West Virginia Nurse Practitioner Requirements 2026
West Virginia APRNs are licensed by the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses. The state uses a reduced practice model: most APRNs need a collaborative agreement with a physician to prescribe, though NPs with three or more years of documented practice can apply for independent prescriptive authority. West Virginia joined the Nurse Licensure Compact in January 2024.
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Nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives all practice under APRN licensure in West Virginia. The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board) handles all licensing, from initial applications to renewals. APRNs must also hold a valid RN license, so see West Virginia RN license requirements if you’re still working toward that step. Because West Virginia uses a reduced practice model, understanding the collaborative agreement requirement and the path to independent prescriptive authority is essential before you apply.
Use the links below to jump to education requirements, prescriptive authority rules, the application process, and renewal information.
- APRN education and certification requirements
- Practice authority and collaborative agreements
- Applying for prescriptive authority
- APRN application process
- Out-of-state APRNs
- APRN license renewal
- Board contacts and professional organizations
APRN Education and Certification Requirements
West Virginia requires APRNs to complete an accredited graduate-level nursing program. The accrediting agency must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education. Nurse midwife programs must hold accreditation from the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
Graduate coursework must include advanced health assessment, advanced physiology and pathophysiology, and advanced pharmacology. Specific content varies by role and population focus. Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists are recognized with the following population foci: adult-gerontology, family, neonatal, pediatrics, psychiatric-mental health, and women’s health. For nurse practitioners, adult-gerontology and pediatric practice can be designated as acute or primary care.
After completing your graduate program, you’ll sit for a national certification exam that matches your role and population focus. The WV RN Board requires certification programs to be nationally accredited, use acceptable exam methodologies, and maintain a plan for certification maintenance. Nurse midwives must certify through the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). Nurse practitioner programs in West Virginia can help you identify accredited options.
Practice Authority and Collaborative Agreements
West Virginia is a reduced practice state. That means most APRNs must operate under a written collaborative agreement with a licensed physician to prescribe. The agreement documents the working relationship and must be filed with the WV RN Board.
Nurse-midwives are specifically required to have formal written collaborative agreements with obstetricians or other qualifying physicians. Any APRN seeking prescriptive authority must also file a collaborative agreement.
There is a path to independent prescriptive authority. APRNs who have held prescriptive authority for three or more years within a documented collaborative relationship can apply to the WV RN Board for authorization to prescribe without ongoing collaboration. This transition-to-independence pathway is available to NPs and CNMs who meet the experience threshold. The collaborative agreement requirement is tied to prescriptive authority. APRNs who do not seek prescriptive authority are not required to maintain a prescriptive collaborative agreement, though they remain subject to all applicable scope-of-practice and licensure requirements.
Applying for Prescriptive Authority
To be eligible for prescriptive authority, an APRN must be at least 18 years old and must have completed 45 contact hours of recent coursework in pharmacology or clinical management of drug therapy.
Prescriptive authority requires a separate application submitted to the WV RN Board. Applicants must pay the fee established by the Board. Check the WV RN Board website for the current fee schedule before applying. You’ll need to provide verification of a current collaborative agreement along with your application.
APRNs who want to dissolve or add a collaborative practice agreement, or who want to change their prescriptive authority status from collaborative to independent, can submit a Prescriptive Authority Change Application through the WV RN Nurse Portal.
APRN Application Process
All APRN applications are completed through the WV RN Nurse Portal at wvrnboard.wv.gov. You’ll need to create a portal account to access electronic forms and receive communications from the Board. All correspondence between applicants and the Board takes place through the portal’s Message Center.
The Board requires supporting documents to be sent directly from primary sources. Official transcripts and national certification verification must come from the issuing school or certifying agency. If you’ve practiced as an APRN in other states, each applicable state board of nursing must send verification directly to the WV RN Board.
Applicants who answer yes to questions about criminal history, professional discipline, substance use, or conditions affecting practice ability must provide an explanation and documentation. The application packet includes guidance for this section. Individuals with questions are directed to contact the Board through the portal.
Applicants must pay the fee established by the Board. Check the WV RN Board website for the current fee schedule before applying. Your signature on the application confirms, among other things, that you are familiar with the relevant state code.
Out-of-State APRNs
West Virginia joined the Nurse Licensure Compact in January 2024. RNs who hold a multistate license through another NLC member jurisdiction can practice in West Virginia under multistate licensure privilege without obtaining a separate West Virginia RN license, provided West Virginia is not their primary state of residence. Nurses who establish West Virginia as their primary state of residence must apply for a West Virginia multistate license.
