West Virginia LPN License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
West Virginia is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. LPNs renew every year, complete 24 hours of continuing education per cycle, and pass the NCLEX-PN.
Look up a West 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.
West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses (WV LPN Board; separate from the WV Board of Registered Nurses) · read 2026-09-03 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in West Virginia
West Virginia LPN licenses renew every year, with every license expiring on June 30. The renewal window runs from March 1 through June 30 by midnight. Renewal requires 24 hours of continuing education, tracked over a two-year audit period ending in even-numbered years, covering veterans or mental health for veterans and their families, substance abuse or drug diversion, and a one-time requirement in end-of-life care with pain management. A license that is not renewed lapses and must be reinstated.
Renewing an LPN license costs $50, compared with the $75 fee charged for the initial license by examination. Those figures cover only the renewal or initial application itself. The NCLEX-PN exam registration and the IdentoGO fingerprint background check required for most other applications are billed and handled separately, and are not included in either fee.
Required CE topics
- 1veterans or mental health for veterans and their families 2 hrs per 2-year audit period
- 2substance abuse or drug diversion 3 hrs per 2-year audit period
- 3end-of-life care with pain management 2 hrs one-time for new nurses or nurses new to WV
West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses (WV LPN Board; separate from the WV Board of Registered Nurses) continuing education rules · read 2026-09-03
How much does a West Virginia LPN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · West Virginia board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-03
Moving to West Virginia: endorsement and temporary permits
West Virginia belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact. An LPN who already holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in West Virginia under that license without applying for a new one. An LPN whose current license is not multistate, or who is moving to West Virginia as a primary state of residence, applies by endorsement instead.
Endorsement applicants apply through the WV LPN Nurse Portal and pay a $50 fee. The board verifies licensure history through Nursys for every state where the applicant has held a license and requires an IdentoGO fingerprint background check. A multistate license is issued only if West Virginia is the applicant's primary state of residence; otherwise the board issues a single-state license. West Virginia does not require a separate state jurisprudence exam and does not state an English proficiency requirement. A temporary permit is available.
Education and exam for an LPN license in West Virginia
An LPN candidate must graduate from a board-accredited practical nursing program; the board publishes a list of accredited programs, and the program coordinator sends the official transcript to the board. The board does not state a program length. Graduates then register for the NCLEX-PN with Pearson VUE after submitting a $75 initial application by examination; eligibility is released once the board receives the background check and transcript. There is no separate state jurisprudence exam.
What do LPNs earn in West Virginia?
BLS OES May 2025 · 6,050 LPNs employed in West Virginia · LPN salary in West Virginia by city →
Nearby states
| State | Compact | Renewal | CE per cycle | Initial fee | Lookup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | Yes | Every year | 24 hours | $75 | Verify |
| Kentucky | Yes | Every year | 14 hours | $125 | Verify |
| Maryland | Yes | Every 2 years | — | $187 | Verify |
| Ohio | Yes | Every 2 years | 24 hours | $75 | Verify |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Every 2 years | None | $95 | Verify |
| Virginia | Yes | Every 2 years | 30 hours | $170 | Verify |
Official boards of nursing · read 2026-09-03
Sources
- West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses (WV LPN Board; separate from the WV Board of Registered Nurses) ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee rulesmedium confidence
- lpnboard.wv.gov/licensure/Pages/default.aspx
- lpnboard.wv.gov/practice/PublishingImages/Pages/default/Rules%20Series…
- apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/rule.aspx
- apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx
- code.wvlegislature.gov/30-7A-7
- wvpn.boardsofnursing.org/licenselookup
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 West Virginia LPN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-03. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.