Career Resources / Nursing Licensure / California
There are plenty of things that make California a terrific place for nurses to live and work. The state ranks high for public health services and quality of health care delivered. It’s also the state with the highest employment level of registered nurses and the state where registered nurses earn the highest annual mean wages.
In this article, we will cover:
- How to get your California nursing license by exam
- How to get your license by endorsement
- How to renew your California nursing license
- Licensing fees
- Continuing education requirements
- How to contact the California Board of Nursing
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How to get your California nursing license by examination
Step 1: Education
The California Board of Nursing has assessed the education provided by both two-year and four-year nursing degree programs in the state. Applicants from these programs, as well as those who have graduated from accredited out-of-state programs, are eligible for licensure by examination.
- 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
The California Board of Nursing recommends that applicants use the online process to apply for licensure, though nurses can download the application and send it via mail if they prefer.
To apply online, begin by registering for a BreEZe account. Once you have registered, log on to your account, select “RN Initial Exam Application,” then select “Start a New Application or Take an Exam.” The platform provides the ability to pay the required fee of $300 for California nursing program graduates and $350 for out-of-state nursing graduates, as well as to attach required documents to the application.
Applicants who choose to submit a paper application can mail it and their fee to:
Board of Registered Nursing
P.O. Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
Applicants should also register to take the NCLEX-RN exam through Pearson VUE as soon as the Board deems them eligible.
Step 3: Submit Transcripts
If you graduated from a California nursing program, your transcripts were sent to the Board of Nursing electronically when you completed your program.
If you graduated from an out-of-state nursing program, you must request that your school send your transcripts to the Board of Nursing electronically from a certified third-party electronic transcripts service such as Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse, or directly from your school to [email protected].
Step 4: Criminal Background Check (CBC)
All applicants for licensure by examination must submit one set of fingerprints through either Live Scan or on an Applicant Fingerprint Card. The Board of Registered Nursing recommends using Live Scan to shorten the process.
- To use Live Scan, applicants must complete and submit the Request for Live Scan Service Applicant Submission form at a Live Scan site within California and submit the processing fee at the site. Once your fingerprints have been scanned and you have completed the required section, you will be given two copies and the Live Scan operator will transmit the results. The process takes 1-2 weeks.
- You can request a fingerprint card be sent to you. Complete all the items marked by a black “X” on the card in black ink, then take the card to a local law enforcement agency to have your fingerprints taken. Use a 9”x12” envelope to return your completed application and fingerprint card with the $49 fee payable to the Board of Registered Nursing by check or money order. Write “DO NOT FOLD” on the envelope. Mail to:
Board of Registered Nursing
PO Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
The fingerprint card process can take 1-2 months.
Step 5: Take the NCLEX
The NCLEX-RN exam measures your readiness for the responsibilities of nursing. Once you have completed your application for licensure by examination and have provided all the required documentation, the state will notify Pearson VUE and they will email you an Authorization to Test. The NCLEX questions include material on 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
If you pass the NCLEX exam, your status will appear on the BreEZe account. Nurses who do not pass the NCLEX exam are able to retake the exam after 45 days have passed since their previous test-taking date, up to eight times per year. Candidates must pass NCLEX within three years from when they graduated nursing school.
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Licensing by endorsement (already have RN licensure)
If you want to switch your nursing license from another state to California, you need to apply for licensure via endorsement. This process is most quickly accomplished using the online application form accessed at BreEZe Online.
Start by registering for your BreEZe account, then select “RN Endorsement” from the dropdown menu below “Start a New Application or Take an Exam.” After filling out the application and paying the $350 fee, you’ll be able to upload documents to attach to your application.
Supporting documents required by the California Board of Nursing include:
- One set of fingerprints through either Live Scan or on an Applicant Fingerprint Card. The Board of Registered Nursing recommends using Live Scan to shorten the process.
- To use Live Scan, applicants must complete and submit the Request for Live Scan Service Applicant Submission form at a Live Scan site within California and submit the processing fee at the site. Once your fingerprints have been scanned and you’ve completed the required section, you’ll be given two copies and the Live Scan operator will transmit the results. The process takes 1-2 weeks.
- Alternatively, you can request a fingerprint card. Complete all the items marked by a black “X” on the card in black ink and use all appropriate abbreviations for physical descriptions, then take the card to a local law enforcement agency to have your fingerprints taken. Use a 9”x12” envelope to return your completed application and fingerprint card with the $49 fee payable to the Board of Registered Nursing by check or money order. Write “DO NOT FOLD” on the envelope. Mail to:
Board of Registered Nursing
PO Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
- Provide verification of your license. This can be done through the NURSYS system if your state’s board of nursing participates, or you can complete the top half of the Verification of Licensure form and send it to your state board for them to complete and send directly to:
Board of Registered Nursing
PO Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
While your license is pending, you can apply online for a temporary license once your application has been completed.
How to renew your California nursing license
Step 1: When to submit your renewal application
Your first California registered nurse license is issued for two of your birthdays rather than for two years. It expires on the last day of the month following your second birthday after getting your license, and from thereafter, that will be your expiration date, every two years.
Renewal notices are mailed out approximately three months prior to the expiration date of the license. They cannot be renewed earlier than three months before expiration.
Step 2: Fulfill continuing competency requirements
For the first two years immediately following your initial licensure, nurses will not be required to complete any continuing education classes, though starting January 1, 2023, immediately following initial licensure registered nurses must complete one hour of direct participation in an implicit bias course offered by a continuing education provider that has been approved by the Board of Registered Nursing. Thereafter the state requires that registered nurses complete 30 contact hours of continuing education to qualify for license renewal.
Incredible Health offers free fully accredited California CEU classes that are easy to access and include immediate certification of completion.
Step 3: Submit your renewal application
Your registered nurse license can be renewed online through BreEZe Online services. The fee is $190.
California nursing licensing fees
Below are the fees for becoming a nurse in California whether you are a first-time nurse or are moving to California from another state. For more information, visit the state Board of Registered Nursing.
Licensing fee by examination (first-time nurses)
- NCLEX fee: $200
- Application fee: $300
- Temporary permit (optional): $100
- Fingerprint processing fee: $49
Licensing fee by endorsement (already have RN licensure)
- Application fee: $350 (RN); $500 (APRN)
- Temporary permit: $100
- Fingerprint processing fee: $49
- License verification: $100
License renewal fees
- Application fee: $190 (RN); $150 (APRN)
*Fees are subject to change.
If you or your spouse is in the military and is applying for a nursing license, applications may be expedited depending on your situation. California will waive the renewal fee, continuing education requirements, and any other fees for any military member that is deployed, which is another huge benefit to nursing in California.
California legislation is pending for the Golden State to become a nursing compact state, which allows nurses to hold multi-state licenses. Check the NCSBN to stay up to date.
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Continuing education requirements
- 30 contacts hours every 2 years – Note that starting January 1, 2023, a licensee still within the first 2 years of holding their license or immediately following their initial licensure must complete one hour of direct participation in an implicit bias course offered by a continuing education provider that has been approved by the California State Board of Registered Nursing.
- Applies to LPNs, RNs, and APRNs.
How to contact the California Board of Nursing
Phone: (916) 322-3350
Website: www.rn.ca.gov
Mailing address:
Board of Registered Nursing
PO Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
Physical address:
1747 N. Market Blvd
Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95834-1924
