Alabama LPN License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees

Alabama is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, effective January 1, 2020, so an LPN holding a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Alabama without applying for a new license. LPNs who hold a single-state license, or whose home state is outside the compact, must apply through endorsement instead.

Endorsement applicants apply online, submit fingerprints for a background check, and request verification through Nursys. Fees are $125 for a single-state license or $225 for a multistate license, plus a $3.50 transaction charge. Applicants must document 24 continuing education contact hours from the past 24 months and show graduation from a nursing program substantially equivalent to Alabama's. Alabama offers a temporary permit, and the board does not require a separate state law exam.

Alabama requires graduation from a practical nursing program that substantially meets the same educational standards as Alabama's own programs, with an official transcript sent directly by the school. Applicants who completed only part of an RN program, such as the first year of an associate degree program, may qualify through the PN Equivalency track by also completing the board's LPN Scope of Practice course. All applicants must pass the NCLEX-PN exam; Alabama does not require a separate state law exam.