Oklahoma LPN Licensing Guide
- Compact state
- Participates in NURSYS
- Renewal every 2 years
Overview
The Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OKBN) includes 11 members appointed by the Governor. It was established to safeguard the public health and welfare of Oklahoma residents and ensure everyone practicing nursing is competent to do so. OBN accomplishes this goal through the regulation of nursing education, licensure, and practice.
About
Applicants should apply for new Oklahoma nursing licenses or submit Oklahoma LPN license renewals on the Optimal Regulatory Board Services (ORBS) Nurse Portal. ORBS also provides a Message Center where licensees can communicate with OBN staff and allows applicants to track the status of their applications.
New applicants should create aNurse Portal Account to begin the application process. However, they also may request a paper application by submitting a written request to the OKBN office. To receive a paper application, their request must include a self-addressed, postage-paid ($1.06 postage cost) return envelope measuring 8.5 inches by 11 inches that OKBN staff will use to return a paper copy of the application.
All applicants for an Oklahoma LPN license must be at least 18 years old. They must also provide verification that they are U.S. citizens, nationals, legal permanent resident aliens, or qualified alien applicants with valid documentary evidence of legal presence in the U.S.
Renewal
Oklahoma LPN licenses expire on the last day of the licensee’s birth month in all even-numbered years. Therefore, Oklahoma LPN license renewal must occur every two years. Renewal fees cover application processing and licensure through each renewal period. Fees aren’t pro-rated and are nonrefundable.
Continuing Education Requirements
As part of the Oklahoma LPN license renewal process, licensees must meet continuing qualifications for practice. They must complete one or more of the following requirements in the two years before each expiration date of their license:
Complete a minimum of 24 contact hours of continuing education (CE) applicable to nursing
Verification of employment in an LPN position with at least 520 practice hours
Completion of an OKBN-approved refresher course
Current certification in a nursing specialty area
Completion of a minimum of six academic semester credit hours of nursing coursework at or above the licensee’s current level of licensure
Requirements
Fingerprinting Requirements
All applicants of an Oklahoma LPN license must provide fingerprint images for a state and national criminal history records search through the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Criminal background checks (CBCs) must be completed no more than 90 days before the OKBN office receives the licensure candidate’s application. Fingerprinting must be completed at OKBN’s vendor, Idemia, with results usually received within one to two weeks.
Option 1: Oklahoma Residents
Applicants with an Oklahoma mailing address must go to an IdentoGO center sponsored by Idemia to provide fingerprints electronically. Schedule an appointment online or call 877-219-0197 to make an appointment, which is required. Electronic fingerprints may only be obtained at an Oklahoma-based IdentoGO center. Applicants are responsible for all costs associated with fingerprinting.
Option 2: Residents Outside Oklahoma
Applicants with an out-of-state mailing address will receive coded fingerprint cards through the mail from OKBN staff. They must take these cards to a local law enforcement agency to obtain fingerprints. The law enforcement agency uses the addressed envelope provided to mail the completed fingerprint cards directly to an IdentoGO center sponsored by Idemia. Applicants are responsible for all costs of obtaining fingerprints for CBCs, including postage.
Contact Information
Oklahoma Board of Nursing2501 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 207Oklahoma City, OK 73105[email protected](405) 962-1800 or (405) 962-1832
Multistate
Oklahoma wasn’t part of the original Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), but it joined the Enhanced NLC, implemented onJanuary 19, 2018. Following the implementation date, the OKBN began issuing multistate licenses to nurses who applied for multistate licensure, declared Oklahoma as their primary state of residence (PSOR), and met the 11 uniform licensure requirements (URLs). Nurses who currently held an active, unencumbered Oklahoma LPN license were also given the opportunity toconvert their single-state license into a multistate license. LPNs with an eNLC multistate license can practice nursing in other eNLC states without obtaining additional licenses.
Not all Oklahoma nursing license applicants will be eligible for a multistate/Compact license. Nurses who don’t want or need a multistate license or don’t meet the ULRs may apply for or continue to retain a single-state license valid for practicing in Oklahoma only. Applicants who aren’t sure if they qualify for multistate licensure may check the “Yes” box on their application to automatically convert their multistate license application to a single-state license application. Applicants who check the “No” box to indicate they don’t want their application to convert will lose their application fee.
