Louisiana LPN License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
Louisiana is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. LPNs renew every year with no continuing education hours required, and pass the NCLEX-PN.
Look up a Louisiana LPN license
The board's search shows license status, expiry date, and any public discipline. Nursys Quick Confirm is a free national check you can use as a second source.
Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) · read 2026-09-03 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in Louisiana
Louisiana LPN licenses renew every year, with all licenses expiring on January 31 regardless of when they were first issued. The renewal window runs from November 1 through January 31 and is completed through the Nurse Portal. Louisiana does not require continuing education hours to renew an LPN license. A license that is not renewed by midnight on January 31 becomes Inactive-Lapsed, and the nurse must go through reinstatement before working again in Louisiana.
The renewal fee is $61.08, compared with the $125 fee charged for an initial Louisiana LPN license. These amounts cover the license itself; the NCLEX-PN exam registration fee and any criminal background check or fingerprinting costs are billed separately and are not part of the renewal fee.
How much does a Louisiana LPN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · Louisiana board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-03
Moving to Louisiana: endorsement and temporary permits
Louisiana has belonged to the Nurse Licensure Compact since July 1, 2019, so an LPN who holds a multistate license issued by another compact state can generally practice in Louisiana without applying for a separate Louisiana license. An LPN who does not hold a multistate license, or who wants a Louisiana-issued license, must apply through endorsement instead.
Endorsement applicants apply through the ORBS Nurse Portal and pay $185 plus a 1.8% state charge. The process requires a Louisiana State Police and FBI criminal background check, a certified birth certificate, and Nursys verification of the original license earned by examination; those seeking a multistate license must also prove Louisiana residency. Applications must be completed within one year, and a temporary permit is available. The board does not require a separate state law or jurisprudence exam.
Education and exam for an LPN license in Louisiana
Louisiana requires graduation from a board-approved practical nursing program, or an approved RN program, with a transcript sent directly by the school. The program must include at least 1,500 clock hours, with 700 hours of theory and 800 hours of clinical training, plus at least 30 hours of IV therapy instruction, and applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Candidates then pass the NCLEX-PN exam, at $200 per attempt through Pearson VUE, within three years of finishing the program; Louisiana has no separate state law exam.
What do LPNs earn in Louisiana?
BLS OES May 2025 · 17,600 LPNs employed in Louisiana · LPN salary in Louisiana by city →
Nearby states
Sources
- Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee rulesmedium confidence
- lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/licensure-by-examination
- lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/licensure-by-examination/steps-to-follow-when-…
- lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/licensure-by-endorsement
- lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/license-renewal
- lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/verification-of-licensure
- lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/nurse-licensure-compact-nlc
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 Louisiana LPN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-03. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.