Career Resources / Nursing Licensure / Indiana
With high demand and low cost of living, Indiana is an ideal place to be a nurse. In addition to boasting several healthcare systems and state-of-the-art hospitals, the Hoosier state is home to some of the world’s best-known pharmaceutical companies and is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. A nursing career in Indiana starts with getting your license.
In this article, we will cover:
- How to get your Indiana nursing license by exam
- How to get your license by endorsement
- How to renew your Indiana nursing license
- Licensing fees
- Continuing education requirements
- How to contact the Indiana Board of Nursing
Get job matches in your area + answers to all your nursing career questions
How to get your Indiana nursing license by examination
Step 1: Education
There are three different paths to earning your nursing degree. The one that you choose will depend upon your previous education and how quickly you want to begin your career as a registered nurse. Those paths are:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing for those who have achieved a bachelor’s degree and who take the additional classes necessary to become a registered nurse.
Any of these programs taken at an accredited nursing school will prepare you to take the NCLEX-RN exam, which is needed to become licensed as a registered nurse.
Step 2: Apply
The application process to become an Indiana registered nurse begins with filling out two applications.
The first is the state application, which can be submitted online at MyLicense.IN.gov or a paper copy be submitted by mail to:
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Attn: Indiana State Board of Nursing
402 West Washington Street, Room W072
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
The application fee is $50 payable by credit or debit card if you apply online or via personal check or money order if a paper application is submitted by mail.
You will need to provide supporting documentation for any positive response to the questions, including court documentation if the answer to question #3 is positive.
The second application is for the NCLEX-RN. The application to register for the NCLEX-RN examination is available through the NCLEX website. The fee to take the NCLEX-RN is $200.
You must fill out both of these applications before eligibility to take the exam will be granted by the Indiana State Board of Nursing.
Step 3: Transcripts
When filling out the applications, you are required to provide information about your high school graduation or your GED score as well as information about the nursing program that you completed. You will also need to provide a Certificate of Completion to the Dean, Director, or Designee of your nursing program for them to complete, sign, and send to the Nursing Board.
This documentation must be received by the Nursing Board for you to be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Nurses who graduated more than six months before submitting their state application can ask that transcripts be sent directly to the board by the nursing program.
Step 4: Criminal Record Check
You must submit to a national criminal history background check at your own cost before your registered nurse license will be issued. The criminal background check must be submitted after the application has been submitted, at which time an email will be sent notifying you of the next required steps.
In-state applicants can complete the fingerprinting process at www.identogo.com, where you will find the nearest processing center and can schedule an appointment.
Out-of-state applicants or applicants who are physically unable to report to a testing center can use the MorphoTrust Card Scan Processing Program found here and choose the “Pay for Ink Card Submission” option, then complete the entire registration process.
Step 5: Take the NCLEX
Nursing licensure applicants should register for the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX) test directly on the NCLEX website or by calling 1-866-496-2539. The $200 fee can be paid in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or money order.
You can schedule your test once you have been notified that you are eligible. After the test has been taken, you can expect it to take at least three weeks for results to be processed. Passing the test and meeting all of the other requirements for licensure will result in an email from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency providing you with your registered nurse license number. If you do not pass you will receive a notification letter and an application to retake the examination.
The NCLEX-RN will test you on what you learned over the course of your nursing program. You can expect to be asked questions surrounding the following topics:
- Safe and Effective Care Environment
- Management of Care
- Safety and Infection Control
- Health Promotion and Maintenance
- Psychosocial Integrity
- Physiological Integrity
- Basic Care and Comfort
- Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies
- Physiological Adaptation
Get job matches in your area + answers to all your nursing career questions
Licensing by endorsement (already have RN licensure)
If you hold an active registered nursing license from another state, complete the online application at MyLicense.IN.gov or send a paper copy by mail to:
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Attn: Indiana State Board of Nursing
402 West Washington Street, Room W072
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
You will need to provide proof of education and submit to a criminal background check.
Submit proof of your active licensure. If you are requesting the Nurse Licensure Compact license and hold an active NLC license in another state, provide verification through the NURSYS system. Other verifications can be sent using a Verification of State Licensure form, which should be completed and sent to the Indiana Board of Nursing. You may be billed for this service by each state. The verifications should be sent to:
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Attn: Indiana State Board of Nursing
402 West Washington Street, Room W072
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
The application fee is $50 payable by credit or debit card if you apply online or via personal check or money order if a paper application is submitted by mail.
How to renew your Indiana nursing license
Step 1: Submit renewal application
Your registered nurse license will expire on October 31st of every year ending with an odd number. Allow four weeks for processing. If you have not renewed by October 31st, you will be charged a $50 late fee.
Step 2: Fulfill continuing competency requirements
The state of Indiana does not require Registered Nurses to obtain continuing education for regular licensure renewal.
Step 3: Submit your renewal application
To renew online, visit www.MyLicense.IN.gov and log in to your Access Indiana Account. You also have the option of renewing by mail using this form. The renewal fee is $50.
Indiana nursing licensing fees
Below are the fees for becoming a nurse in Indiana whether you are a first-time nurse or are moving to Indiana from another state. For more information visit the Indiana licensing page.
Licensing fee by examination (first-time nurses):
- NCLEX fee: $200
- Application fee: $50
Licensing fee by endorsement (already have RN licensure):
- Application fee: $50
License renewal fees:
- Application fee: $50
Indiana is a nursing compact state, which allows nurses to hold multi-state licenses.
*Fees are subject to change.
**Most states require a background check, but prices are not always listed.
Get job matches in your area + answers to all your nursing career questions
Continuing education requirements
RN/LPN: None
APRN: 30 contact hours every 2 years (8 hours must be in pharmacology)
Incredible Health offers ANCC-accredited continuing education courses for nurses in all 50 states, 100% free and online. The Indiana Board of Nursing accepts courses that are ANCC accredited.
How to contact the Indiana Board of Nursing
Indiana Board of Nursing
Phone: (317) 234-2043
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/indiana-state-board-of-nursing/
402 W. Washington Street
Room W072
Indianapolis, IN 46204
