North Dakota Nursing License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees

North Dakota belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a registered nurse who already holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in North Dakota under that license without applying for a new one. A nurse licensed only in a non-compact state, or one who wants a North Dakota-issued license, must apply through endorsement.

Endorsement applicants apply online and pay a $150 nonrefundable fee, and must submit an official transcript along with license verification sent through Nursys. North Dakota also requires a criminal history record check through its Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the FBI, using fingerprint cards sent to the state attorney general's office. Once the application, transcript, and verification are processed, the board may issue a 90-day nonrenewable temporary permit while the background check is pending. The board does not name a state jurisprudence exam.

To become a registered nurse in North Dakota, a candidate must complete a nursing education program approved by the North Dakota Board of Nursing, or by another state's board, that includes supervised clinical training across the life span; the board does not specify a required degree level. Nurses educated outside the United States need a course-by-course credentials evaluation confirming English-language instruction or other proof of English proficiency. All candidates must pass the NCLEX-RN through Pearson VUE; no separate state jurisprudence exam is named.