APRNs licensed in other states who seek to practice in West Virginia at the APRN level still need to apply for a West Virginia APRN license regardless of NLC membership. APRN practice is governed separately from RN compact privileges. For a broader overview of how APRN licensure works across states, including how requirements vary by practice authority model, see our national guide.
APRNs originally licensed in 2012 or earlier may be considered for licensure even without a graduate degree under a grandfather provision in state code. The WV RN Board imposes additional requirements on applicants who have not practiced recently. Those with a gap of two or more years must complete 12 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics coursework and 12 contact hours of clinical management coursework from the prior two years. Those with a gap of five or more years must also complete an approved refresher course or orientation program in addition to the 45-hour pharmacotherapeutics requirement.
APRN License Renewal
West Virginia APRN licenses expire June 30 of each odd-numbered year. The renewal window opens May 1 and closes June 30. All renewals are completed through the WV RN Nurse Portal. Licenses not renewed by the deadline lapse and require additional steps to reactivate.
Renewal requires evidence of current national certification or recertification, along with continuing education documentation. APRNs must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education during each renewal period, including pharmacotherapeutics and clinical management content as required by the Board. Continuing education can be reported directly to the WV RN Board through CE Broker.
Prescriptive authority privileges renew on the same schedule. APRNs with active prescriptive authority must maintain a collaborative agreement on file, unless they have received Board approval for independent prescriptive authority under the transition-to-independence pathway.
Board Contacts and Professional Organizations
The West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board) is the licensing authority for RNs and APRNs in the state. The Board can be reached by phone at 304-744-0900. All licensing communications, applications, and correspondence should be submitted through the WV RN Nurse Portal at wvrnboard.wv.gov.
The following professional organizations serve advanced practice nurses in West Virginia:
- Advanced Practice Congress of West Virginia
- West Virginia Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives
- West Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Find nursing licensure requirements by state for RNs, LPNs, LVNs, and advanced practice nurses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is West Virginia a nurse licensure compact state?
Yes. West Virginia joined the Nurse Licensure Compact in January 2024. RNs who hold a multistate license from another NLC member jurisdiction may practice in West Virginia without a separate state license, provided West Virginia is not their primary state of residence. APRN practice requires a separate West Virginia APRN license regardless of NLC status.
Can nurse practitioners practice independently in West Virginia?
West Virginia is a reduced practice state, which means most APRNs need a collaborative agreement with a physician to prescribe. However, APRNs who have held prescriptive authority for three or more years within a documented collaborative relationship can apply to the WV RN Board for independent prescriptive authority. The collaborative agreement requirement is tied to prescriptive authority. APRNs who do not seek prescriptive authority are not required to maintain a prescriptive collaborative agreement, though they remain subject to all applicable scope-of-practice and licensure requirements.
What education does West Virginia require for APRN licensure?
West Virginia requires completion of an accredited graduate-level nursing program recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education. Coursework must include advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, and pharmacology. After completing your program, you must pass a national certification exam that matches your role and population focus.
How many CE hours do APRNs need to renew their license in West Virginia?
West Virginia APRNs must complete 24 contact hours of continuing education during each renewal period, including pharmacotherapeutics and clinical management content as required by the Board. CE can be reported to the Board through CE Broker. All APRN licenses expire June 30 of each odd-numbered year, with a renewal window from May 1 to June 30.
What is the name of the nursing board in West Virginia?
The West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses was renamed the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board) effective July 1, 2022. The WV RN Board handles all RN and APRN licensing in the state. You can reach the Board by phone at 304-744-0900 or through the WV RN Nurse Portal at wvrnboard.wv.gov.
Key Takeaways
- Reduced practice state — West Virginia APRNs need a physician collaborative agreement to prescribe, but can apply for independent prescriptive authority after three years of documented collaborative practice.
- Graduate degree and national certification required — Programs must be accredited, and the certifying body must meet WV RN Board criteria for the relevant role and population focus.
- West Virginia joined the NLC in January 2024 — RNs with a multistate license can practice in West Virginia under compact privileges. APRN licensure is applied for separately.
- 24 CE hours required per renewal period — Includes pharmacotherapeutics and clinical management content as required by the Board. All renewals go through the WV RN Nurse Portal.
- The board was renamed in 2022 — The licensing authority is now the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses (WV RN Board), not the former Board of Examiners.
Use the tool below to find accredited NP programs in West Virginia and compare program options by specialty and delivery format.