A Guide to Nursing Licenses and Renewals in Florida

Career Resources / Nursing Licensure / Florida

There’s more to Florida than palm trees and sunshine. Between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find great entertainment, a diverse population and culture, a robust economy, and no state income tax. Long known as a retirement haven, the Sunshine State is also a great place to live and work.

In this article, we cover:

• How to get your Florida nursing license by exam
• How to get your license by endorsement
• How to renew your Florida nursing license
• Licensing fees
• Continuing education requirements
• How to contact the Florida Board of Nursing

How to get your Florida nursing license by examination

Step 1: Education

The first step to a career in nursing is earning your nursing degree. There are several ways of  being a registered nurse in Florida, as the state accepts candidates who have graduated from one of their Florida-approved or accredited nursing programs, as well as graduates of programs accredited by ACEN, CCNE, or the jurisdiction in which the school is based as long as it has been issued an NCLEX code by the National Council on State Boards of Nursing. This includes military nursing education programs and MSN programs.  

• 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

Begin your application process by registering to take the NCLEX-RN exam and paying the $200.00 registration fee. You can also register and pay your fee by phone at 1-866-496-2539. 

You can submit your application with the $110 licensing fee to the Florida Board of Nursing online through the state’s MQA Online Services portal. The portal’s home page will allow you to create a New Applicant account. It is recommended that you use a desktop or laptop computer rather than a mobile device.   

Florida law requires that initial applications for a nursing license be reviewed within 30 days.

Step 3: Submit Transcripts

Most Florida-based nursing programs are approved to send the Board of Nursing either a list of eligible graduates or an official transcript upon graduation. All programs sending transcripts must include the date of graduation and degree conferred, and the school must send the information directly to the Board office through either a secure electronic service or by mail.

Electronic transcripts are accepted at [email protected].

Paper transcripts are accepted at:

Department of Health
Division of Medical Quality Assurance
Bureau of Health Care Practitioner Regulation, Board of Nursing
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-02
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3252

Step 4: Criminal Background Check (CBC)

Applicants for initial licensure must use a Livescan service provider to have their fingerprints submitted electronically to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The results will be returned to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) and made available to the Florida Board of Nursing. 

Hard fingerprint cards are no longer accepted in Florida. All results must be submitted electronically from a Livescan service provider.

Use the correct Originating Agency Identification (ORI) when submitting fingerprints. The ORI for a registered nurse license application is EDOH4420Z. If you do not provide an ORI number or if you provide an incorrect ORI number to the service provider, the board office will not receive your fingerprint results.

Applicants who live outside of Florida must have their prints taken on a hard fingerprint card and contact an approved Livescan service provider who converts cards. You can use any FDLE-approved Livescan service provider to submit your fingerprints. Print out the Nursing Electronic Fingerprint Form, complete it, and take it with you to the Livescan provider. 

Step 5: Take the NCLEX

Once you have submitted your application, paid your licensing fee, and all required documentation has been received, the Florida Board of Nursing will notify Pearson VUEthat you have met all of its requirements.Pearson VUE will then send you an email containing your Authorization to Test for the NCLEX-RN exam. The authorization is valid for 90 days, so be sure to schedule your test as quickly as possible. 

The NCLEX exam is the last test you must pass to be licensed as a registered nurse. It is meant to ensure that you have learned and retained all of the information and training that you received during your nursing program, including 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, your license will be sent to the address on file 7-10 days after the board office receives notice that you’ve passed.

If you fail the exam, you can reapply by submitting a re-examination application with a retake fee of $50. You will also need to reapply with Pearson VUE and pay the $200 fee again. You must wait a minimum of 45 days between each attempt. After three failures, you must complete and pass a Florida Board of Nursing-approved remedial course before you will be approved for taking the exam a fourth time.

Licensing by endorsement (already have RN licensure)

Nurses who hold a valid license in another state can apply for Florida licensure using the Licensure by Endorsement process. Application starts by submitting an application and $110 fee to the Board of Nursing through the state’s MQA Online Services portal. The portal’s home page will allow you to create a New Applicant account. It is recommended that you use a desktop or laptop computer rather than a mobile device.   

