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

Arkansas is a member of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact, in effect since January 19, 2018. An LPN who holds a multistate license from another compact state and moves to Arkansas can practice here without going through endorsement, but obtaining an Arkansas multistate license requires Arkansas to be that nurse's primary state of residence and requires meeting the compact's uniform licensure requirements; a nurse whose primary residence remains in another compact state must apply for licensure there instead.

An LPN moving to Arkansas by endorsement applies through the ASBN Nurse Portal for a $125 fee, completes a state and FBI background check, and arranges license verification from the original state through Nursys or the ASBN verification form. Anyone inactive for more than five years must complete an Arkansas-approved refresher course or graduate from an approved program within one year of applying. Arkansas offers a temporary permit; the profile does not mention a separate state law exam or English test.

Arkansas requires completion of an approved practical nursing education program, with the program director confirming graduation on an Affidavit of Graduation and an official transcript reaching the board before exam results are released and the license issued. Applicants pass the NCLEX-PN exam; the board does not require a separate state law exam. Those with equivalent RN-program coursework instead of a PN program can qualify through a PN Equivalency Examination track, which carries a $100 fee.