Licensure by Endorsement
Applicants licensed in and originally educated in another state or U.S. territory that’s a member board jurisdiction of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing who haven’t previously held an LPN license in Oklahoma and want to endorse their license in Oklahoma must apply for Oklahoma LPN licensure by endorsement.
To qualify, the exam used to earn initial licensure must meet one of the following requirements:
Achieved a passing score on the National Council Licensure Exam for Licensed Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) after February 1, 1989
Passed the NCLEX-PN with a minimum score of 1600 between July 1, 1982, and February 1, 1989
Passed the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE) for LPN licensure in medical nursing, surgical nursing, obstetrical nursing, nursing of children, and psychiatric nursing with a minimum score of 350 in each subject between January 1, 1952, and July 1, 1982
Endorsement candidates must have completed a Board-approved nursing education program that included theory and clinical experience in the care of children and adults, maternal-newborn nursing, and psychiatric-mental health nursing. Applicants must contact the OKBN before submitting an application for licensure by endorsement if they graduated from Excelsior College or other non-traditional nursing education programs.
Specific steps endorsement applicants must complete in the application process include:
Completing an application for licensure by endorsement
Providing a Social Security number
Completing the appropriate Evidence of Status form
Submitting acceptable documents to establish evidence of citizenship
Completing a criminal background check through IdentoGO
Submitting a statement describing the circumstances surrounding any “Yes” answers to any criminal charge, discipline, or competency questions on the application
Providing a declaration of primary state of residence
Paying the applicable fee
Requesting a temporary license, if desired
Providing verification of licensure status, completion of a board-approved nursing education
Program, degree received and date of conferral, and completion of the licensure examination from the original state of licensure
Providing verification of continuing qualifications for practice
Licensure by Exam
Graduate nurses needing to apply to take the NCLEX-PN and who aren’t licensed in another state, U.S. territory, or country must apply for Oklahoma LPN licensure by exam. To qualify for licensure, they must have been educated in a nursing education program approved by a member board jurisdiction and not previously held an LPN license in Oklahoma.
Multistate licensure also requires that they declare Oklahoma as their PSOR. Applicants may submit an Application for Single-State Licensure by Exam if they don’t want a multistate license or know they won’t qualify for one. The steps are essentially the same for single-state or multistate licensure by exam, except multistate licensure applicants must meet the 11 ULRs and single-state applicants meet OKBN requirements only. In addition to completing the OKBN application form, applicants must complete an NCLEX-PN registration through Pearson VUE.
It's recommended that applicants submit their OKBN application for licensure at least two months before, but no more than four months before graduation to ensure adequate time for processing. Specific steps endorsement applicants must complete in the application process include:
Completing an application for licensure by exam
Paying the applicable fee
Providing a Social Security number
Completing the appropriate Evidence of Status form
Submitting acceptable documents to establish evidence of citizenship
Completing a criminal background check through IdentoGO
Submitting a statement describing the circumstances surrounding any “Yes” answers to any criminal charge, discipline, or competency questions on the application
Providing official transcript from their nursing school
Many in-state nursing education programs automatically send graduate transcripts to OKBN
Graduates of out-of-state programs must request the nursing education program to send an official copy of their transcript directly to OKBN
Out-of-state graduates also must send course descriptions so OKBN may evaluate the curriculum
Providing a declaration of primary state of residence
Registering for the NCLEX-PN through Pearson VUE
Once OKBN deems applicants eligible to test, Pearson VUE sends them an Authorization to Test letter (ATT). Applicants have 90 days to schedule and take the exam after receiving their ATT or they forfeit their $200 exam fee and must re-register and pay another exam fee. OKBN won’t supply test results over the phone. Applicants who pass receive their Oklahoma nursing license. Those who don’t pass must complete the appropriate steps to retake the NCLEX-PN.
Licensure for Foreign Educated Nurses
Nurses educated outside the U.S. can apply to endorse their license in Oklahoma as a single-state license or as a multistate license. Foreign-educated nurses must follow many of the same steps as those educated within the U.S. They must also provide:
Verification of licensure in the country in which they graduated directly from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS)
Verification of licensure status if licensed in another U.S. state or territory through Nursys for participating state or from the State BON if they don’t participate
Verification of English language competence provided directly from CGFNS through a passing score on an approved English proficiency test
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)
Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB)
Timing
Overall, it takes approximately 2 to 4 months to process an application for Oklahoma LPN licensure by exam based on the timeframe provided for application submission. However, a definitive timeframe isn’t provided for licensure by endorsement or exam. CBC results usually take one to two weeks.
