Congratulations! You have a brand new nursing degree and it was hard-earned. Your accredited nursing school has graduated you and you are ready to start your career. This is a great time to become a nurse. Next step: find a job, right? Not without a nursing license.
Not exactly. You have the education you need to practice, but before you take a single patient’s blood pressure, you need to pass your licensure test (NCLEX exam) and apply for your state nursing license.
What are the requirements to begin working as a nurse?
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, you need both education and a nursing license to work as a nurse. You must also report any criminal convictions, chemical dependencies, and deficits in functional ability. In order to get your license, you need to take the NCLEX exam.
What is the National Council of State Boards of Nursing?
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit organization composed of all the state nursing boards and the nursing boards of all U.S. territories. This is an organization for open communication, standardization, and development of nursing practices.
How does my State Nursing Board Fit Into This Puzzle?
Your state nursing board is your nursing supervisor in the field. It managers the following.
- Ensuring that the school from which you graduated is accredited. - Administering the NCLEX exam and validating your test results.
- Seek to ensure you adhere to the practices established by the board in your professional capacity.
- Issuing your nursing license and tracking your renewal.
So, How do I schedule my NCLEX Exam?
To initiate the process, contact your state nursing board. You can find your state nursing board here.
How Much Does the NCLEX Test Cost?
The cost to take the NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN exam is $200.
Is the NCLEX Hard to Pass?
How difficult any given test is is subjective and will vary from person to person. However, according to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, in 2017, the first-attempt NCLEX pass rate for U.S.-educated nursing students was 87%. The second-attempt pass rate was 45.56%. Here’s a guide for helping you pass the NCLEX and a list of the best NCLEX study books.
What Percentage do You Have to Get on the NCLEX to Pass?
You need a 50% on the NCLEX to pass. This means you need to answer the medium difficulty questions correctly at least half the time.
What’s on the NCLEX Exam?
The test is designed to validate your education, so it is composed of questions the answers to which you should know such as how to manage care, healthy lifestyles, psychosocial issues in nursing, physiological topics, and etcetera.
Is my Nursing Degree Sufficient Preparation for the Licensure Exam?
The information you studied in the course of obtaining your degree should provide you with the information you need to pass the test. However, the tone, manner of posing questions, and character of the exam are unique.
Many nurses find they are more comfortable preparing by taking practice tests, studying with test preparation books specifically designed for this test, or even taking targeted preparation classes. You are not required to do any special preparation, but many do.
Once I have my Nursing License, can I Practice Nursing Anywhere in the US?
Until recently, practicing outside of the state that issued your nursing license was complicated. However, since the advent of the Nursing Licensure Compact, a license issued from any of the compact states is accepted in all of the other compact member states.
What is the Nursing Licensure Compact?
To streamline the process of obtaining work in states different from the one that issued your nursing license, some state nursing boards agreed to recognize and accept each other’s licenses in the Nursing Licensure Compact.
The image below is for example purposes only but you can obtain a current list of participating states here.
Does This Mean I can Apply for a Job Anywhere and They Will Accept my Nursing License?
The requirements for you to take advantage of the Nursing Licensure Compact are as follows. You must:
- have a legal residence in one of the compact states, which are called “party” states.
- have an RN or LPN nursing license in good standing.
- declare an NLC party-state to be your official residence.
- meet the licensure requirements in your home state.
I Meet All the Requirements Listed: How Do I Get my Compact License?
There is no compact license; by conforming to the requirements of the compact, your nursing license automatically becomes a multi-state license.
How does this Nursing Licensure Compact Affect my Ability to Practice Nursing if I Relocate?
The Nursing Licensure Compact is a provision to enable nurses to work within the compact group. There is no clause for excluding nurses with valid licenses from working as it relates to the compact.
Moving From a non-Compact State to Compact State, or Vice Versa
Example: A licensed nurse relocates from a compact state to a non-compact state, or vice versa. What are the steps to obtaining legal nursing employment?
In this example, you apply for endorsement of your nursing license in your new state. If you have a compact license and relocate to a non-compact state, your license automatically becomes non-compact; and you retain the requirements of your licensing state.
Moving from one Compact State to Another Compact State
You have a grace period for practicing in your former home state for up to 30 or 90 days. After the grace period:
- Apply for licensure by endorsement.
- Pay any applicable fees.
- Declare the new state as your official primary residence.
