New Jersey

For PN licensure:

Licensure by Examination

For RN licensure:

Licensure by Examination:

N.J.A.C. 13:37-1.2; 2.2; Each applicant for licensure shall file with the Board:

  1.  Complete application form, provided by the Board, which requests information concerning the applicant's educational and experiential background;
  2. The nonrefundable application fee set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:37-5.5(a) 1; and
  3.  A written certification from the registrar, or program administrator authorized by the registrar, attesting that the applicant has successfully completed all requirements for graduation from a registered professional nursing program accredited by the Board or a board of nursing in another state or a licensed practical nursing program accredited by the Board or by a board of nursing in another state. The certification shall indicate the date of graduation or the date the degree or diploma was conferred.
  1. A registered professional nurse or licensed practical nurse licensed in another state, territory or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, who wishes to be licensed in New Jersey may be licensed by endorsement in this State if he or she meets the requirements for licensure as set forth in N.J.S.A. 45:1-14 et seq., 45:11-26 and 45:11-27.

a) An applicant for licensure by endorsement shall submit or arrange to submit the following to the Board:

1)  A completed application form, provided by the Board, which requests information concerning the applicant's educational and experiential background;

2)  A non-refundable initial license fee and application for licensure by endorsement fee as set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:37-5.5(a)3 and 4; and

3)  Written or electronic verification of status of licensure from every state, territory or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, in which the applicant was ever licensed. The verification shall either be forwarded directly to the Board from the applicable state board, if written, or if electronic, be issued by the applicable state board.

 

N.J.S.A 45:11-26. Professional Nurses

a. Qualifications of applicants. An applicant for a license to practice professional nursing shall submit to the board evidence in such form as the board may prescribe that said applicant: (1) has attained his or her eighteenth birthday; (2) is of good moral character, is not a habitual user of drugs and has never been convicted or has not pleaded nolo contendere, non vult contendere or non vult to an indictment, information or complaint alleging a violation of any Federal or State law relating to narcotic drugs; (3) holds a diploma from an accredited 4-year high school or the equivalent thereof as determined by the New Jersey State Department of Education; (4) has completed a course of professional nursing study in an accredited school of professional nursing as defined by the board and holds a diploma therefrom.

Notwithstanding anything herein contained, any person who possesses the educational and school of professional nursing qualifications for registration required by the law of this State at the time of his or her graduation from an accredited school of professional nursing shall be deemed to possess the qualifications (3) and (4) prescribed hereinabove in this subsection.

Notwithstanding anything herein contained, any person who shall have qualifications (1) and (2) and shall have graduated from a school of professional nursing, which need not be an accredited school, shall be deemed to have qualifications (3) and (4) upon complying with such reasonable requirements as to high school and school of nursing studies and training as the board may prescribe; provided, however, that such person shall make application in form prescribed by the board within 1 year from the effective date of this act and shall satisfactorily complete such reasonable requirements and successfully pass the examinations, which examinations shall be limited to subject matters in the curriculum required by the board at the time of the applicant's graduation, provided for in subsection b. hereof, within 2 years after the date of the filing of such application.

b. License.

(1) By examination. The applicant shall be required to pass a written examination in such subjects as the board may determine, which examination may be supplemented by an oral or practical examination or both. Upon successfully passing such examinations the applicant shall be licensed by the board to practice professional nursing.

(2) By indorsement without examination. The board may issue a license to practice professional nursing without examination to an applicant who has been duly licensed or registered as a registered or professional nurse by examination or by original waiver under the laws of another State, territory or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or any foreign country, if in the opinion of the board the applicant has the qualifications required by this act for the licensing of professional nurses, or equivalent qualifications.

c. Fees. An applicant for a license by examination shall pay to the board at the time of application a fee of $25.00 and at the time of each application for re-examination a fee of $20.00. An applicant for a license without examination shall pay to the board at the time of application a fee of $15.00.

 

For APRN Licensure:

  1. Proof of a current New Jersey registered professional nurse license in good standing.
  2. A completed, application form and nonrefundable, application fee of $100.00 payable by money order or check only.  (After the application process is completed there is also a certificate fee of $80.00/$160.00 depending on the expiration of your Registered Professional Nurse License.)
  3. Original Official Transcript(s) as proof of compliance with the Board's education requirements.
    (These are to be sent directly from the university/college(s) to the Board of Nursing.)
  4. Proof of passing the highest level national Advanced Practice Nurse Examination in the area of clinical specialty.  (Certification information must be sent directly to the Board of Nursing from the Certifying Body.)
  5. Proof that all advanced nursing practice certification(s)/licensure(s) which you have held in other states are in good standing, expired, or in some other status.  (The verification form is in the application packet.)

Education Requirements (N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.2 and 7.4):

Official school transcript (s) must be mailed directly to the Board of Nursing providing evidence of the following:

  1. Graduation from a master's-level program designed to educate and prepare nurse practitioners/clinical nurse specialists.  If you have graduated from a  Post-Master's Certificate program designed to prepare the Advanced Practice Nurse, you must have the school(s) submit your Post-Master's program transcript and the official transcript from your Master's in Nursing program;
  2. Completion of a graduate level 3-credit course in Pharmacology from a school duly accredited by a national accrediting agency approved by the Board; or a pharmacology course of at least 45 hours integrated into the Master's in Nursing program.

NOTE: For integrated pharmacology where the hours completed are not designated on your transcript, you are required to have the Dean/Director of your Advanced Nursing Practice program submit to the Board of Nursing the certification validating the number of hours of integrated pharmacology which you have completed.  The Certification form is included with the application.

Examination Requirements (N.J.A.C. 13:37-7.3 AND 7.4):

Each applicant for certification shall be required to successfully pass the highest level practice examination in the area of specialization approved by the Board.  Written verification that the applicant has successfully passed the exam is to be submitted directly by the national certifying agency to the Board. (This exam should be for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, or nurse anesthetists.)

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