Temporary Nurse License
Applicants who currently hold a valid LPN license issued by another state may apply for a temporary license to practice nursing in Oklahoma while they await processing of the endorsement application. Temporary licenses are single-state licenses and only valid for practice in Oklahoma only. They’re valid for 90 days and only available to endorsement candidates. To apply, check the box on the application for endorsement indicating a request for a temporary license. Requirements to receive a temporary license include:
Completed application form
Paid fees for endorsement and temporary license
Proof of current unrestricted licensure in another state, U.S. territory, or country
No history of disciplinary action or arrest requiring further review
Completion of a Board-approved nursing education program meeting the educational standards established by the OKBN
Evidence of meeting continued qualifications for practice within the last two years
Receipt of completed CGFNS report and transcripts for foreign-educated nurses
Receipt of passing score on English proficiency test for foreign-educated nurses
Submission of fingerprint images for state and national CBCs
OKBN won’t issue a temporary license to applicants with a history of disciplinary action, arrest, criminal charges, or judgments of incompetence. The Board also won’t issue a temporary license to applicants required to take the NCLEX-PN or must meet additional requirements for continuing qualifications for practice before licensure in Oklahoma. Issuance of a temporary license doesn’t guarantee an applicant qualifies for permanent licensure in Oklahoma.
Fees
Oklahoma LPN license candidates who apply and pay online may use a Visa or MasterCard credit card or an electronic fund transfer. Applicants submitting a hard copy application must attach a cashier’s check or money order to the paper application. OKBN doesn’t accept personal checks. All fees submitted are nonrefundable. Applicants who meet military personnel options won’t pay a fee. Current fees for an Oklahoma LPN license and related costs include:
Multistate Licensure by Endorsement/Exam: $150
Single-State Licensure by Endorsement/Exam: $85
Temporary License (Endorsement Only): $10
Multistate Licensure by Exam for Foreign Educated Nurses: $190
Endorsement $150 plus Education Equivalence Evaluation $40
Single-State Licensure by Endorsement for Foreign Educated Nurses: $125
Endorsement $85 plus Education Equivalence Evaluation $40
NCLEX-PN (Paid to Pearson VUE): $200
Related Jobs
Travel Nurse RN - Trauma ICU
- Oklahoma City, OK
- LanceSoft
- 4x12 hrs, Days, Nights
$3,972/week
Travel Nurse RN - Stepdown
- Oklahoma City, OK
- LanceSoft
- 4x12 hrs, Days, Nights
$3,556/week
Travel Nurse RN - Oncology
- Oklahoma City, OK
- LanceSoft
- 4x12 hrs, Days, Nights
$3,556/week
Travel Nurse RN - ICU - Intensive Care Unit
- Oklahoma City, OK
- LanceSoft
- 4x12 hrs, Days, Nights
$3,556/week
Travel Nurse RN - CVICU
- Oklahoma City, OK
- LanceSoft
- 4x12 hrs, Days, Nights
$3,556/week
Frequently asked questions
Does LPN licensure renewal in Oklahoma require continuing education?
No LPN licensure renewal in Oklahoma does not require continuing education. Oklahoma does have continuing competence requirements for each renewal and continuing education is one of the options.
Is Oklahoma a Nurse Licensure Compact state?
Yes Oklahoma is a Nurse Licensure Compact state.
Does Oklahoma require fingerprinting for a background check?
Yes Oklahoma requires fingerprinting for a background check.
How often do you need to renew your LPN license in Oklahoma?
You must renew your LPN license in Oklahoma every two years. Oklahoma LPN licenses expire on the last day of the licensee’s birth month in all even-numbered years.
Does Oklahoma offer a temporary LPN license?
Yes Oklahoma offers a temporary LPN license. Applicants must hold a valid LPN license in another state. The Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OKBN) won’t issue a temporary license to applicants with a history of disciplinary action, arrest, criminal charges, or judgments of incompetence.