Practical & Registered Nurse Education Program Maintenance

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Practical & Registered Nurse Education Program Maintenance

Renewing Your License

Click on the appropriate tab below to see the Renewal Requirements, Process and Fees for a Practical and Registered Nurse Education Program.

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.

By November 1 of each year, each approved program shall submit to the board an annual report comprised of an affidavit certifying continued compliance with paragraphs (1)(a)-(g), a summary description of the program’s compliance with paragraphs (1)(a)-(g), and documentation for the previous academic year that, to the extent applicable, sets forth:

  1. The number of student applications received, qualified applicants, applicants accepted, accepted applicants who enroll in the program, students enrolled in the program, and program graduates.
  2. The program’s retention rates for students tracked from program entry to graduation.
  3. The program’s accreditation status, including identification of the accrediting agency if such agency is not an accrediting agency described in s. 464.003(1).

Within 10 business days after the program ceases to be accredited, must provide written notice of the date that the program ceased to be accredited to the board, the program’s students and applicants, and each entity providing clinical training sites or community-based clinical experience sites for the program.

Submit the Annual Report for Programs in Nursing by November 1 of each year to the following address:

Florida Board of Nursing

Attn: Education Unit

4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-10

Tallahassee, FL 32399

Complete a separate Annual Report for each unique NCLEX code. The annual report is due to the Florida Board of Nursing office by November 1st annually pursuant to section 464.019 (4), F.S.

Nursing education programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Florida Board of Nursing and are exempt from this requirement.

Florida Statutes

Section 464.019: Approval of Nursing Education Programs

License Deactivation

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.

What is my responsibility if I leave 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

Why was my Florida license deactivated?

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.

Deactivated incorrectly? How to proceed

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.

Are Fees and Continuing Education required?

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.

 

How to obtain Florida licensure in the future

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.

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