Louisiana Nursing License Requirements 2026
Louisiana licenses registered nurses through the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and practical nurses through the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. Both paths require completing a board-approved program and passing the NCLEX. Louisiana has been a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact since July 2019, so a multistate license from Louisiana is recognized in other NLC member states.
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Two separate agencies handle nursing licensure in Louisiana. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) licenses registered nurses. The Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) licenses practical nurses. Each has its own application process, fee schedule, and renewal timeline. Requirements below reflect current information, but candidates should verify fees and procedures directly with the relevant board before submitting any application.
Use the links below to jump to LPN requirements, RN requirements, renewal, and compact license information for Louisiana.
- LPN licensing requirements
- RN licensing requirements
- License renewal
- Nurse Licensure Compact
- License verification
- Boards and resources
Louisiana also licenses Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) through the LSBN. For APRN and nurse practitioner requirements, see the Louisiana nurse practitioner requirements page. For CNA certification, see Louisiana nursing assistant requirements.
Louisiana LPN Requirements
LPN Education
LPN candidates must complete a practical nursing program approved by the LSBPNE. Programs typically run 12 to 16 months and result in a Technical Diploma (TD) or Certificate of Technical Studies (CTS). A current list of approved programs is available on the LSBPNE website, or browse approved LPN programs in Louisiana by location.
Applying for the NCLEX-PN
After completing an approved program, applicants submit an application to the LSBPNE for permission to sit for the NCLEX-PN. Applicants also register with Pearson VUE, which administers the exam, and pay the $200 exam fee. Once Pearson receives eligibility confirmation from the LSBPNE, it issues an authorization to test. The testing window is approximately three months, and the exam is computer-adaptive. Verify current fees with the LSBPNE before submitting payment.
Applicants with a diagnosis of HIV or HBV must communicate this to the Board director in writing by certified or registered mail, marked “personal and confidential.”
LPN License by Endorsement
An LPN or LVN licensed in another state can apply for Louisiana licensure by endorsement through the LSBPNE Nurse Portal. The endorsement fee is $185 plus a 1.8% state charge; verify the current total with the LSBPNE before applying. Applicants must show that their original program meets Louisiana’s coursework requirements, confirm the existing license is in good standing, and submit to a state and federal criminal background check.
Louisiana requires LPN endorsement applicants to provide documentation of IV therapy training and competency. Nurses whose original program didn’t include IV therapy must complete an approved IV therapy course before the application can be processed.
The Board may issue a temporary work permit while the application is reviewed. An LPN who has been out of active practice for four or more years must document at least six months of practice within the preceding four years; otherwise, a board-approved refresher course is required. Licensure in another state doesn’t guarantee meeting Louisiana’s requirements, and the Board may request verification from every state where the applicant has ever held a license.
Welcome Home Act pathway: Under Act 253 of the 2024 Louisiana Legislative Session, Louisiana residents who hold a current LPN license in another state and have held it for at least one year may qualify for a streamlined endorsement pathway. A Welcome Home Act license is valid only in Louisiana and does not grant multistate compact privileges.
Registered Nurse Requirements in Louisiana
RN Education
RN candidates can apply to associate degree (ADN), diploma, or bachelor’s degree (BSN) programs approved by the LSBN. Browse approved RN programs in Louisiana to find options by program type and location. Before enrolling in clinical nursing courses, students submit an application, two fingerprint cards, a background check authorization, and the required fee to the Board. This must happen at least 60 days before clinical enrollment. Students who transfer programs must reapply.
Applying for the NCLEX-RN
As graduation approaches, candidates apply to the LSBN through the Nurse Portal and register with Pearson VUE to sit for the NCLEX-RN. The application fee is $100, and the NCLEX fee is $200. A fingerprinting fee applies; candidates complete fingerprints at an Identogo location of their choice. Candidates who completed clinical training at a Louisiana institution may not need to repeat fingerprinting. Verify all current fees with the LSBN before applying.
After the LSBN receives all materials, it may issue a temporary permit. A failed exam attempt invalidates the temporary permit. Unofficial results are available two business days after testing for a fee through NCSBN. A retake request is submitted through the Nurse Portal. Louisiana accepts one online program for initial RN licensure: Excelsior University. Excelsior graduates must meet additional requirements, including documentation of six months to one year of full-time clinical experience as an RN and three letters of recommendation.
RN License by Endorsement
RNs licensed in another state apply for Louisiana endorsement through the LSBN Nurse Portal. The application fee is $100 without a temporary permit, or $200 for full licensure with a 90-day temporary endorsement permit. All fees are paid electronically through the portal; there is no separate mail or in-person pricing.
Applicants must request verification of their RN license through Nursys.com. If the original state doesn’t participate in Nursys, a separate verification form is required. An original, signed, notarized Affidavit of Verification must be mailed or hand-delivered to the LSBN office. The applicant’s most recent employer must complete a Verification of Nursing Employment form confirming active practice within the most recent four years. If the applicant has not practiced as an RN within four years, a written explanation is required.
A 90-day temporary endorsement permit can be requested during the online application for an additional $100. To be eligible, the applicant must reside in and plan to work in Louisiana, hold a current active unencumbered RN license from another U.S. state, and have no pending civil or criminal charges. Internationally educated nurses are not eligible for the temporary permit. Applicants with compliance disclosures (legal history, disciplinary history, or health conditions affecting safe practice) must go through a full review before any permit is issued.
RNs who graduated from nontraditional programs without a faculty-supervised clinical component (such as Excelsior University or Deaconess College) must document the equivalent of six months to one year of full-time clinical RN experience and provide three letters of recommendation from RN supervisors.
