Delaware Nursing License Requirements: RN, LPN

Overview

The primary objective of the Delaware Board of Nursing is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of its residents. In order to safeguard life and health, the Board develops standards for professional competency, promulgates rules and regulations, and adjudicates complaints against professionals and, when necessary, imposes disciplinary sanctions.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) & Registered Nursing (RN) Licensure by Examination

Complete this application only if you wish to take the NCLEX examination and your home state of residence is either Delaware or a non-compact state.

All Applicants Must Fulfill the Following Requirements:

  • Complete the Authorization for Release of Information form to request a criminal background check.  Follow the instructions on the authorization form to arrange to be fingerprinted. This is required even if you recently had a criminal background check done for some other reason.
  • Submit a completed, signed and notarized Application for Licensure as a Registered or Practical Nurse by Examination. Forms that are incomplete, unsigned or not notarized will be rejected.
  • Enclose the processing fee by check or money order made payable to “State of Delaware.” Applications submitted without this processing fee will be rejected.
  • Enclose a copy of your driver’s license or official identification card from the Division of Motor Vehicles.
    • The state (or other jurisdiction) on the identification you provide is considered your home state of residence.
    • If you don’t have a driver’s license or official identification from the Division of Motor Vehicles, you may submit a voter registration card, federal tax return, military form 2058 or a Form W-2 showing your home state of residence.
    • You may submit a passport only if it is your sole proof of identification. If you submit a passport, your Delaware license will be for practice only in Delaware. You will not be allowed to use it to practice in other compact states.
  • If you received your Nursing education outside the U.S. (including Canada) or in Puerto Rico, submit a copy of your CGFNS
  • If you received your Nursing education in the U.S. or a U.S. territory other than Puerto Rico, arrange for your school of nursing to send the Board office an official transcript showing the degree you received and the date.  The school must send the transcript directly to the Board office.  The Board office cannot approve you to sit for the examination until it receives this final transcript.
    • Your Nursing program must be acceptable to the Board. Section 2.4.1 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations explains the criteria for an acceptable Nursing program, such as 200 hours of clinical experience required for LPN students and at least 400 hours of clinical experience required for RN students. If your program is in Delaware, see Approved Delaware Nursing Education & Refresher Programs.
    • If 12 months or more have elapsed since your graduation, you are required to submit a Petition for Permission to Take NCLEX More than One Year After Graduation.
    • If two years (24 months) or more have elapsed since your graduation, you are required to submit evidence of completing an NCLEX review course within the previous six months. To be acceptable, the course must include a test(s) and provide either a certificate or letter from the provider as proof of completion. (An email or payment receipt from the course provider is not sufficient.) Before enrolling, make sure that the course meets these requirements. To find a course, we suggest you check with your school of nursing, visit NCSBN Learning Extension at http://learningext.com or search on the internet.
    • If five years (60 months) or more have elapsed since your graduation, you are no longer eligible for licensure by examination. Call the Board office.
  • Complete the applicant section of the Nursing Reference Form and send the form to your school for completion. After completing the form, the school must return the form by mail directly to the Board office. Forms received from you will be rejected.
  • If you have never been issued a U.S. Social Security Number (SSN), submit a Request for Exemption from Social Security Number Requirement.
  • Register for the NCLEX online on the Pearson Vue website as soon as you are ready to take the test.
      • When all required documents are received, reviewed and approved, the Board office will notify Pearson Vue that you are eligible to take the exam provided you have registered with Pearson Vue. The Board office cannot make you eligible until you have registered.
      • If you are eligible, Pearson Vue sends you an Authorization to Test (ATT) form by email. If you do not receive an ATT form, contact Pearson Vue. The Board office has no information about the status of your ATT form.
      • If you are not eligible, the Board office notifies you.
  • When you receive the Authorization to Test, schedule an appointment with Pearson Vue to take the exam.
      • If you passed and the Board office has received all of the documents required for licensure, the Board office will send you your license by mail and will send you the exam results by email if you provided an email address.
      • If you did not pass, the Board office will send you your exam results and an Application for Re-Examination by email if you provided an email address. No exam results are given out by phone.

For more information about licensure by examination, click here.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) & Registered Nursing (RN) Licensure by Endorsement

Complete this application only if you hold a current, active Nursing license of the same type in another jurisdiction (state, U.S. territory or District of Columbia) and you have never held a Delaware Nursing license of the same type.

All Applicants Must Fulfill the Following Requirements:

  • To be licensed by endorsement Delaware, you must meet one of the following practice requirements. If possible, you must complete one of these requirements before filing the application:
  • Graduation from a Nursing education program within the past two years (24 months)
    • The program must be acceptable to the Board. Section 2.4.1 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations explains the criteria for acceptable Nursing programs, such as 200 hours of clinical experience required for LPN students and at least 400 hours of clinical experience required for RN students. If your program is in Delaware, see Approved Delaware Nursing Education & Refresher Programs.
  • At least 1000 hours of nursing practice during the five years (60 months) before filing this application.
  • At least 400 hours of nursing practice during the two years (24 months) before filing this application.
  • Completion of a Board-approved refresher program

If it is not possible to meet any of the above practice requirements, you may file this application and request the Board’s approval of an alternate supervised practice plan. Your application will be processed when you complete the Board-approved plan and submit your evaluation. However, you must have a temporary permit while working under a supervised practice plan.  Submit a temporary license fee in addition to the processing fee for your application. For information about supervised practice plans, see Section 4.0 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations.

      • The state (or other jurisdiction) on the identification you provide is considered your home state of residence.
      • If you don’t have a driver’s license or official identification from the Division of Motor Vehicles, you may submit a voter registration card, federal tax return, military form 2058 or a Form W-2 showing your home state of residence.
  • Enclose a photocopy of your current nursing license from another jurisdiction.  You may send a printout of your state’s online verification if it shows the expiration date.
      • License must show an expiration date.
      • If there is a signature section on your license, sign it before copying.
      • If the other jurisdiction where you are currently licensed is not a compact state, your license must remain current throughout the entire endorsement process.
      • If the jurisdiction where you are currently licensed is a compact state, you can work in Delaware for up to 90 days after establishing Delaware as your home state of residence while you await your Delaware license. Your license in the compact state must remain active throughout the 90 days.
  • Complete the Authorization for Release of Information form to request a State of Delaware and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background check.  Follow the instructions on the authorization form to arrange to be fingerprinted.   You must complete this requirement even if you recently had a criminal background check done for some other reason.
  • Arrange for the Board office to receive Nursing Reference Form(s).
  • Provide verification of original licensure by examination. If your board of nursing participates in Nursys complete the Nursys® Verification Request Application. If not, complete the Verification of Original Licensure form and send it to the Board of Nursing in the jurisdiction where you were licensed by examination.
  • If you graduated from a nursing program outside the United States (including Canada) or in Puerto Rico, provide a copy of your CGFNS certificate or CES report.

For more information about licensure by endorsement, click here.

Visit the official Delaware Board of Nursing website for additional information.

References:

http://dpr.delaware.gov/boards/nursing/index.shtml

 

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