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State Licensure Factsheet: State-by-State Information
In the United States, boards of nursing are the administrative bodies responsible for the regulation of nursing in each state and territory. These government agencies administer the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX – RN) and the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX – PN), and issue licenses based on which prospective nurses passed those examinations. Fours states: California, Georgia, Louisiana, and West Virginia, have two separate boards of nursing, one for registered nurses and another for license practical/vocational nurses. Boards of nursing are also charged with verifying current license holders to third parties, renewing licenses, and approving nursing education programs in their state. Many boards now provide these services online. Below is a list of all of the state boards, including information regarding the online services they offer.
Alabama Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Alaska Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: No
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American Samoa
- Website: none
- Phone: 684.633.1222
Arizona State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Arkansas State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: No
California Board of Registered Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: No
California Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Colorado Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Connecticut Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Delaware Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
District of Columbia Health Professional Licensing Administration
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Florida Department of Public Health
- Applications available for download: Yes (online application system)
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Practical Nurses
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Georgia Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Guam Board of Nurse Examiners
- Website: none
- Phone: 671.735.7406
Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing Division
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes (deadline specific)
- Online license verification: Yes
Idaho Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Illinois Division of Professional Regulation
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes (deadline specific)
- Online license verification: No
Indiana State Board of Nursing Professional Licensing Agency
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Iowa Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes (online application system)
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Kansas State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners
- Applications available for download: No
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: No
Louisiana State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Maine State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Maryland Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: No
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Massachusetts Division of Health Profession Licensure
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Michigan Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Minnesota Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes (online application system)
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Mississippi Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Missouri Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Montana Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Nebraska Regulation and Licensure, Nursing and Nursing Support
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes (deadline specific)
- Online license verification: Yes
Nevada State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: No
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
New Hampshire Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
New Jersey Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
New Mexico Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
New York State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
North Carolina Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
North Dakota Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes (deadline specific)
- Online license verification: Yes
Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Board of Nurse Examiners
- Website: none
- Phone: 670.664.4812
Ohio Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Oklahoma Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Oregon State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
South Carolina State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
South Dakota Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Tennessee State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Texas Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Utah State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: Yes
- Online license verification: Yes
Vermont State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Virgin Islands Board of Nurse Licensure
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: No
Virginia Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: No
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: No
Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
Wyoming State Board of Nursing
- Applications available for download: Yes
- List of state approved nursing programs: Yes
- Online license renewals: No
- Online license verification: Yes
(Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing)
racingchic9
over 4 years ago
4 comments
Ohio's info is wrong. "Online license renewals: No" They now can renew online.
nursesourcer
about 5 years ago
108 comments
In addition to this wealth of info for all you soon-to-be grads: should you be interested in GN oppts in the state of Florida - please be aware that we recently changed our laws. In order to be hired into a GN role, you must possess a letter from the nursing school and authorization to sit for the nursing exam in Florida. Please note that the nursing school can be any accredited USA nursing school - it is not necessary for that school to be in Florida. The authorization to sit for the licensing exam, however, MUST be from Florida.
squirmals
about 5 years ago
42 comments
This will be handy. I sure wish there could be one license to go from state to state without having to deal with all the paper work. Couldn't we have one large governing nursing agency that establishes all the nurse laws?
adriennezurub
about 5 years ago
42 comments
WOW! I've considered moving to various warmer states and this helps in the licensing process. Thanks for doing this, I know it took a lot of time.
Adrienne
justinenursing
about 5 years ago
238 comments
This is rilly good info im :) you posted it
jackiesnurse
over 5 years ago
2 comments
how many dui convictions can you have and still become a registered nurse?