Overview
Established by the Arkansas Legislature in 1913 to safeguard the life and health of its citizens, the Arkansas State Board of Nursing achieves its mission by developing standards for safe nursing care, approval of nursing schools and regulating licenses to practice nursing.
Registered Nursing (RN) & Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Examination
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is a computer adaptive exam designed to test the knowledge, skills and abilities of the entry-level practitioner. Passage of the exam is a part of the process used by Boards of Nursing when determining eligibility for licensure as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse.
Qualifications Needed to Take the NCLEX-RN Exam:
- Arkansas law requires applicants for licensure by examination to submit to criminal background checks. If an applicant has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to any offense listed in ACA §17-87-312, he/she is not eligible for Arkansas licensure. (ACA §17-87-312 provides opportunity to request a waiver of eligibility criteria related to a criminal background in certain circumstances.) The criminal background check shall be completed no earlier than twelve (12) months prior to the application for licensure by examination.
- Persons who have graduated from an approved registered nursing education program.
- Persons who have graduated from the Excelsior College School of Nursing.
- Internationally educated nurses who have graduated from a nursing program in which the curriculum is “substantially similar” to Arkansas nursing programs, have licensure or proof of eligibility for licensure in the country of graduation, and can write, speak, and understand English as evidenced by Certification from The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), – (exception for English speaking countries, e.g., Canada, Australia, England).
Qualifications Needed to Take the NCLEX-PN Exam:
- Arkansas law requires applicants for licensure by examination to submit to criminal background checks. If an applicant has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to any offense listed in ACA §17-87-312, he/she is not eligible for Arkansas licensure. (ACA §17-87-312 provides opportunity to request a waiver of eligibility criteria related to a criminal background in certain circumstances.) The criminal background check shall be completed no earlier than twelve (12) months prior to the application for licensure by examination.
- Persons who have graduated from an approved practical nursing education program.
- Internationally educated nurses as above.
Note: The ASBN may deny licensure to candidates who have had a license revoked, suspended, or placed on probation and not reinstated in other jurisdictions. The ASBN may also deny licensure to candidates who have been convicted of a crime.
Applicants Must Provide the Following:
- You may complete the online application two months prior to graduation. Instructions for completion of the application are displayed as you progress through the online system. Carefully enter information and review the information page for accuracy prior to submission.
- Payment of associated fees may be made by credit card or E-check and are paid for within the online process prior to submission of the application. Print a copy of the Payment Summary page for your records.
- IMPORTANT: You will also need the INA Search ID number that is located on the Payment Summary to include on your fingerprint card. Print the INA Search ID number in the upper right hand corner of the fingerprint card in the box marked “FBI Leave Blank”.
- A valid United States social security number is required for individuals applying for licensure.
- In addition to completing the ASBN Examination Application for Licensure online, all applicants must register with Pearson VUE to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). For more information about the NCLEX click here.
- If you submit your ASBN Examination application prior to registering with Pearson VUE, it will not be processed until you are registered with Pearson VUE.
- A physical and mailing address must be provided for purposes of communication. Arkansas is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. Individuals applying for licensure must live in Arkansas, a non-compact state, or country outside the United States to complete this application process. For a listing of compact states and more information on the Nurse Licensure Compact, go to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website at ncsbn.org.
- A valid email address is required. You will receive an ASBN Automatic Acknowledgement of Online Application email and an Arkansas GovPay Receipt email after submission of your application.
- The nursing director of your nursing education program must verify your graduation after you have completed the nursing education program. This is accomplished via a secure electronic verification process for applicants graduating from in state programs and via Verification form for applicants graduating from out of state programs.
- An official transcript with the degree posted must be submitted to the ASBN office prior to release of your examination results and issuance of a license. This must come directly from your school.
Note: All fees are nonrefundable
You may check on the status of your application by clicking here.
Click here to view a checklist for licensure by examination.
Click here for more information on the NCLEX.
Registered Nursing (RN) & Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Endorsement
Qualifications Needed for Endorsement:
- RN and LPN graduates of state Board approved schools of nursing who have passed the NCLEX, provided they are otherwise qualified.
- Persons who have completed a portion of an RN education program and hold LPN licensure in other jurisdictions, provided they are otherwise qualified.
- RN examination failures: Graduates of Board-approved RN programs holding LPN licensure by examination in other jurisdictions. Provided they are otherwise qualified.
- Canadian Registered Nurses licensed by NLN State Board Test Pool Examination in the following provinces during the years indicated: Alberta, 1952-1970; British Columbia, 1949-1970; Manitoba, 1955-1970; Newfoundland, 1961-1970; Nova Scotia, 1955-1970; Prince Edward Island, 1956-1970; Quebec (English language), 1959-1970; Saskatchewan, 1956-1970, provided they are otherwise qualified.
- LPTN endorsement applicants from California and Kansas only, provided they are otherwise qualified.
- Internationally educated nurses licensed in another jurisdiction who can validate that their foreign nursing education program was “substantially similar” to Arkansas nursing programs via an official transcript from their nursing education program and who have passed NCLEX, provided they are otherwise qualified.
Note: The ASBN may deny licensure to candidates who have had a license revoked, suspended, or placed on probation and not reinstated in other jurisdictions. The ASBN may also deny licensure to candidates who have been convicted of a crime.
Applicants Must Provide the Following:
- Complete the online application by accessing the link at the bottom of the page. Instructions for completion of the application are displayed as you progress through the online system.
- Payment of associated fees may be made by credit card or E-check and are paid for within the online process prior to submission of the application. Print a copy of the payment page (Payment Summary) for your records.
- IMPORTANT: You will also need the INA Search ID number that is located on the Payment Summary to include on your fingerprint card. Print the INA Search ID number in the upper right hand corner of the fingerprint card in the box marked “FBI Leave Blank.”
- A valid United States social security number is required for individuals applying for licensure.
- A physical and mailing address must be provided for purposes of communication. Arkansas is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Individuals applying for licensure must live in Arkansas, a non-compact state, or country outside the United States to complete this application process. For a listing of compact states and more information on the NLC, go to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website at ncsbn.org.
- A valid email address is required. You will receive an ASBN Automatic Acknowledgement of Online Application email and an Arkansas GovPay Receipt email after submission of your application.
- Submit license verification to ASBN. If you were originally licensed in one of the states listed on the NURSYS website, you must obtain verification via submitting a verification request online through NURSYS. If you were originally licensed in a state that is not listed on the NURSYS website, you must obtain verification via printing the ASBN Verification Form and mailing the form to the licensing agency in the state where you were originally licensed.
- Submit a Verification of Employment Form.
- Internationally educated nurses are applicants who graduated from a nursing education program of study outside the United States. You will submit a request to one of the Board approved credentialing agency evaluators and have a complete course-by-course education verification professional report conducted on you and have them submit an official report to the Board. You may click here to access the International Graduate Application Checklist that includes approved agencies and additional application information.
Note: All fees are nonrefundable
You may check on the status of your application by clicking here.
Click here for more information on Endorsement.
For more information visit the official website or contact the Arkansas State Board of Nursing.