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

Kentucky is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, effective January 19, 2018, which lets an LPN who holds a multistate license issued by another compact state practice in Kentucky without applying for a separate Kentucky license. An LPN moving to Kentucky from a state that is not part of the compact, or one who does not hold a multistate license, must apply for licensure by endorsement through the Kentucky Board of Nursing.

Applying for endorsement means filing in the KBN Nurse Portal with a $165 fee and verifying the original license through Nursys, for $30, or directly with the issuing board. Applicants also submit an official transcript from their nursing program, complete a state and federal background check through IdentoGO, and pass the Kentucky Jurisprudence Exam with a score of 80 percent or higher. A six-month temporary permit without supervision may be issued while verification is pending, though California-educated applicants get none until their transcript arrives.

Kentucky requires graduation from a board-approved practical nursing program. Kentucky program graduates are reported to the board through an affidavit filed by the school, while out-of-state graduates must have an official transcript sent directly from the program. Candidates must also pass the NCLEX-PN, registered through Pearson VUE for $200, and the Kentucky Jurisprudence Exam, a $15 open-book test on state nursing law requiring a score of 80 percent or higher.