How to get a single-state Registered Nurse license in Delaware

Delaware registered nurse licenses

Delaware issues 2 registered nurse credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Delaware registered nurse license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

What it covers

Professional nursing services by a licensed person with primary responsibility and accountability for nursing practice based on specialized knowledge, judgment and skill from the biological, physical and behavioral sciences.¹

Requirements

High school diploma or GED

Required¹

Education or training

At least 400 clock hours²
Graduate of a State Board of Nursing approved RN education program; the program must include at least 400 hours of clinical experience (Rule 2.4.1.7.4).³
Who may teach it: State Board of Nursing approved program (Delaware list: Approved Delaware Nursing Education & Refresher Programs).¹
Alternative: Graduates of programs outside the US (including Canada or Puerto Rico) submit a TruMerit (CGFNS) CES report instead of a transcript.⁴

Exam

NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination-RN)³
Given by: Pearson VUE⁴
Passing score: Pass/fail; the passing standard is set by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.¹
When you can take it: Board approval after DELPROS application, fee, fingerprint background check, ID, official transcript (or CGFNS/TruMerit CES report) and Nursing School Reference Form are received; you must already be registered with Pearson VUE. Apply within 5 years of graduation.⁴
Retakes: Wait at least 45 days between attempts (maximum eight a year); re-register and pay Pearson VUE again and file a $25 Re-examination service request. More than 12 months after graduation needs a service request; 24+ months needs an NCLEX review course in the previous 6 months; no attempts after 5 years from graduation.¹⁰
Time limit: 5 years from graduation.³
Exam waived: Graduates of programs outside the US (including Canada and Puerto Rico) need a TruMerit (CGFNS) CES report with English proficiency.⁴

Background check

Background check required⁴
Fingerprints required⁴
No acts that are grounds for discipline under § 1922(a); the Board may waive § 1922(a)(2) after weighing the 29 Del. C. § 8735(x)(3) factors, except for a felony sexual offense.¹

Residency or citizenship

Exam applicants must live in or be moving to Delaware, or have a home state that is not an NLC state (MN, OR, IL, NY, CA, NV, AK, HI, MA, DC, Guam, Virgin Islands listed), or be a compact-state resident ineligible for a multistate license at home; residents of other NLC states apply in their home state. Submit a driver license/ID (its state is treated as your home state).⁴

Social Security number

If you have a US SSN you must enter it in DELPROS; applicants never issued an SSN answer questions instead.²

Also required

Demonstrate competence in English related to nursing; physical and mental health consistent with the ADA.¹

Also required

Nursing School Reference Form sent directly by your school.⁴

Fees

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, Pearson VUE⁴, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. Graduate from a board-approved RN program (with at least 400 clinical hours); apply within 5 years of graduation.⁴
2. Create a DELPROS account and start the RN-by-examination application (finish within 6 months); pay the $181 fee online.⁴ delpros.delaware.gov⁴
3. Get the Board service code and complete State + FBI fingerprinting through IdentoGO (checks done for other purposes are not accepted).⁴
4. Upload your driver license/ID; have your school send the official transcript and Nursing School Reference Form directly to the Board (foreign graduates: TruMerit CES report).⁴
5. Register for NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE; once the Board approves you, Pearson VUE emails the Authorization to Test. Schedule and pass the exam; the Board emails results and issues the license.⁴
6. Licensed elsewhere? Use the endorsement application in DELPROS instead and order verification of original licensure through Nursys.⁷

Apply online

delpros.delaware.gov⁴

Temporary or provisional license

Temporary permit ($40) after applying by exam or endorsement, with a Delaware job offer: endorsement permits last 90 days from issue (extendable for up to six months in total at the named facility); graduate (GN) permits end 90 days after graduation or immediately on failing NCLEX.⁸

Processing time

Allow up to two weeks after the exam for the Board to receive the official score; the license is then issued.¹⁰

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years¹

When it expires

RN licenses expire February 28, May 31 or September 30 of odd-numbered years (by original issue date); all newly issued RN licenses expire September 30 of odd years. Renewal notices are emailed; renew online in DELPROS before expiry.¹¹

Continuing education

At least 30 hours each renewal period⁶

Required topics

At least 3 contact hours in substance abuse.³
At least 1 hour on recognizing and responding to suspected or known sexual or physical abuse, exploitation, trafficking or domestic violence of vulnerable persons, or on mandatory reporting obligations.³
Practice requirement at renewal: 1,000 hours of nursing practice in the past 5 years or 400 hours in the past 2 years (or a refresher course in the past 2 years); register with Nursys e-Notify and give workforce data.¹¹

Approved courses

Contact hours must come from an approved provider or by an approved method; log each course in the DELPROS CE Tracker; upload certificates only if audited.³

Exemptions

First renewal after licensure by examination generally needs no CE.²
Inactive licenses have no CE or practice requirement.¹¹

If it expires

Late renewal allowed up to 2 months (60 days) after expiry with the late fee and CE proof; it is not a grace period, so you may not practice until renewed. After that the license terminates and you must reinstate.¹¹
Reinstatement ($272): State+FBI background check, ID, 30 hours of CE in the past 2 years, and either the practice requirement (1,000 h/5 yrs or 400 h/2 yrs) or a Board-approved refresher course in the past 2 years.¹²
Inactive status by service request before the late-renewal period ends; renew it every 2 years; reactivate by service request.¹¹

Renew online

delpros.delaware.gov⁴

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: A licensee on active military duty serving in a theatre of hostilities when renewal is due is deemed current until 60 days after leaving that duty.¹

Who needs a single-state Registered Nurse license

Other rules on who may do this work:

• Single-state license: valid only in Delaware.¹³

Renewal and continuing education

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Moving to Delaware with a license from another state

These are the routes the Board of Nursing publishes for the single-state Registered Nurse license. The other registered nurse licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Multistate Registered Nurse license

Requirements

Also required

Multistate license: Delaware must be your primary state of residence and you must meet all 11 NLC uniform licensure requirements; otherwise the license issued is single-state, valid only in Delaware.¹³

Also required

Upgrading an existing single-state Delaware license needs a Delaware address, a copy of your current Delaware driver license and a new State + FBI background check.¹³

Fees

How to apply

1. Delaware resident with a single-state ("Valid Only In Delaware") license: submit the Upgrade to Multistate Licensure service request in DELPROS ($50) with your Delaware address, Delaware driver license copy and a new background check.¹³

From another state

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a registered nurse in Delaware, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Delaware is on the Delaware license lookup page.

Look up a license

delpros.delaware.gov⁸

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• 24 Del. C. ch. 19 (Nursing), §§ 1902, 1910, 1912, 1918, 1921, 1939
• 24 Del. C. ch. 19A (Nurse Multistate Licensure Compact)
• 24 DE Admin. Code 1900 (Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations)
• 24 Del. C. § 1939

Rule changes since January 2024

• January 1, 2027: Upcoming: $10 surcharge on every initial and renewed nursing license for the Delaware Nursing Advancement Fund (24 Del. C. § 1939, 85 Del. Laws c. 456).¹
• February 1, 2025: Latest Board of Nursing rule amendment listed in the Administrative Code history.³

Common questions

Registered nurse (RN) licenses in other states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming