On October 6, 2026, Executive Order 26-202 was issued by Governor Ron DeSantis, authorizing pharmacists to dispense up to a 30-day emergency prescription refill of maintenance medication to those living in areas covered under the Executive Order. Additionally, on October 7, 2026, Emergency Order 26-001 was issued by State Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, PhD. For more information and to review Executive Order 26-202 and Emergency Order 26-001, please click here.
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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, 2027.
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:
Applicants for initial licensure must use a Livescan service provider to submit a set of fingerprints to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for the purpose of conducting a search for any Florida and national criminal history records that may pertain to applicant. The results of the search will be returned to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse and made available to the Department for consideration during the licensure process. The fingerprints submitted by the applicant will be retained by FDLE and the Clearinghouse. All costs for conducting a criminal history background screening are borne by the applicant.
It is important to use the correct Originating Agency Identification (ORI) when submitting fingerprints. 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, so it is extremely important to use the correct ORI when having your fingerprints scanned.
Applicants can use any FDLE approved Livescan service provider to submit their fingerprints. The applicant is fully responsible for selecting the service provider and ensuring the results are reported to the Department. If you are applying for initial licensure after December 15, 2012, You must print this form and take it with you to a Livescan service provider. For more information, FAQs, and a list of all approved Livescan service providers please visit the Department’s website at: FLHealthSource.gov/Background-Screening.
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.
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) are renewed by the department; current licenses will expire at midnight, Eastern Standard Time, on July 31, 2027.
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 another Compact State
When moving from Florida (legally updating your primary state of residence) to another compact state, it is the nurse’s responsibility to apply for licensure by endorsement in the new state of residence. The nurse may not wait until the former license expires to apply in the nurse’s new state of legal residency. The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) 60-day rule requires nurses with a multistate license who permanently move to a new compact state to apply for licensure by endorsement with that state within 60 days of moving.
The nurse may continue to practice on their Florida license only until the multistate license in the new NLC state is issued. The Florida license will automatically be deactivated upon issuance of the new multistate license.
Moving from Florida to a Non-Compact State
When moving from Florida (legally updating your primary state of residence) to a non-compact state, it is the nurse’s responsibility to apply for licensure in the new state of residence. The nurse may apply before or after the move. The nurse is responsible for notifying the Florida Board of Nursing of the address of their new primary state of residence and request a change in status to “single state”. This request may be emailed to MQA.NursingAppStatus@FLHealth.gov
The Florida multistate license will be changed to a single state license upon notification of the legal change of residence.
Moving from Florida to a Compact State
You hold a single state license in Florida and hold a multi-state 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 multi-state license in another party state.
Or
You hold a multi-state license in Florida and also another multi-state 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 multi-state 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.
“Deactivated” means that the licensed practitioner currently holds a multistate license in another Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) jurisdiction, therefore their Florida multistate license is no longer active. More information about the NLC can be found at NurseCompact.com/How-It-Works/Nurses-And-The-NCL.Page.
You can look up your multistate license in NURSYS at 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.NursingAppStatus@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 back to Florida from another Compact State
When moving back to Florida (legally updating your primary state of residence to Florida) from another compact state, it is the nurse’s responsibility to notify Florida that they have moved back and to request the reactivation requirements and apply within 60 days. The nurse may not wait until the former license expires to request reactivation in the nurse’s new state of legal residency. The nurse may continue to practice with their former home state license only until their Florida multistate license has been reactivated or a new Florida license has been issued. Proof of residency such as a driver’s license may be required. Upon issuance of a new multistate license, the former compact license is deactivated. This request for reactivation requirements may be emailed to MQA.NursingAppStatus@FlHealth.gov.
If the license is deactivated and has expired, the nurse must apply for a new Florida license.
Moving back to Florida from a Non-Compact State
When moving back to Florida (legally updating your primary state of residence to Florida) from a non-compact state the nurse is responsible for requesting the reactivation requirements for licensure in Florida and applying within 60 days. The nurse may apply before or after the move. If the nurse holds a single state license issued by a non-compact state it is not affected by the reactivation of the issuance of the Florida license. This request for reactivation requirements may be emailed to MQA.NursingAppStatus@FlHealth.gov.
If the license is deactivated and has expired, the nurse must apply for a new Florida license.
