New Hampshire Nursing License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
New Hampshire is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. RNs renew every 2 years, complete 30 hours of continuing education per cycle, and pass the NCLEX-RN.
Look up a New Hampshire nursing 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 Hampshire Board of Nursing (New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) · read 2026-09-02 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in New Hampshire
New Hampshire RN licenses renew every two years. Board rule ties the renewal deadline to the license holder's date of birth in the renewal year, though the licensing office also notes that licenses issued on or after July 15, 2023 expire two years from their issue date, with some exceptions possible. Renewal requires 30 contact hours of continuing education; the board does not name specific required topics. A license that has already expired cannot be renewed online and must instead go through reinstatement.
Renewal costs $116, the same amount charged for an initial New Hampshire RN license. This fee covers the renewal application itself; it does not include the NCLEX-RN exam fee or the fingerprint-based criminal background check, which apply separately at initial licensure, endorsement, and reinstatement after a license has lapsed for more than a year. All fees paid to the board are non-refundable.
How much does a New Hampshire RN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · New Hampshire board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-02
Moving to New Hampshire: endorsement and temporary permits
New Hampshire is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. An RN who holds a multistate license issued by another compact state can practice in New Hampshire under that license and does not need to apply for a separate New Hampshire license. A nurse who does not hold a multistate license must apply for licensure by endorsement instead.
Endorsement applicants apply online and submit verification of their original license through Nursys or the board, along with a criminal background check completed by fingerprint card or Live Scan. Applicants must also show either 400 hours of nursing practice in the past four years or 30 continuing education contact hours in the past two years. New Hampshire does not require a separate state jurisprudence exam. An out-of-state nurse with an active license in good standing can work under a 120-day temporary license.
Education and exam for an RN license in New Hampshire
To become licensed as an RN in New Hampshire, an applicant must be a graduate of a board-approved nursing education program in the United States or Canada; the board does not distinguish between associate, bachelor's, or diploma programs. Candidates must then pass the NCLEX-RN exam, and New Hampshire does not require an additional state jurisprudence exam. Applicants educated outside the United States or Canada follow separate foreign-educated checklists and must demonstrate English proficiency and pass a nationally accepted credentialing exam.
What do RNs earn in New Hampshire?
BLS OES May 2025 · 15,390 RNs employed in New Hampshire · RN salary in New Hampshire by city →
Nearby states
Sources
- New Hampshire Board of Nursing (New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee ruleshigh confidence
- oplc.nh.gov/applications-rn
- oplc.nh.gov/board-nursing-license-fees
- oplc.nh.gov/faqs-nursing-professions
- oplc.nh.gov/oplc-faqs
- oplc.nh.gov/professional-licensing/temporary-licenses
- oplc.nh.gov/welcome-oplc-customer-support
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 New Hampshire RN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-02. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.