But How Do I Get My New License?
You are issued a new multistate nursing license and your former multistate license is inactivated. Notify the Board of Nursing in your former state that you have moved
Nursing Boards by State
Alabama State Board of Nursing
Address: 770 Washington Avenue RSA Plaza, Suite 250 Montgomery, AL 36130-3900 Phone: (334) 293-5200 Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $85 License renewal (every two years), RN: $75
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 24 contact hours for every renewal period
Alaska State Board of Nursing
Address: Dept. of Comm. & Econ. Development Div. of Occupational Licensing 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1500 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: (907) 269-8161 Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $334 License renewal (every two years), RN: $175
Continuing Education Requirements: Two of the following: 30 contact hours 30 hours of professional nursing activities 320 hours of nursing employment
Arizona State Board of Nursing
Address: 4747 N. 7th St. Suite 200 Phoenix, AZ 85014 Phone: (602) 771-7800
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $300 License renewal (every four years), RN: $160
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Arkansas State Board of Nursing
Address: University Tower Building 1123 S. University, Suite 800 Little Rock, AR 72204-1619 Phone: (501) 686-2700
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $100 License renewal (every two years), RN: $75
Continuing Education Requirements: The requirements include completing 15 practice-focused continuing education contact hours or hold a current, nationally recognized certification or complete a minimum of one college credit course in nursing with a grade of C or better during a licensure period.
California State Board of Registered Nursing
Address: 1747 N. Market Blvd., Suite 150 PO Box 944210 Sacramento, CA 95834 Phone: (916) 322-3350
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $150 License renewal (every two years), RN: $140
Continuing Education Requirements: 30 contact hours per renewal period
Colorado State Board of Nursing
Address: 1560 Broadway, Suite 1350 Denver, Colorado 80202 Phone: (303) 894-2430
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $88 License renewal (every two years), RN: $123
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Connecticut State Board of Examiners for Nursing
Address: Dept. of Public Health 410 Capitol Avenue PO Box 340308 Hartford, CT 06134 Phone: (860) 509-8000
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $180 License renewal (annual), RN: $100
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Delaware State Board of Nursing
Address: Cannon Building 861 Silver Lake Blvd. Cannon Building, Suite 203 Dover, DE 19904 Phone: (302) 744-4500
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $124 License renewal (every two years), RN: Not listed on web site
Continuing Education Requirements: 30 contact hours every renewal period
District of Columbia State Board of Nursing
Address: Department of Health 899 N. Capitol Street, N.E., 1st Floor Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 442-5955
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $187 License renewal (every two years), RN: $145
Continuing Education Requirements: 24 contact hours for RNs and 18 contact hours for LPNs every renewal period
Florida State Board of Nursing
Address: 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C01 Tallahassee, FL 32399-3251 Phone: (850) 488-0595
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $175 License renewal (every two years), RN: $80
Continuing Education Requirements: 1 hour HIV/AIDS for initial licensure 2 hours relating to the prevention of medical errors 24 hours of continuing education related to nursing 2 hours of domestic violence education every third renewal
Georgia State Board of Nursing
Address: 237 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217-3858 Phone: (478) 207-2440
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $175 License renewal (every two years), RN: $80
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Hawaii State Board of Nursing
Address: King Kalakaua Building 335 Merchant Street, Room 301 Honolulu, HI 96813 Phone: (808) 586-3000
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $40 License renewal (every two years), RN: $160
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Idaho State Board of Nursing
Address: 280 N. 8th Street, Suite 210 PO Box 83720 Boise, ID 83720 Phone: (208) 577-2476
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $90 License renewal (every two years), RN: $90
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Illinois Department of Professional Regulation
Address: James R. Thompson Center 100 West Randolph, 9th Floor Chicago, IL 60601 Phone: (312) 814-4500
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $91 License renewal (every two years), RN: $50
Continuing Education Requirements: LPN: 20 hours of approved continuing education RN: 20 hours of approved continuing education APN: 50 hours of approved continuing education
Indiana State Board of Nursing
Address: Indiana Professional Licensing Agency 402 W. Washington Street, Room W072 Indianapolis, IN 46204 Phone: (317) 232-2960
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $50 License renewal (every two years), RN: $50
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Iowa State Board of Nursing
Address: River Point Business Park 400 S.W. 8th Street Suite B Des Moines, IA 50309-4685 Phone: (515) 281-3255
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $143 License renewal (every three years), RN: $99
Continuing Education Requirements: For renewal of a three-year license, 36 contact hours. For renewal of a license that has been issued for less than three years, 24 contact hours.