International RNs
International RNs must have their credentials evaluated by an LSBN-approved evaluation service and provide evidence of English language proficiency. Approved proficiency exams include TOEFL, IELTS (academic), TOEIC, PTE Academic, Michigan English Test, and OET. Canadian nurses who graduated from programs outside Quebec are not required to complete a credential evaluation, but must submit official transcripts from the institution that granted their nursing degree. Canadian nurses who received an actual numeric CNATS score of 400 or above (not just a pass) and tested in English may be exempt from the NCLEX-RN; those who received only a pass result, or whose score falls below 350 in any area, must take the NCLEX-RN.
License Renewal in Louisiana
RNs and LPNs renew through separate boards on different schedules. Both boards handle renewal online through their respective Nurse Portals.
RN renewal: Initial RN licenses are valid for one year. After that, licenses are valid for two years. The renewal window runs from October 1 through December 31. Applications received January 1 through January 31 are accepted but subject to a $50 late fee. Licenses not renewed by January 31 expire. RNs must complete 30 board-approved continuing competency hours or 900 hours of clinical practice during the two-year renewal period. APRNs can verify license status and renewal dates through the LSBN Nurse Portal.
LPN renewal: LPN licenses expire January 31 each year. The renewal window opens November 1 and closes January 31. No continuing education hours are required for LPN renewal, but applicants must report their most recent employer and last date of practice on the renewal form. LPNs who haven’t practiced in four or more years are not eligible to renew without meeting additional requirements. RNs and LPNs can verify their renewal dates using the Nursys system.
Louisiana and the Nurse Licensure Compact
Louisiana has been a member of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) since July 2019 for both RNs and LPNs. The NLC allows nurses licensed in one compact member state to practice in other member states without obtaining additional licenses. More than 40 states are now full NLC members.
A Louisiana RN license doesn’t automatically function as a multistate license. To obtain a multistate license (MSL), nurses must declare Louisiana as their primary state of residence (PSOR) and submit a conversion application through the LSBN Nurse Portal. The conversion fee is $89.25 total, which includes a $50 application fee and a $39.25 background check fee. Nurses with active, unencumbered multistate licenses from other compact states can practice in Louisiana without applying for a separate Louisiana license.
Compact license holders must practice according to the Nurse Practice Act of the state where the patient is located. If a nurse moves to a different compact state and establishes residency there, they must apply for a license in the new state. There is no grace period. The LSBN requires nurses to apply upon moving, without delay. The prior home state license is inactivated once the new state issues a multistate license.
License Verification in Louisiana
Both the LSBN and LSBPNE participate in Nursys, the national license verification system maintained by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Employers, credentialing organizations, and endorsement applicants can use Nursys to verify current RN and LPN license status and confirm whether a license is active and unencumbered.
APRNs can look up their current license status directly through the LSBN Nurse Portal at lsbn.boardsofnursing.org.
Boards and Resources
Louisiana State Board of Nursing: licenses RNs and APRNs; handles NCLEX-RN applications, endorsements, and compact license conversions.
Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners: licenses LPNs; handles NCLEX-PN applications and LPN endorsements.
Find nursing licensure requirements by state for RNs, LPNs, LVNs, and advanced practice nurses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Louisiana belong to the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes. Louisiana has been a member of the enhanced NLC since July 2019 for both RNs and LPNs. A Louisiana RN license doesn’t convert to a multistate license automatically. Nurses who declare Louisiana as their primary state of residence can apply to convert through the LSBN Nurse Portal for a total fee of $89.25.
Which board licenses nurses in Louisiana?
Louisiana has two separate nursing boards. The Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN) licenses registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. The Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) licenses practical nurses. Each board maintains its own application process, fee schedule, and renewal timeline.
Can a nurse licensed in another state practice in Louisiana?
Yes, through endorsement or through the NLC compact. Nurses from other compact states with an active, unencumbered multistate license can practice in Louisiana without a separate Louisiana license. Nurses from non-compact states, or those with a single-state license, must apply for endorsement through the LSBN (for RNs) or LSBPNE (for LPNs).
What are the continuing education requirements for RN renewal in Louisiana?
RNs must complete 30 board-approved continuing competency hours or 900 hours of clinical practice per two-year renewal period. LPNs have no CE requirement for renewal, but must document their most recent employer and last date of practice. LPNs who haven’t practiced in four or more years must meet additional requirements before reinstating.
How long does it take to get an RN license in Louisiana?
After passing the NCLEX-RN and submitting all required materials, processing typically takes up to 60 days for a complete application. The LSBN doesn’t commit to a specific timeline, and delays can occur if any materials are missing or flagged for review. Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements can request a 90-day temporary permit with their endorsement application for an additional $100, which allows them to begin working while the full license is processed.
Key Takeaways
- Two boards, two processes — The LSBN licenses RNs; the LSBPNE licenses LPNs. Each has a separate application, fee schedule, and renewal cycle.
- Louisiana has been in the NLC since July 2019 — A Louisiana multistate license grants practice privileges in other compact member states, but the conversion isn’t automatic. Nurses must apply through the Nurse Portal for a $89.25 fee.
- Renewal timelines differ by credential — LPN licenses expire January 31 each year; RN licenses after the first year are valid for two years with a renewal window of October 1 through December 31.
- Endorsement requires recent practice documentation — Both RN and LPN endorsement applicants must verify active practice within the most recent four years or meet additional requirements before a license is issued.
Find approved RN and LPN programs in Louisiana, along with application resources and licensing information for your credential type.