New Mexico LPN License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
New Mexico is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. LPNs renew every 2 years, complete 30 hours of continuing education per cycle, and pass the NCLEX-PN.
Look up a New Mexico 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.
New Mexico Board of Nursing · read 2026-09-03 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in New Mexico
New Mexico Licensed Practical Nurses renew every 2 years, though the board's combined RN/LPN page states that an initial license issued by exam or endorsement first runs for one year plus however many months remain until the licensee's birth month, after which renewal falls in the birth month every two years going forward. Renewal requires completing 30 hours of continuing education; the board's page does not name specific mandatory topics for LPNs. The board does not state what happens to a lapsed license.
Renewal costs $110, compared with $150 for an initial LPN license in New Mexico. These fees cover the renewal process itself; taking the NCLEX-PN exam and completing the required fingerprint background check are separate steps with their own requirements and are not part of the renewal fee.
How much does a New Mexico LPN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · New Mexico board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-03
Moving to New Mexico: endorsement and temporary permits
New Mexico is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so an LPN who already holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in New Mexico under that existing license without applying for a new one. An LPN coming from a non-compact state, or one who wants a New Mexico-issued license, must instead apply through endorsement.
Endorsement applicants submit the RN/LPN Endorsement Application and a $150 fee online through the New Mexico Board of Nursing's Nurse Portal. The board verifies the original exam-based license through Nursys or directly with the other state, and applicants must complete a fingerprint background check through Idemia/IdentoGo. The board's page does not name a separate state jurisprudence exam for endorsement applicants. Applicants who declare New Mexico residency can receive a temporary license valid for 6 months from the application date.
Education and exam for an LPN license in New Mexico
New Mexico requires LPN candidates to graduate from a board-approved practical nursing program and submit official transcripts to the board with the initial exam application; the board does not state a typical program length. Candidates then take the NCLEX-PN exam through Pearson VUE, with up to 5 attempts allowed within 3 years of graduation for U.S. graduates, or within 3 years of the initial New Mexico application for graduates of foreign nursing programs.
What do LPNs earn in New Mexico?
BLS OES May 2025 · 2,460 LPNs employed in New Mexico · LPN salary in New Mexico by city →
Nearby states
Sources
- New Mexico Board of Nursing ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee ruleshigh confidence
- bon.nm.gov/rn
- bon.nm.gov/fees
- bon.nm.gov/ceu
- bon.nm.gov/faq
- nmbn.boardsofnursing.org/licenselookup
- ncsbn.org/public-files/NLC_Map.pdf
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 New Mexico LPN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-03. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.