both:

The scheduling of the practical examination; and
The the apprentice scheduling the NBC-HIS certification examination.

Audiology Graduate Student Candidates

A graduate student in audiology may apply for licensure up to six (6) months in advance of completion of their fourth-year audiology externship in order to facilitate the scheduling of the written and practical dispensing examinations required for licensure in Nevada.

Reinstatement of License

A Dispensing Audiologist or Hearing Aid Specialist requesting license reinstatement or applying for re-licensure (having previously held a license in Nevada but past the 3 year reinstatement period) must retake both the written and practical examinations unless one of the conditions below applies:

They passed the examinations within the past 5 years; OR
They did not pass the examinations within the past 5 years but are currently licensed and actively practicing in another state.