Overview
The RN Board is established by the West Virginia Legislature to promote and protect public health, safety, and welfare through the regulation of registered professional nurses.
The West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses is a legally constituted agency of State government established by the West Virginia Legislature. The mission of the Board is to promote and protect the public health, safety and welfare through licensure of practical nurses.
Registered Nursing (RN) Licensure by Examination
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Complete the application.
- Submit the requisite non-refundable fee of $70.00 via cashier’s check or money order made payable to West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses. Note: The fee is non-refundable.
- Complete criminal background check.
- Affix an identification photograph in the space provided. Identification photo must be a fade proof, color photo of the applicant. Front (face) view of head and neck only is required.
Note: Applications with non-regulation identification photos will be returned to applicants for correction, and will not be considered complete or reviewed for determination of eligibility status until the proper photograph has been affixed to the application.
- Test applicants who are graduates of nursing education the United States are to have the Dean/Director of their nursing education program sign their name on the front of the identification photograph at the top of the photo.
- Graduates of nursing programs located outside the United Stated and its territories must provide the certification documentation from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) that signifies successful completion of the CGFNS certification examination. An official transcript from your nursing school, written in English is requested by the Board along with the descriptions of each nursing course that includes clinical hours completed. The certification II section of the application form must be completed by the program dean/director.
- Submit your application to a responsible adult who has known you for a minimum of five years and can attest to your good moral character. This may be a work supervisor, a minister or priest, a faculty member in your nursing education program, etc. It is preferred that you seek out a non-family member.
- Applicants who are graduates of professional nursing education programs located in the United States are to submit the application to the Dean/Director of their nursing education program for completion of Certification II. This is to be done after all other portions of the application have been completed.
- Register with Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX exam. You may use any of the following ways to complete the registration:
- Register online. The registration fee of $200 can be paid via American Express, Visa, or MasterCard. OR
- By mail: You may request the Board of Nursing office to send an NCLEX registration form. Provide essential details in the form and include an appropriate fee of $200.00 in the form of a money order or cashiers check made payable to the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing). Mail it to the following address:
NCLEX Operations
Post Office Box 64950
St. Paul, Minnesota- 55164-0950
- When all your essential documents are approved, the Board will inform the testing agency, Pearson VUE, making you eligible to take the licensure exam.
- Pearson VUE will send you an ATT (Authorization to Test) via email or on the address provided by you during the registration process.
- Upon receiving the ATT, schedule the licensure exam.
- Print out and send the completed application and fee to the following mailing address:
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses
101 Dee Drive, Suite 102
Charleston, West Virginia- 25311-1620
For more information and instructions regarding the RN examination process, click here.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Examination
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Complete the application.
- Submit application fee of $75.00 in the form of cashiers check or money order. Note: The fee is non-refundable.
- Attach a passport size photograph signed by you and the director or coordinator of your school of practical nursing,
- A transcript of grades covering the entire twelve-month course must be sent directly to the board office from the school. Note: All grades must be a “C” or above.
- Register with Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX-LPN exam. You may use any of the following ways to complete the registration:
- Register online. The registration fee of $200 can be paid via American Express, Visa, or MasterCard. OR
- By mail: You may request the Board of Nursing office to send an NCLEX registration form. Provide essential details in the form and include an appropriate fee of $200.00 in the form of a money order or cashiers check made payable to the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing). Mail it to the following address:
NCLEX Operations
Post Office Box 64950
St. Paul, Minnesota- 55164-0950
- When all your essential documents are approved, the Board will inform the testing agency, Pearson VUE, making you eligible to take the licensure exam.
- Pearson VUE will send you an ATT (Authorization to Test) via email or on the address provided by you during the registration process.
- Upon receiving the ATT, schedule the licensure exam.
Foreign Applicants Must Also:
- The applicant must have satisfactorily completed a basic nursing education program approved by the appropriate authorities in the country where the program is located. The Board may request verification of this approval.
- The nursing education program must be equivalent to the minimum standards prevailing for state board approved schools of practical nursing in West Virginia at the time of graduation (greater than 50% of total hours in clinical instruction). A credentials evaluation completed by CGFNS, ERES, IERF, or Josef Silny and Associates must be provided to the Boards prior to approval to take the exam.
- The applicant shall successfully complete any deficiencies in the nursing program as determined by the Board (theory and clinical practice) in a state board approved school of nursing.
- The applicant must provide documentation of English language proficiency by one of the following methods:
- Evidence that the nursing education, text books, and majority of the clinical experience were in English;
- An original report showing a score of at least 530 for the written exam or 200 for the computer exam on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) plus a score of at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English(TSE);
- An original report showing a score of at least 700 on the Test of English for International communication (TOEIC) plus a score of at least 50 on the Test of Spoken English (TSE); or
- A VisaScreen certificate.
- If duly licensed in another country, the applicant shall provide official verification, translated into English, from the licensing authorities in that country.
- Print out and send the completed application and fee to the following mailing address:
West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses
101 Dee Drive, Suite 100
Charleston, West Virginia- 25311-1688
For more information about the LPN licensure process, click here.
Registered Nursing (RN) Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Complete the application.
- Sign the affidavit in front of a notary public with a seal.
- Attach a colored 2″ x 2″ passport photograph and sign it across the front along the bottom of the picture, on the picture. Note: The application will be returned if the photo does not meet requirements.
- Submit the requisite non-refundable fee of $100.00 via cashier’s check or money order made payable to West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses. Note: The fee is non-refundable.
- Provide verification of original licensure:
- If your state is a member of NURSYS, visit their website. The fee is $30.00.
OR
- If your state is not a part of NURSYS complete the top part of the Nursing Endorsement Verification Form and submit it to the Board office of that state where you were originally certified. You are suggested to call your original state of licensure before mailing this form, to know, if they charge any fees for this service.
- Print out and send the completed application and fee to the following mailing address:
West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses
101 Dee Drive, Suite 102
Charleston, West Virginia- 25311-1620
For more information about the RN endorsement process, click here.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants Must Meet the Following Requirements:
- Complete online or paper application.
- Submit application fee of $50.00 in the form of cashiers check or money order. A convenience fee of $1.13 is charged for online applications. Note: The fee is non-refundable.
- Provide verification of original licensure:
- If your state is a member of NURSYS, visit their website. The fee is $30.00.
OR
- If you have ever been licensed in any other states which do not participate in NURSYS, mail the Verification of Licensure form to every state in which you have ever held a license by endorsement. You may reproduce the Verification of Licensure form if you have been licensed by endorsement in more than one other state.
- Complete a criminal history record check.
- If using the paper application, print out and send the completed application and fee to the following mailing address:
West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses
101 Dee Drive, Suite 100
Charleston, West Virginia- 25311-1688
For more information about the LPN endorsement process, click here.