What happened to NaxLex?
NaxLex.com is offline because a US federal court ordered it shut down. On 21 August 2026, Judge Denise Cote of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York signed an emergency order against NaxLex in a lawsuit brought by Elsevier (the company behind HESI) and Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI).
The order was kept sealed until 10 September 2026 so the defendants could not move their money first. In September the court followed it with a preliminary injunction, which keeps the shutdown in place for as long as the case runs. For every question about the case, see What happened to NaxLex?
| Case | Elsevier Inc. and Assessment Technologies Institute, L.L.C. v. Naxlex Prep LLC et al. |
|---|---|
| Case number | 1:26-cv-07130-DLC |
| Court | US District Court, Southern District of New York |
| Judge | Denise Cote |
| Defendants | Naxlex Prep LLC, Naxlex Global LLC, Geoffrey Kimang'a (named with several aliases) and up to 20 unnamed "Doe" defendants |
| Claims | Copyright infringement, tortious interference with contracts, and fraud |
| Status | Preliminary injunction in force; no trial yet |
Important
These are allegations. Nothing has been proven at trial. But the judge did find that Elsevier and ATI are likely to succeed on all three claims, which is the legal bar for this kind of emergency order.
Timeline of the case
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Sept 2026 | Preliminary injunction granted, keeping NaxLex shut down for the rest of the case. |
| 16 Sept 2026 | Court hearing on whether the emergency order should become a preliminary injunction. |
| 10 Sept 2026 | The order is unsealed and appears on the public court docket. |
| 21 Aug 2026 | Judge signs a temporary restraining order, an asset freeze and an expedited discovery order. |
| 20 Aug 2026 | Elsevier and ATI file the lawsuit. |
| 20 Aug 2023 | The start of the period the court let the companies subpoena NaxLex sales and payment records for. |
What NaxLex is accused of
The lawsuit describes two businesses run through NaxLex.com.
1. Selling copied exam content
Elsevier and ATI say NaxLex reproduced and sold digital copies of their registered, copyrighted assessment content — the same exams nursing schools use to decide who progresses, graduates and sits the NCLEX. They also say NaxLex built "derivative works" from that content, meaning test banks and study guides adapted from the real questions.
2. A paid "proxy test-taking" service
The second accusation is more serious. The companies say NaxLex sold a service in which paid stand-ins logged into ATI and Elsevier's secure, proctored exams remotely and took the exam in the student's name, while making it look as though the student was testing. This is the basis of the fraud claim.
What the court order does
- Shuts down NaxLex.com and bars the defendants from running any other website, social media account or online service that sells the content or the proxy service.
- Cuts off infrastructure: no servers, domains, cloud storage, CDNs, ad services or payment processors may be used for those sites.
- Freezes the money: payment processors (the order names Stripe, PayPal and Cash App), banks and crypto exchanges must freeze accounts tied to NaxLex.
- Bans access to ATI and Elsevier platforms, including registering new accounts.
- Orders records preserved and lets the companies subpoena subscription sales — including each buyer's city and state — plus upload and download logs going back to August 2023.
Elsevier now cites the case on its HESI exam-security page, alongside new protections such as watermarking on every question and rotating 40% of exit-exam items three times a year.
If you were a NaxLex subscriber
Treat your NaxLex access as gone for good. The injunction lasts for the whole case, and the same people are barred from relaunching under another name. Here is what to do now.
Don't pay any "new NaxLex"
A copycat domain, Telegram channel or WhatsApp group claiming to be NaxLex is either breaking a court order or running a scam.
Ask for your money back
If you paid by card, ask your bank for a chargeback because the service was not delivered — time limits apply, so do it soon. PayPal lets buyers open a dispute within 180 days of payment. NaxLex itself is unlikely to respond while its accounts are frozen. Step-by-step help: NaxLex refund guide.
Write down your weak areas today
Your saved scores and notes should be considered lost. List the topics you were struggling with from memory so you can rebuild your plan quickly.
Stop using anything that felt like a leaked exam
The court has allowed sales records to be subpoenaed. Studying from a question bank is very different from paying someone to sit your exam — but material that felt like the real test is best left behind. More on this: Is using NaxLex cheating?
