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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Pennsylvania Licensure Requirements

    Completion of Approved Nursing Program

    1 Examination

    No Experience Requirement

    3 Hours of Continuing Education
     

    $95.00 Initial Fee

    $122.00 Renewal Fee

    An individual who has graduated from a state-approved school of nursing, passed the NCLEX-RN Examination and is licensed by the State Board of Nursing to provide patient care.

    Degree Requirement:  

    Completion of Approved Nursing Program
    An applicant, to be eligible for examination for licensure as a registered nurse, shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the Board that they have completed work equal to a standard high school course as evaluated by the Board and has satisfactorily completed an approved program of professional nursing.  Approved programs shall include an associate degree, Bachelor's degree, or diploma nursing programs.

    Examination Requirement: 

    1 Examination
    An applicant must receive a passing grade on either the National Council of State Boards - Registered Nursing Exam (NCLEX-RN) or the State Board Test Pool Exam (SBTPE) as a requirement for licensure.

    Experience: 

    No Experience Requirement
    No experience requirement for licensure.

    Continuing Education: 

    3 Hours
    Applicants must complete 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for initial licensure.

    30 hours of continuing education is required for biennial renewal of license. Of those 30 hours, 2 hours must be Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting. 

    Initial Licensing Fee: 

    $95.00 – Fee for in-state educated RN exam applicants

    $115.00 – Fee for RN exam applicants educated in another state or jurisdiction

    $120.00 – Fee for applications for licensure by endorsement

    $145.00 – Fee for licensure by endorsement with examination 

    Licensure Renewal Fee: 

    $122.00
    Biennial renewal of license.

    Licensure By Endorsement & Licensure By Act 41:

    A registered nurse who has graduated from an approved professional nursing education program in the United States or Canada and who obtained licensure in another jurisdiction having passed an examination considered by the Board to be equivalent to the examination required for licensure in this Commonwealth may be granted licensure by endorsement.

    Act 41 allows for portability of out-of-state professional licensees coming to work in Pennsylvania. Act 41 does this by granting all boards and commissions within the Commonwealth the authority to endorse licensees from other states, territories or jurisdictions (with substantially equivalent licensing requirements) who are active, in good standing and without discipline against their license or criminal conviction.