How to get a Registered Nurse (RN) license in Nevada

Who needs a Registered Nurse (RN) license

Work that does not need this license:

• Out-of-state nurses relocated on military orders may practice under the SCRA privilege without a Nevada license.⁶

Requirements for a Registered Nurse (RN) license

Education or training

Completed a course of study in an accredited school of professional nursing (or an approved school in the process of accreditation) and hold its diploma; NSBN requires the program to be listed by CNEA (NLN), CCNE or ACEN and the transcript to show the degree and graduation date.¹
Who may teach it: Program accredited by a nationally recognized nursing accreditor: NLN CNEA, CCNE or ACEN.¹
Alternative: International graduates: TruMerit (CGFNS) CES Professional Report or Josef Silny evaluation, plus an English test (TOEFL iBT 84 with 26 speaking, PTE Academic 56 with 63 speaking, or IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in any one module) if the program country is not English-speaking.¹

Exam

NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination), taken through Pearson VUE¹
Given by: Pearson VUE¹
When you can take it: After the Board receives the application and fee, proof of graduation and the Pearson VUE registration, it makes the candidate eligible and Pearson VUE issues an Authorization to Test (ATT); the candidate must test within 90 days of the ATT.¹
Retakes: Up to four attempts: after a second failure the candidate must give the Board an acceptable plan of study; after a third failure the candidate must repeat nursing theory courses in a Board-approved program before the fourth attempt.²
Time limit: The license application stays valid for one year from receipt; an application not completed within 1 year lapses and its fees are forfeited.¹
Exam waived: Nurses already licensed by examination in another jurisdiction apply by endorsement instead of taking the exam.¹

Background check

Background check required¹
Fingerprints required¹
Applicants swear to good moral character; a permanent license waits until Nevada DPS and FBI fingerprint reports are received and any issues resolved (this can take up to four months). Fingerprints taken for an employer or another board cannot be reused.³
You can ask the board to review your record before you apply⁷

Social Security number

A valid US Social Security number or ITIN is required.¹

Also required

Applicants must also swear they are in good physical and mental health.³

Also required

Nevada issues no hard-card license; print your license from the Board website.¹

How much a Registered Nurse (RN) license costs

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 VUE¹, when you schedule.

How to apply

1. Graduate from an RN program accredited by CNEA, CCNE or ACEN; have the school send an affidavit of graduation or an official transcript showing the degree and graduation date.¹
2. Create a Nevada Nurse Portal account first (documents sent before the account exists are not accepted), then submit the RN exam application and the $100 fee (non-refundable).¹ nvbn.boardsofnursing.org¹
3. Register and pay for NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE at nclex.com (no proof of payment needed; Pearson VUE notifies the Board).¹
4. Submit fingerprints for the Nevada Board: livescan at a Nevada vendor (pay the vendor) or an FD-258 card mailed with the $40 processing fee. Prints done for an employer or another board cannot be reused.⁴
5. Optionally request an interim permit to practice as a Graduate Nurse (Nevada only) for 90 days or until results arrive.¹
6. Receive the ATT, test within 90 days, and check your portal for results (about one week); the permanent license issues once results and both fingerprint reports are in.¹
7. Register with Nursys e-Notify (free) to track your license status; Nevada sends no expiry notices.¹

Apply online

nvbn.boardsofnursing.org¹

Temporary or provisional license

Interim permit for first-time NCLEX candidates (Graduate Nurse, Nevada only, 90 days or until results; NAC 632.160 says direct RN supervision for not more than 3 months). Endorsement applicants: one-time 6-month temporary license.¹

Processing time

Applications and documents are processed in about one week; fingerprint results from DPS/FBI can take up to four months.¹

Renewal and continuing education

How often

Every 2 years³

When it expires

The first license runs from issue to the licensee's second birthday after issuance; it then expires every two years on the birthday. Renewal opens 60 days before expiry and must be received by the end of the business day of expiry. NSBN sends no renewal reminders.²

Renewal fee

$100⁸

Continuing education

30 hours each renewal period³

Required topics

Cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion: at least 4 hours every renewal cycle (part of the 30).⁹
Bioterrorism (medical consequences of weapons of mass destruction): one-time 4-hour course within 2 years after initial licensure.⁸
RNs who provide or supervise emergency medical services in a hospital or primary care: at least 2 hours on HIV stigma, discrimination and unrecognized bias within 2 years of starting that work (SB 439, 2023).⁹

Approved courses

Accepted providers: academic institutions, holders of a Nevada CE provider number, providers approved by another state nursing or health-related board, or providers recognized by AACN, AANA, ANCC, NAPNAP or NLN. Licensees attest on renewal and keep certificates (4 years; bioterrorism indefinitely) for random monthly audits.⁸

Exemptions

New graduates are exempt from the 30 hours for the first biennial period after graduation, but must still complete the cultural-competency and one-time bioterrorism courses.⁹
Preceptors can claim up to 10 CE hours per renewal period (120 documented preceptorship hours = 10 CEUs).⁹

Late renewal

Late renewal fee: $100⁸ (renewal submitted after the expiration date)

If it expires

No grace period: renew any time after expiry with the $100 late fee plus $100 renewal fee and all renewal requirements; practicing on an expired license is not allowed.⁸
Not practiced nursing (or passed NCLEX) within the previous 5 years: complete a Board-approved refresher program (temporary license issued for the clinical part) or retake and pass NCLEX.¹⁰
Renewal may require new fingerprints; if so, a six-month renewal is issued until the prints are processed.⁸
A licensee in good standing may move to the inactive list (no renewal fee accrues) and later renew at the current biennial fee.³

Renew online

nvbn.boardsofnursing.org⁸

Moving to Nevada with a license from another state

These are the routes NSBN publishes for the Registered Nurse (RN) license.

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

nevadanursingboard.org¹

File a complaint

nevadanursingboard.org¹¹

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• NRS 632.140-632.160 (RN qualifications, examination, licensure without examination)
• NRS 632.300, 632.305 (temporary license; interim permit)
• NRS 632.341, 632.343 (renewal and reinstatement; continuing education)
• NRS 632.344, 632.345
• NAC 632.155-632.192 (applications, interim permit, exam attempts, temporary license, renewal)
• NAC 632.190

Rule changes since January 2024

• January 1, 2024: Cultural-competency CE rose from 2 to 4 hours per renewal cycle (within the 30 hours).⁹

Common questions

Registered nurse (RN) licenses in other states

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