If you used the proxy service, get advice
That is an academic-integrity matter, not a study-resource one. Speak privately with a trusted faculty adviser or a lawyer before your school or the testing company contacts you.
Why "real exam questions" prep is a trap
Sites that promise the "actual" ATI, HESI or NCLEX questions are selling a shortcut that does not last.
- The exams change. HESI now rotates 40% of exit-exam items three times a year and watermarks every question. Memorised answers go stale fast.
- It does not build clinical judgment. The NCLEX is adaptive and built around case studies. You pass it by reasoning through new situations, not by recognising old ones.
- It puts your record at risk. As the NaxLex case shows, testing companies monitor these sites, go to court, and can subpoena who bought what.
The better path
Practise with original questions written to the official test plans, read every rationale, and track your weak areas. It is slower than a shortcut for about a week — and then it is faster, because you understand the material.
The NaxLex alternative: Provic Tutors
Provic Tutors covers the same exams NaxLex students were studying for — ATI TEAS, HESI A2, NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN and nursing-school subject exams — with original practice built the right way.
| Exam | What's included |
|---|---|
| ATI TEAS 7 | 2,000+ practice questions across Reading, Math, Science and English, with explanations and a printable study guide |
| HESI A2 | 3,000+ practice questions covering Anatomy, Math, Grammar, Reading and more, with timed scored tests |
| NCLEX-RN | Next Generation NCLEX-style practice with clinical-judgment rationales |
| NCLEX-PN | Practice tests for LPN/LVN candidates with an explanation for every item |
| Nursing school exams | 285 practice exams across Fundamentals, Pharmacology, Med-Surg, Mental Health, Maternal Newborn, Pediatrics and more |
| Study guides | Downloadable PDF guides for NCLEX, TEAS, HESI and nursing-school topics |
Pass Confidence Guarantee
Complete all practice tests and reach the recommended score. If you don't pass on your first attempt, you're refunded in line with our refund policy.
Pick up where NaxLex left off
Try 10 free questions on any subject, see the rationales for yourself, then choose 30 or 60 days of access.
Pick your exam
Jump straight to the practice that matches what you were using NaxLex for.
Licensing exams
Entrance exams
Nursing school subject exams (ATI & HESI style)
Preparing for a school proctored exam? Read our ATI proctored exam guide and the dosage calculation guide.
Switch from NaxLex in 5 steps
Take a free 10-question trial
Open the subject you were studying and do the free questions cold. Your score shows where you really are.
Rebuild your weak-area list
Combine your trial results with the topics you noted from NaxLex. Those are your first two weeks.
Choose 30 or 60 days
Under a month to your exam? Take 30 days. More than that, or a retake? Take 60 days so you are not paying twice.
Practise daily, read every rationale
Aim for 50–85 questions a day for the NCLEX, or 20–30 a day for a school exam. Spend as long on rationales as on the questions.
Finish with a full timed run
In your final week, sit one complete timed exam with no breaks to build stamina and calm test-day nerves.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us your exam, test date and weak areas on WhatsApp, and we'll help you choose the right practice plan.
How to vet any nursing prep site
Whatever you use next, run it through these checks before you pay.
Green flags
- It states clearly that its questions are original and written to the official test plans.
- It has clear terms, a refund policy and secure checkout through a recognised processor.
- Every question comes with a full rationale, not just an answer key.
- It says plainly that it is not affiliated with ATI, Elsevier or NCSBN.
Red flags
- Promises of "real", "actual" or "leaked" exam questions, or "the same questions you'll see".
- Anyone offering to take your exam, log in for you, or help you get around a lockdown browser.
- Payment only through personal mobile money, crypto or gift cards, with no refund terms.
- No terms, refund policy or contact page, with a chat number as the only way to reach anyone.
Frequently asked questions
Why isn't NaxLex working?
NaxLex isn't working because a federal court in New York ordered NaxLex.com shut down on 21 August 2026, in a lawsuit brought by Elsevier and ATI. The court later granted a preliminary injunction that keeps it offline for the rest of the case. Login and payment problems are a result of that order, not a technical fault on your side.
Is the NaxLex site down?
