Career Resources / Nursing Licensure / North Dakota
Life in North Dakota is more than beautiful scenery and friendly people. The state is tax friendly and boasts a low cost of living, has great job opportunities, clean air, and renowned universities. It’s no wonder the state tops so many lists for quality of life.
In this article, we will cover:
- How to get your North Dakota nursing license by exam
- How to get your license by endorsement
- How to renew your North Dakota nursing license
- Licensing fees
- Continuing education requirements
- How to contact the North Dakota Board of Nursing
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How to get your North Dakota nursing license by examination
Step 1: Education
Whether your nursing degree was earned at one of North Dakota’s board-approved programs of nursing or you studied out of state, the end of your nursing program marks the beginning of your new career. No matter whether you pursued a two-year or four-year degree, your education is the foundation on which everything that lies ahead is built. You can have any of the following degrees:
- 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.
Step 2: Apply
Initial registered nurse licenses by examination are available to candidates who have a U.S. Social Security number and who have completed a qualifying nursing education program. The application consists of:
- Requesting a copy of your official transcripts sent to the board
- Registering to take the NCLEX online or by phone at 1-866-496-2539 and paying the $200 registration fee
- Completing the online Initial RN/LPN Exam Application and paying the processing fee of $145
- Completing a criminal history record check
Once you have completed the items listed above, you can check the Verify section of the North Dakota Board of Nursing website to see whether a Work Authorization has been issued. This authorization is valid for 90 days or until you have received notification of your NCLEX test results, whichever comes first. It allows you to attend orientation or practice as a graduate nurse in North Dakota.
Step 3: Submit Official Transcripts
Once you have completed your nursing program, ask the school to send the official transcript of your grades with the degree posted directly to the Board of Nursing office. Though the Board prefers that transcripts be sent electronically through a secure transcript service such as National Student Clearinghouse, e-script, or Parchment at [email protected], you can print out the Request for Release of Transcript form and ask the school to send a paper copy to:
North Dakota Board of Nursing
919 S. 7th Street #504
Bismarck, ND 58504
Step 4: Criminal Background Check (CBC)
After submitting your initial application, contact your local law enforcement agency or a private agency that is able to provide fingerprinting services. Make an appointment and request that the agency uses the standard FBI Applicant card FD-258 for fingerprinting. Once your prints have been collected, submit them, along with a money order or cashier check for $41.25 payable to BCI, and a completed, signed, and dated Criminal History Record Check form found here to:
North Dakota Board of Nursing
919 S. 7th Street #504
Bismarck, ND 58504
You must use black ink when filling out the information at the top of the fingerprint cards.
Step 5: Take the NCLEX
The NCLEX exam is the last step to be completed on your journey to becoming a licensed registered nurse. It tests your comprehension and retention of the material covered by your nursing program and confirms your readiness to move forward with your nursing career. Topics include:
- 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
Once you have completed the application process and all supporting material has been submitted and approved, the North Dakota Board of Nursing will notify Pearson VUE that you are eligible to take the exam and you will receive an Authorization to Test via email.
Once you have passed the NCLEX and all other materials have been received and approved, your license will be issued in three business days. If you fail the NCLEX you will receive a diagnostic profile indicating the areas that you need to study and the required documents needed to retest. You can retest 45 days after your most recent test date, and can take the test up to 8 times per year. You must pay the $200 registration fee to NCLEX each time you register for the test.
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Licensing by endorsement (already have RN licensure)
If you are licensed in another state and wish to be licensed in North Dakota, you must submit an application for License by Endorsement. To be eligible, you must have a U.S. Social Security number; must have completed a nursing program; must have completed 400 hours of licensed nursing practice in the last four years or have completed your nursing program in the last four years or have completed a board approved refresher course within the last four years. You also must submit proof of original licensure by examination.
To complete the application process, do the following:
- Have an official transcript from your nursing education program sent to the board. Ask the school to send the official transcript of your grades with the degree posted directly to the Board of Nursing electronically through a secure transcript service such as National Student Clearinghouse, e-script, or Parchment at [email protected]. Alternatively, you can print out the Request for Release of Transcript form and ask the school to send a paper copy to:
North Dakota Board of Nursing
919 S. 7th Street, #504
Bismarck, ND 58504 - Verify your licensure from your original state of license by exam as well as any subsequent state where you may currently hold an active license if applicable. Verification is best obtained through the NURSYSsystem if the state participates. If your license was held in a state that does not participate with NURSYS, print the Verification of Licensure form here, complete it and send it to the state for completion and return to the Board of Nursing.
- Complete the online Initial RN Endorsement application and submit the processing fee of $170.
- Complete a Criminal History Record Check. After submitting your initial application, contact your local law enforcement agency or a private agency that is able to provide fingerprinting services. Make an appointment and request that the agency uses the standard FBI Applicant card FD-258 for fingerprinting. Once your prints have been collected, submit them, along with a money order or cashier check for $41.25 payable to BCI, and a completed, signed, and dated Criminal History Record Check form found here to:
North Dakota Board of Nursing
919 S. 7thStreet #504
Bismarck, ND 58504
You must use black ink when filling out the information at the top of the fingerprint cards.Once you have completed the items listed above, you can check the Verify section of the website to see whether a Temporary Permit has been posted. This permit is valid for 90 days.
How to renew your North Dakota nursing license
Step 1: When to submit your renewal application
When your initial license is issued it will have an expiration date of December 31 of the following year. Thereafter it will renew on December 31 every two years. Renewal of your registered nursing license costs $140, though later renewals received in January are $280.
Step 2: Fulfill continuing competency requirements
In order to renew your license, you must have or exceeded 400 practice hours within the preceding four years, unless you have completed a refresher course within the preceding year or graduated from a nursing undergraduate or graduate program in the last four years. You are also required to complete a minimum of 12 contact hours during the renewal period, unless this is the first renewal period following obtaining your license through examination. You are not required to submit documentation of your course completion, but must retain records of courses taken in case of audit.
Incredible Health provides free North Dakota continuing education units to help you fulfill your continuing competency requirements. Once completed, you can immediately access a certificate of course completion.
Step 3: Submit your renewal application
You can renew your North Dakota nursing license at the state’s Board of Nursing portal.
North Dakota nursing licensing fees
Below are the fees for becoming a nurse in North Dakota whether you are a first-time nurse or are moving to North Dakota from another state. For more information visit the North Dakota licensing page.
Licensing fees by examination (first-time nurses):
- NCLEX fee: $200
- Application fee: $145
- Fingerprint processing fee: $41.25
Licensing fees by endorsement (already have RN licensure):
- Application fee: $170 (RN/LPN); $125 (APRN, $75 Rx authority)
- Fingerprint processing fee $41.25
License renewal fee:
- Application fee: $140 (RN); $130 (LPN); $220 (APRN, $75 Rx authority)
Additionally, North Dakota is a nursing compact state, which allows nurses to hold multi-state licenses.
*Fees are subject to change.
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Continuing education requirements
RN: 12 contact hours every 2 years
LPN: 12 contact hours every 2 years
APRN: 12 contact hours every 2 years (APRNs authorized to prescribe are required to take 15 contact hours in pharmacology. These contact hours may fulfill the nursing renewal continuing education requirement.
How to contact the North Dakota Board of Nursing
North Dakota Board of Nursing
Phone: (701) 328-9777
Fax: (701) 328-9785
Website: https://www.ndbon.org/
ND Board of Nursing
919 S 7th Street
Suite 504
Bismarck, ND 58504
