Texas Nursing License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
Texas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. RNs renew every 2 years, complete 20 hours of continuing education per cycle, and pass the NCLEX-RN plus the Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Examination.
Look up a Texas 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.
Texas Board of Nursing · read 2026-09-02 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in Texas
Texas renews RN licenses every two years. The license always expires on the last day of the nurse's birth month, in odd years for nurses born in an odd year and even years for those born in an even year. Renewal requires 20 contact hours of continuing education, including targeted hours for topics such as jurisprudence and ethics, human trafficking prevention, forensic evidence collection, and geriatric care where they apply. The board does not state what happens to a lapsed license.
Renewing a Texas RN license costs $68, compared with a $75 fee for the initial license application. These are licensing fees only; the NCLEX-RN exam and the fingerprint-based criminal background check are separate requirements with their own costs, not included in either figure. The Nursing Jurisprudence Examination fee is bundled into the application fee itself.
Required CE topics
- 1Nursing Jurisprudence and Nursing Ethicsat least 2 contact hours before the end of every third two-year licensing period (all nurses; certification cannot substitute) - Board Rule 216.3(g)
- 2Human Trafficking PreventionHHSC-approved course every licensing period for any nurse providing direct patient care (renewals on/after Sept 1, 2020; HB 2059, Occupations Code ch. 116)
- 3Forensic Evidence Collectionat least 2 contact hours for any nurse working in or floating to an emergency room setting - Board Rule 216.3(d)
- 4Older Adult or Geriatric Careat least 2 contact hours every licensing period for any nurse whose practice includes older adult/geriatric populations
Texas Board of Nursing continuing education rules · read 2026-09-02
How much does a Texas RN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · Texas board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-02
Moving to Texas: endorsement and temporary permits
Texas is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a registered nurse with a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Texas without applying for a new license. A nurse without a multistate license, or from a non-compact state, must apply for a Texas license by endorsement. Nurses who make Texas their new home state must declare Texas as their primary state of residence, and a 60-day rule applies to nurses moving between compact states as of January 2, 2024.
A nurse applying by endorsement uses the Texas Nurse Portal, pays a $150 fee, submits fingerprints through IdentoGo for a DPS/FBI background check, and passes the Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Examination. Verification of every license the nurse holds must be sent to the board through Nursys. If eligible, the board issues a one-time 120-day temporary license within 15 business days of a completed application. Internationally educated nurses need a CGFNS or TruMerit report and an English exam if their program was not taught in English.
Education and exam for an RN license in Texas
Texas requires graduation from an approved professional nursing program; the board's materials do not specify whether that must be an associate, bachelor's, or diploma program. Candidates must pass the NCLEX-RN and the Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Examination, a 50-item, open-book online test on the Nursing Practice Act and board rules requiring a 75 percent score within two hours. The jurisprudence exam is required before an exam applicant is authorized to test and before an endorsement applicant receives a permanent license, with retakes allowed after 24 hours.
What do RNs earn in Texas?
BLS OES May 2025 · 271,380 RNs employed in Texas · RN salary in Texas by city →
Nearby states
| State | Compact | Renewal | CE per cycle | Initial fee | Lookup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Yes | Every 2 years | 20 hours | $75 | Verify |
| Arkansas | Yes | Every 2 years | 15 hours | $100 | Verify |
| Louisiana | Yes | Every 2 years | 30 hours | $100 | Verify |
| New Mexico | Yes | Every 2 years | 30 hours | $150 | Verify |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Every 2 years | 24 hours | $85 | Verify |
Official boards of nursing · read 2026-09-02
Sources
- Texas Board of Nursing ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee ruleshigh confidence
- bon.texas.gov/licensure_verification.asp.html
- bon.texas.gov/forms_fees.asp.html
- bon.texas.gov/licensure_examination.asp.html
- bon.texas.gov/licensure_endorsement.asp.html
- bon.texas.gov/licensure_renewal.asp.html
- bon.texas.gov/education_continuing_education.asp.html
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 Texas RN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-02. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.