Wisconsin Nursing License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees
Wisconsin is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. RNs renew every 2 years with no continuing education hours required, and pass the NCLEX-RN.
Look up a Wisconsin 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.
Wisconsin Board of Nursing (Department of Safety and Professional Services, DSPS) · read 2026-09-02 · a dash means the board publishes no figure
Renewal and continuing education in Wisconsin
Wisconsin RNs renew every two years, with every license expiring on February 28 (or February 29 in a leap year) of even-numbered years, no matter when the license was first issued. The Wisconsin Board of Nursing does not require continuing education hours for RN renewal, and the profile does not name any competency requirement tied to renewal. The board's materials do not state what happens if a license lapses past the renewal date.
Renewing an RN license in Wisconsin costs $73, compared with $57 for an initial license application. These renewal and application fees are separate from the cost of taking the NCLEX-RN exam through Pearson VUE and from any fingerprinting or FBI background check fees required for multistate licensure, which the board handles and bills independently.
How much does a Wisconsin RN license cost?
Board fees exclude exam registration and fingerprinting · Wisconsin board fee schedule ↗ · read 2026-09-02
Moving to Wisconsin: endorsement and temporary permits
Wisconsin belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a registered nurse who already holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Wisconsin under that license without applying for a new one. A nurse coming from a non-compact state, or one who wants a Wisconsin-specific license, must instead apply through the endorsement process.
To apply by endorsement, a nurse holding an active license elsewhere who has passed the NCLEX applies through the LicensE system; the board verifies the license via Nursys or, for non-Nursys states, through paper verification. Anyone without current nursing education or licensed employment in the past five years must complete a refresher course. Wisconsin offers a temporary permit, and the board does not name a state jurisprudence exam for endorsement applicants.
Education and exam for an RN license in Wisconsin
Wisconsin requires RN applicants to have a high school diploma or equivalent and a diploma from an accredited school of nursing approved by the board; the profile does not distinguish between associate, bachelor's, or diploma nursing programs. Candidates must then register for and pass the NCLEX-RN exam through Pearson VUE. The board's RN materials do not name a separate Wisconsin jurisprudence or statutes exam.
What do RNs earn in Wisconsin?
BLS OES May 2025 · 68,060 RNs employed in Wisconsin · RN salary in Wisconsin by city →
Nearby states
Sources
- Wisconsin Board of Nursing (Department of Safety and Professional Services, DSPS) ↗licensure, renewal, CE, and fee rulesmedium confidence
- dsps.wi.gov/Pages/BoardsCouncils/Nursing/Default.aspx
- dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Health/info3087.pdf
- dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Renewal/RenewalDatesFees.pdf
- dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/General/InitialFeeChanges.pdf
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/441.07(1g)
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/n/2/v/41/4
- Nursys ↗ national license verification
- BLS OES May 2025 Wisconsin RN wages and employment
Read 2026-09-02. Rules and fees change; confirm with the board before acting.