Kansas State Board of Nursing
Address: Landon State Office Bldg. 900 SW Jackson, Suite 1051 Topeka, KS 66612-1230 Phone: (785)296-4929
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $75 License renewal (every two years), RN: $60
Continuing Education Requirements: 30 contact hours each renewal period for nurses at all levels of practice.
Kentucky State Board of Nursing
Address: 312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 300 Louisville, KY 40222 Phone: (502) 329-7000
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $110 License renewal (every two years), RN: $50
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 14 contact hours every two years. See web site for additional options; two of the 30 hours must be AIDS CE three hours of domestic violence CE within 3 years of Kentucky licensure.
Louisiana State Board of Nursing
Address: 17373 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, LA 70810 Phone: (225) 755-7500
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $142.50 License renewal, RN: $80-$105 depending on date or renewal
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: Five, 10, or 15 contact hours every year, based on employment
Maine State Board of Nursing
Address: 161 Capitol Street 158 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 Phone: (207) 287-1133
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $75 License renewal, RN (every two years): $75
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Maryland State Board of Nursing
Address: 4140 Patterson Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215 Phone: (410) 585-1900
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $100 License renewal (annual), RN: $73
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Massachusetts State Board of Nursing
Address: Board of Registration in Nursing 239 Causeway Street Boston, MA 02114 Phone: (617) 973-0900
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $230 License renewal (every two years), RN: $120
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 15 contact hours every renewal period
Michigan Board of Nursing
Address: Ottawa Towers North 611 W. Ottawa, 4th Floor Lansing, MI 48933 Phone: (517) 373-9280
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $54 License renewal (every two years), RN: $60
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 25 contact hours every renewal period
Minnesota State Board of Nursing
Address: 2829 University Avenue SE Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Phone: (612) 617-2270
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $115.50 License renewal (every two years), RN: $93.50
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: 24 contact hours every renewal period LPNs: 12 contact hours every renewal period
Mississippi State Board of Nursing
Address: 713 Pear Orchard Road, Suite 300 Ridgeland, MS 39157 Phone: (601) 957-6300
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $100 License renewal (every two years), RN: $100
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Missouri State Board of Nursing
Address: 3605 Missouri Blvd P.O. Box 656 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0656 Phone: (573) 751-0293
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $45 License renewal (every two years), RN: $60
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Montana State Board of Nursing
Address: 301 South Park PO Box 200513 Helena, MT 59620-0513 Phone: (406) 841-2345
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $200 License renewal (every two years), RN: $100
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: 24 contact hours every renewal period
Nebraska Health and Human Services System
Address: Dept. of Regulation & Licensure, Nursing Section 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, NE 68509 Phone: (402) 471-3121
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $123 License renewal (every two years), RN: $123
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: 20 contact hours every renewal period
Nevada State Board of Nursing
Address: License Certification and Education 4220 S. Maryland Parkway Suite B300 Las Vegas, NV 89119
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $100 License renewal (every two years), RN: $100
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 30 contact hours every renewal period
New Hampshire State Board of Nursing
Address: 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 16 Concord, NH 03301 Phone: (603) 271-2323
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $120 License renewal (every two years), RN: $80
Continuing Education Requirements: All nurses: 30 contact hours every renewal period
New Jersey State Board of Nursing
Address: P.O. Box 45010 Newark, NJ 07101 Phone: (973) 504-6430
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $200 License renewal (every two years), RN: $120
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 30 contact hours every renewal period
New Mexico State Board of Nursing
Address: 6301 Indian School Road NE Suite 710 Albuquerque, NM 87110 Phone: (505) 841-8340
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $110 License renewal (every two years), RN: $93
Continuing Education Requirements: All nurses: 30 contact hours every renewal period
New York State Board of Nursing
Address: State Education Building 89 Washington Avenue 2nd Floor West Wing Albany, NY 12234 Phone: (518) 474-3817 Ext. 120
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $143 License renewal (every three years), RN: $50
Continuing Education Requirements: 2-hour course on child abuse (one-time requirement for registration) 4-hour course on infection control every four years
North Carolina State Board of Nursing