Yes. NaxLex.com is down and is expected to stay down while the case continues. The court order bars the people behind it from running NaxLex.com or any similar site, and from using servers, domains or payment processors for it. Clearing your browser cache or trying another device won't bring it back.
What is going on with NaxLex?
Elsevier (HESI) and ATI sued NaxLex in August 2026, alleging it sold copies of their copyrighted nursing assessment content and ran a paid service in which stand-ins took proctored exams for students. A judge found the companies likely to succeed, shut the site down, froze its payment accounts and later extended the order as a preliminary injunction. The allegations have not yet been proven at trial. See the full timeline above.
Is NaxLex shut down for good?
For now, yes. A preliminary injunction keeps NaxLex.com offline for as long as the court case runs, and the people behind it are barred from running any similar site. A permanent shutdown would come only with a final judgment, but there is no sign the site will return. Read the full story.
Will NaxLex come back?
Not while the case is running. The injunction bars the defendants from operating NaxLex.com or any similar site, and their payment accounts are frozen.
Is there a new NaxLex site?
There is no legitimate replacement. The court order bans the defendants from running any website, social media account or online service that sells the disputed content. Treat any site, Telegram channel or WhatsApp group claiming to be the "new NaxLex" as a scam or a breach of the order, and don't pay it.
Is NaxLex legit?
NaxLex was a real company with real paying customers, but a federal judge found Elsevier and ATI likely to prove it sold copies of their copyrighted exam content and ran a proxy test-taking service. Those allegations have not been proven at trial, but the court shut the site down and froze its payment accounts.
Who owns NaxLex?
According to the court filings, NaxLex.com was run through two companies, Naxlex Prep LLC and Naxlex Global LLC, and an individual named as a defendant, Geoffrey Kimang'a. Up to 20 unnamed "Doe" defendants are also listed. These are allegations in an ongoing case, not findings of guilt.
Can I get a refund from NaxLex?
Not from NaxLex directly, because its payment accounts are frozen. Your best route is your bank or card issuer: ask for a chargeback because the service was not delivered. PayPal buyers can open a dispute within 180 days of payment. Act quickly, as time limits apply. See our NaxLex refund guide.
Is using NaxLex cheating?
Buying a study subscription is not the same as cheating, but it depends what you used. Paying someone to sit your exam is cheating, and studying from content copied from secure exams can break your school's or ATI's rules. Ordinary practice questions are not. See the full answer.
Am I in trouble for using NaxLex?
The lawsuit targets the people who ran NaxLex, not students. Buying a study subscription is very different from using the alleged proxy test-taking service. If you did use that service, speak privately with a faculty adviser or a lawyer.
What can I use instead of NaxLex?
Use a prep site with original, blueprint-aligned questions, full rationales and timed practice. Provic Tutors covers NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, ATI TEAS, HESI A2 and nursing-school subject exams, with a free 10-question trial on every subject.
How are Provic Tutors questions written?
Every question is matched to the official exam blueprint: the same content areas, difficulty and question formats you'll face on the ATI TEAS, HESI A2, NCLEX and nursing-school exams, with a rationale for every answer. All questions are original, written by our team, so you build real understanding instead of memorising answers.
Is Provic Tutors a subscription?
No. You make a one-time payment for 30 or 60 days of unlimited access, processed by Stripe. Nothing renews automatically.
How long should I study after losing NaxLex?
Most NCLEX candidates need 4–8 weeks of daily practice; a single school exam usually needs 2–3 weeks of focused review. Start with a free trial to see how far you have to go.
Ready to study the right way?
Original questions, a rationale for every answer, and timed practice for the exam you're facing next.
Sources
- Ex parte order, Elsevier Inc. v. Naxlex Prep LLC et al., No. 1:26-cv-07130-DLC (S.D.N.Y., signed 21 Aug 2026, filed 10 Sept 2026)
- Elsevier — HESI Exam Security
- IP Law Daily (VitalLaw) — Testing companies get temporary restraining order in lawsuit over nursing exam materials, 16 Sept 2026
About this article. This article summarises public court filings and is general information, not legal advice. The allegations against NaxLex have not been proven at trial.