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Click on the appropriate tab below to see the Renewal Requirements, Process, Fees and Continuing Education (CE) for a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Florida passed House Bill 975 following the 2024 legislative session, which requires this profession to complete electronic fingerprinting. Your application cannot be approved until this requirement, along with all other licensure criteria, has been met. For more information on background screening, visit MQA's Background Screening website.
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) are renewed by the department; current licenses will expire at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on July 31, 2025.
The department will renew your license upon receipt of:
*Required section 456.0135(6)(1), Florida Statutes, a $43.25 fee is required for FDLE to retain your fingerprint for background screening during this licensure cycle. This fee is collected at the time of licensure renewal if your fingerprint retention is expiring this licensure period. If your fingerprint retention expires in the next 60 days, you will need to pay separately through the Clearinghouse Applicant Initiated (CHAI) System.
Licensees requesting to reactivate their license from inactive or retired status are required to pay additional fees and comply with specific continuing education requirements. Please contact the board office at MQA.NursingAppstatus@flhealth.gov to request your reactivation requirements.
Licensees who fail to meet these requirements must reapply for licensure and comply with current laws and rules. Licensees who have become Null and Void or elected to Voluntarily Relinquish their LPN license must reapply for licensure and meet current requirements.
Options:
Continuing Education (CE/CEU) Requirements
To locate board approved CE Courses for this profession, please click here
A nurse who is certified by a health care specialty program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies or the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification is exempt from continuing education requirements. This must be reported to the Department’s tracking system powered by CE Broker.
Please note: The CE exemption based on certification does not apply to the 2 hr Human Trafficking course requirement.
*Please note: All mandatory courses must be offered by a Florida Board of Nursing approved provider, with the exception of the 2 hour Human Trafficking course.
All courses can be live or home study.
| Required Subject Area | Required Number of Hours | Important Information |
| General Hours | 16 | Must be approved by a state or national organization empowered to accredit nursing continuing education. |
| Prevention of Medical Errors | 2 | Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. |
| Florida Laws & Rules | 2 | Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. |
| Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace | 2 | Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. 2 hour course completion is required every other renewal. |
| Human Trafficking | 2 | This course does not have to be a Florida Board of Nursing approved course. The course must meet criteria outlined in S. 464.013, F. S. (Became effective October 1, 2017, licensees expiring after January 1, 2019 are required to complete the Human Trafficking course every renewal/biennium). |
| Domestic Violence | 2 | Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. Domestic Violence is required every third biennium and the hours are in addition to the 24 hours required for renewal. |
| HIV/AIDS | 1 | Must be board approved. Approved courses are listed at cebroker.com. HIV/AIDS is a one-time requirement prior to the first renewal. |
First Biennium Renewal: LPNs and RNs initially licensed by examination during the current biennium are exempt from the general CEU requirements for the first renewal. Those licensees must complete 2 hours of Medical Error, 2 hours in Florida laws and rules, 2 hours of Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace, 2 hours of Human Trafficking, and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS.
LPNs and RNs initially licensed by endorsement during the current biennium and took the exam in another state within the biennium are exempt from general CEU hours. Those licensees must complete 2 hours of Medical Error, 2 hours in Florida laws and rules, 2 hours of Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace, 2 hours of Human Trafficking and 1 hour of HIV/AIDS. Initial licenses that were issued for less than 24 months are required to complete 1 hour for each month that the license was valid for; these hours must include the required hours listed above.
First licenses are not generally valid for a full two years. If your Florida license was not issued for the full two year biennium you must complete 1 hour of CE for each month that you hold the license.
If you are a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty who was in good standing with the board at the time of becoming active and was entitled to practice or engage in the practice of medicine in Florida, you may be eligible to be exempted from renewal requirements for the duration of active duty, and for a period of six months after discharge, but not practicing the profession in the private sector for profit.
If you are the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, you may be eligible to be exempted from licensure renewal requirements, but only in cases of absence from the state because your spouses’ duties with the Armed Forces.
If you volunteer your services to the medically indigent residents of Florida with incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, you may be eligible for a waiver of your biennial renewal fee and some of the continuing education hours (no more than 25%) required for license renewal; however, the continuing education requirements for domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and medical errors cannot be waived.
If you volunteer your services in public schools for a minimum of 80 hours a year or if retired, at least 400 hours a year, you may be eligible for a waiver of your biennial renewal fee and some of the continuing education hours (no more than 25%) required for license renewal; however, the continuing education requirements for domestic violence, HIV and AIDS, and medical errors cannot be waived.
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) are renewed by the department; current licenses will expire at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on July 31, 2025.
The department will renew your license upon receipt of:
Licensees requesting to reactivate their license from inactive or retired status are required to pay additional fees and comply with specific continuing education requirements. Please contact the board office at MQA.NursingAppstatus@flhealth.gov to request your reactivation requirements.
Licensees who fail to meet these requirements must reapply for licensure and comply with current laws and rules. Licensees who have become Null and Void or elected to Voluntarily Relinquish their LPN license must reapply for licensure and meet current requirements.