Address: 4516 Lake Boone Trail Raleigh, NC 27607 (919) 782-3211
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $75 License renewal (every two years), RN: $92
Continuing Education Requirements: All nurses: 30 contact hours every renewal period
North Dakota State Board of Nursing
Address: 919 South 7th Street, Suite 504 Bismark, ND 58504 Phone: (701) 328-9777
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $110 License renewal (every two years), RN: $90
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 12 contact hours every renewal period
Ohio State Board of Nursing
Address: 17 South High Street, Suite 400 Columbus, OH 43215 Phone: (614) 466-6940
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $75 License renewal: Not listed on web site
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: 24 contact hours per renewal period
Oklahoma State Board of Nursing
Address: 2915 N. Classen Boulevard, Suite 524 Oklahoma City, OK 73106 Phone: (405) 962-1800
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $85 License renewal (every two years), RN: $75
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Oregon State Board of Nursing
Address: 17938 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road Portland, OR 97224-7012 Phone: (971) 673-0685
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $160 License renewal (every two years), RN: $145
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: Complete the one-time Pain Management Continuing Education requirement
Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing
Address: PO Box 2649 Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649 Phone: (717) 783-7142
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $35 License renewal (every two years), RN: $65; LPN: $60
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: 30 contact hours every renewal period; LPNs: None
Rhode Island State Board of Nursing
Department of Health Three Capitol Hill Providence, RI 02908 Phone: (401) 222-5960
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $135; LPN: $90 License renewal (every two years), RN: $135
Continuing Education Requirements: All nurses: 10 contact hours every renewal period
South Carolina State Board of Nursing
Address: Synergy Business Park Kingstree Building 110 Centerview Drive Columbia, SC 29210 Phone: (803) 896-4300
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $90 License renewal (every two years), RN: $50
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: 30 contact hours every renewal period
South Dakota State Board of Nursing
Address: 4305 South Louise Ave., Suite 201 Sioux Falls, SD 57106-3115 Phone: (605) 362-2760
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $100 License renewal, RN: $90
Continuing education requirements: None
Tennessee State Board of Nursing
Address: 227 French Landing, Suite 300 Nashville, TN 37243 Phone: (615) 741-3111
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $115 License renewal (every two years): RN: $210
Continuing Education Requirements: No continuing education hours required though license renewal requires proof of continued competence.
Texas Board of Nurse Examiners
Address: 333 Guadalupe, Suite 3-460 Austin, TX 78701 Phone: (512) 305-7400
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $186 License renewal (every two years), RN: $70
Continuing Education Requirements: 20 contact hours per renewal period
Utah State Board of Nursing
Address: Heber M. Wells Building 160 East 300 South Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Phone: (801) 530-6701
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $100 License renewal (every two years), RN: $58
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs: Have practiced not less than 400 hours during two years preceding application for renewal, or have completed 30 contact hours, or have practiced not less than 200 hours and completed 15 contact hours during two years preceding application for renewal.
Vermont State Board of Nursing
Address: 89 Main Street 3rd Floor Montpelier, VT 05620-3402 Phone: (802) 828-2396
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $90 License renewal (every two years), RN: $95
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Virginia State Board of Nursing
Address: Perimeter Center 9960 Maryland Drive, Suite 300 Henrico, VA 23233-1463 Phone: (804) 367-4400
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $190 License renewal: Not listed on web site
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
Address: Department of Health PO Box 47890 Olympia, WA 98504-7864 Phone: (360) 236-4030
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $92 License renewal (annual), RN: $101
Continuing Education Requirements: RNs and LPNs: Seven contact hours in HIV-AIDS education
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses
Address: 101 Dee Drive, Suite 102 Charleston, WV 25311 Phone: (304) 558-3596
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $51.50 License renewal (annual), RN: $65
Continuing Education Requirements: 12 contact hours per renewal period
Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing
Address: 1400 E. Washington Avenue P.O. Box 8935 Madison, WI 53708 Phone: (608) 266-2112
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $90 License renewal (every two years), RN: $86
Continuing Education Requirements: None
Wyoming State Board of Nursing
Address: 130 Hobbs Avenue, Suite B Cheyenne, WY 82002 Phone: (307) 777-7601
Fees: Initial licensing fee, RN: $135 License renewal (every two years), RN: $110
Continuing Education Requirements: 20 contact hours, or 500 practice hours every two years, or 1600 practice hours every five years, or a refresher program.