Applicants must also submit:

• Electronic fingerprint – Applicants for licensure by endorsement must use a Livescan service provider to have their fingerprints submitted electronically to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The results will be returned to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) and made available to the Florida Board of Nursing. 
  • Hard fingerprint cards are no longer accepted in Florida. All results must be submitted electronically from a Livescan service provider using the correct Originating Agency Identification (ORI) when submitting fingerprints. The ORI for a registered nurse license application is EDOH4420Z. If you do not provide an ORI number or if you provide an incorrect ORI number to the service provider, the board office will not receive your fingerprint results.
  • Applicants who live outside of Florida must have their prints taken on a hard fingerprint card and contact an approved Livescan service provider who converts cards. You can use any FDLE-approved Livescan service provider to submit your fingerprints. Print out the Nursing Electronic Fingerprint Form, complete it, and take it with you to the Livescan provider. 
• License verification – You are responsible for requesting licensure verification from your original state of licensure. A licensure verification form is included in the application for states that do not verify licenses through the NURSYS system. If your state does participate with NURSYS, request that verification of your license be sent to the Florida Board of Nursing.

How to renew your Florida nursing license

Step 1: When to submit your renewal application

Florida requires renewal of your registered nursing license every two years. The Board of Nursing sends out renewal notices as postcards. Registered nursing licenses expire on April 30 and on July 31. 

Step 2: Fulfill continuing competency requirements

All Florida-licensed registered nurses must complete 24 hours of nurse-related continuing education during each renewal period. 

The 24 hours must include:

• 2 hours on Prevention of Medical Errors
• 2 hours in Laws and Rules that govern the practice of Nursing
• 2 hours in recognizing impairment in the workplace and every other biennium thereafter (every 4 years)
• 2 hours on Human Trafficking
• One-time, 1-hour HIV/AIDS CE requirement must be completed prior to the first renewal
• Domestic Violence (DV) CE is now a 2-hour requirement every third renewal (every 6 years). Since Domestic Violence (DV) is a 2-hour requirement, the licensee will have 26 hours of CE during the renewal period when DV is taken.

The state requires continuing education units to be verified through an electronic tracking system at renewal. Continuing education credits can be reported at any time during the two years prior to the license’s expiration. Florida Board-approved providers will report your course completions on your behalf, while courses taken from national organizations must be completed by the applicant. 

Nurses who are within two years of having taken the NCLEX-RN exam are exempt from the CEU requirement.

To help you complete your biannual CEU requirement, Incredible Health offers free Florida CEU classes. Once completed, you can immediately access a certificate of completion. 

Step 3: Submit your renewal application

Nurses can renew their license at the state’s licensing portal. The fee is $75, and includes a $5 fee to fund efforts to combat unlicensed activity and a $5 fee that contributes to the state’s Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness program. You can pay online using a credit or debit card or print out a copy of your application that has been submitted online and then submit it with a cashier’s check or money order to:

Division of Medical Quality Assurance
P.O. Box 6320
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6320

Florida nursing licensing fees

Licensing fees by examination (first-time nurses):

• NCLEX fee: $200
• Application fee: $110

Licensing fees by endorsement (nurses who already have RN licensure):

• Application fee: $110
• APRN dispensing license: $100
• Fee for Livescan Service provider varies
• Fee varies for License Verification

Nurses holding licenses from other states are eligible for licensure by endorsement if they have completed an approved or accredited nursing education program or if they have actively practiced nursing for two of the preceding three years without any criminal history or disciplinary action. Nurses who have not practiced in the previous five years need to take a remedial course prior to licensure.

Applicants need to submit an application with the appropriate fees to the Board of Nursing.

Schedule an electronic fingerprint appointment with a Livescan service provider.

Contact the licensing board where their initial and active licenses are held and request that verification be sent to the Florida Board of Nursing.

License renewal fees:

• $75 if license has not expired
• $130 if license has expired

Florida is a nursing compact state, which allows nurses to hold multi-state licenses.

For more information, visit the state licensing page.

*Fees are subject to change.

**Most states require a background check, but prices are not always listed.

Continuing education requirements

RN/LPN/APRN: 24 hours every 2 years

As a nurse in Florida, you’ll need to complete the following continuing education requirements:

• 2 hours for medical error/prevention
• 2 hours on preventing human trafficking
• 2 hours for Florida laws and rules
• 2 hours on domestic violence every 3rd renewal
• 2 hours on recognition of impairment in the workplace (every other renewal)
• 1 hour one-time HIV/AIDS
• 3 hours on safe and effective prescription of controlled substances, if a prescriber
• 16 hours on general information

How to contact the Florida Board of Nursing

Florida Board of Nursing
Board office
Phone: (850) 245-4125
Fax: (850) 617-6460

Customer contact center:
(850) 488-0595

Mailing address:
Department of Health
Board of Nursing
4052 Bald Cypress Way Bin C-02
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3252

Applications and Fees ONLY:
Department of Health
Board of Nursing
PO Box 6330
Tallahassee, FL 32314-6330

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