If renewing BEFORE your license expires, your fees will be:
| Active to Active | $75.00 |
| Inactive to Inactive | $65.00 |
| Active to Inactive | $65.00 |
| Inactive to Active | $130.00 |
| Active to Retired | $55.00 |
| Inactive to Retired | $55.00 |
If renewing AFTER your license expires, your fees will be:
| Active to Active | $130.00 |
| Inactive to Inactive | $120.00 |
| Active to Inactive | $175.00 |
| Inactive to Active | $240.00 |
| Active to Retired | $165.00 |
| Inactive to Retired | $165.00 |
If renewing 120 day Notified Delinquent, your fees will be:
| Active to Active | $210.00 |
| Inactive to Inactive | $185.00 |
| Active to Inactive | $185.00 |
| Inactive to Active | $265.00 |
| Active to Retired | $190.00 |
| Inactive to Retired | $175.00 |
*Required section 456.0135(6)(1), Florida Statutes, a $43.25 fee is required for FDLE to retain your fingerprint for background screening during this licensure cycle. This fee is collected at the time of licensure renewal if your fingerprint retention is expiring this licensure period. If your fingerprint retention expires in the next 60 days, you will need to pay separately through the Clearinghouse Applicant Initiated (CHAI) System.
*Pursuant to s. 456.065(3), Florida Statutes, a $5 fee to fund efforts to combat unlicensed activity will be assessed of each licensee upon initial licensure and at each renewal. This fee is included in the renewal fee.
*Pursuant to s. 1009.66(6), Florida Statutes, a $5 fee to carry out the provisions of the Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program will be assessed at renewal and is included in the renewal fee.
Florida Statutes
Section 464.013: Renewal of License or Certificate
Florida Administrative Codes
Chapter 649B-5: Continuing Education Requirement
Section 64B9-3.013: Renewal of Licenses
Click on Chapter or Section Number to View
Florida Statutes
Chapter 464, Part I: Nursing
Chapter 456: Health Professions and Occupations: General Provisions
Florida Administrative Codes
Chapter 64B9: Board of Nursing
To renew online visit the MQA Services Portal by clicking the button below.
Florida became part of the NLC on January 19, 2018. Compact rules do not allow a license to be maintained or renewed if the nurse has a license in another party state that allows them to practice in Florida.
Moving from Florida to a Compact State
When moving (changing primary state of legal residence) to a new NLC state, it is the nurse’s responsibility to apply for licensure by endorsement. This should be completed upon moving and the nurse should not delay. There is no grace period. The nurse may not wait until the former license expires to apply in the nurse’s new state of legal residency. The nurse may practice on the former home state license only UNTIL the multistate license in the new NLC home state is issued. Proof of residency such as a driver’s license may be required. Upon issuance of a new multistate license, the former license is inactivated.
Moving from Florida to a Non Compact State
The nurse is responsible for applying for licensure by endorsement in the new state of residence. The nurse may apply before or after the move. The multistate license of the former NLC state is changed to a single state license upon changing legal residency to a noncompact state. The nurse is responsible for notifying the board of nursing (BON) of the former NLC state of the new address and to request a change in status to “single state”. This request may be emailed to MQA.Nursing@FlHealth.gov
Moving from Florida to a Compact StateYou hold a single state license in Florida and hold a multistate license in another Compact state. Nurse Licensure Compact Rule 302.4, party states shall not renew or reinstate a single state license if the nurse has a multistate license in another party state.
Or
You hold a multistate license in Florida and also another multistate license in another party state. As required by Section 464.0095, Article IV (3), Florida Statutes, an RN or LPN who changes his or her primary state of residence by moving from a party state to another party state must apply for licensure in the new home state. The multistate license issued by the prior home state must be deactivated in accordance with applicable rules adopted by the Interstate Commission which governs the Nurse Licensure Compact.
The definition of ‘Deactivated’ is Licensed practitioner holds a Multistate License in another Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) jurisdiction. More information about the Nursing Compact can be found at https://floridasnursing.gov/final-nurse-compact-rules/
You can look up your multistate license in NURSYS by using this link: https://www.nursys.com/LQC/LQCTerms.aspx. Nurses are eligible to work in Florida when they hold a valid multistate license from another Compact State.
If your primary state of residency is Florida, please email the Board of Nursing at MQA.Nursing@FlHealth.gov.
If you are a nurse practicing in Florida under the privilege of a different party state license, you are not required to pay any fees or complete continuing education requirements for the State of Florida. Please refer to the requirements for the state that has issued the license.
Moving to Florida from a Compact State
When moving (changing primary state of legal residence) to a new NLC state, it is the nurse’s responsibility to apply for licensure by endorsement. This should be completed upon moving and the nurse should not delay. There is no grace period. The nurse may not wait until the former license expires to apply in the nurse’s new state of legal residency. The nurse may practice on the former home state license only UNTIL the multistate license in the new NLC home state is issued. Proof of residency such as a driver’s license may be required. Upon issuance of a new multistate license, the former license is inactivated.
Moving to Florida from a Non Compact State
The nurse is responsible for applying for licensure by endorsement in the new state of residence. The nurse may apply before or after the move. A multistate license may be issued if residency and eligibility requirements are met. If the nurse holds a single state license issued by the noncompact state, it is not affected.
For licensure by endorsement requirements and to apply online, please visit https://floridasnursing.gov/licensing.
