Virginia LPN License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
Virginia 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 Virginia 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.
Virginia Board of Nursing (Virginia Department of Health Professions) · read 2026-09-03 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in Virginia
A Virginia LPN license must be renewed every two years, on the last day of the license holder's birth month. Nurses born in even-numbered years renew in even-numbered years, and those born in odd-numbered years renew in odd-numbered years. Renewal requires completing 30 hours of continuing education; the board does not name specific mandatory topics. A lapsed license can be reinstated, but only after showing continued competency covering the two years before the reinstatement application is filed.
Renewing an LPN license in Virginia costs $120, less than the $170 fee charged for the initial license application. The renewal fee and the exam fee are separate: license holders pay the renewal fee to the board itself, while the NCLEX-PN exam and the fingerprint-based criminal background check are arranged and paid separately from the board renewal process.
How much does a Virginia LPN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · Virginia board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-03
Moving to Virginia: endorsement and temporary permits
Virginia participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact. An LPN who already holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Virginia on that license, without going through Virginia's endorsement process. The exception is residency: because multistate licenses are tied to a nurse's home state, anyone whose primary state of residence is a compact state must obtain their multistate license through that home state rather than applying to Virginia by endorsement.
For LPNs who apply by endorsement, Virginia charges a $170 fee and requires verification of the license from the nurse's original state of licensure, along with a fingerprint-based criminal background check. The board does not name a separate state jurisprudence or law exam, or an English proficiency test, for this pathway. Virginia also offers a temporary permit for LPN applicants.
Education and exam for an LPN license in Virginia
To become an LPN in Virginia, an applicant must graduate from a board-approved practical nursing education program. The board does not state a typical program length. After finishing the program, candidates apply for licensure by examination online and then register with Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX-PN. The board does not name a separate state jurisprudence or law exam for this process.
What do LPNs earn in Virginia?
BLS OES May 2025 · 15,550 LPNs employed in Virginia · LPN salary in Virginia by city →
Nearby states
| State | Compact | Renewal | CE per cycle | Initial fee | Lookup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | Yes | Every 2 years | 30 hours | $170 | Verify |
| Kentucky | Yes | Every year | 14 hours | $125 | Verify |
| Maryland | Yes | Every 2 years | — | $187 | Verify |
| North Carolina | Yes | Every 2 years | — | $75 | Verify |
| Tennessee | Yes | Every 2 years | — | $150 | Verify |
| West Virginia | Yes | Every year | 24 hours | $75 | Verify |
Official boards of nursing · read 2026-09-03
Sources
- Virginia Board of Nursing (Virginia Department of Health Professions) ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee ruleshigh confidence
- dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/ApplicantResources/ApplyforLicense/Lic…
- dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/PractitionerResources/Fees
- dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/Nursing/PractitionerResources/NurseLicensureCo…
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter19/section160
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter19/section150
- law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency90/chapter19/section140
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 Virginia LPN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-03. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.