State board of nursing requirements
Whether by exam or through an endorsement, the requirements for obtaining a license to practice as a nurse differs in each U.S. state and may change without notice. Therefore, we suggest that you contact the board of nursing in the state where you wish to practice to verify their licensure requirements. You can go to each state board of nursing’s website by clicking on the state name in the table. This table contains information available as of November 2011.
Notice: Vermont Board of Nursing announces policy that requires new applicants for licensure to have a valid United States Social Security Number.
Effective May 15, 2012, the Vermont Board of Nursing will no longer accept applications without a valid US Social Security Number provided by the applicant. All applicants applying to the state of Vermont for licensure by Exam or licensure by Endorsement must hold a valid US Social Security Number. New applications received by the Vermont Board of Nursing office without a valid US Social Security Number will not be accepted.
Questions about the Vermont Board of Nursing's new policy can be sent by e-mail to foreign_nurse@sec.state.vt.us or call 1-802-828-2150. 
CGFNS International Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) applicants applying after May 15, 2012, who designate the Vermont Board of Nursing as their CES Professional Report recipient should have a US Social Security Number (SSN) when their application is submitted, or provide written confirmation to CGFNS International that the Vermont Board of Nursing has accepted their application for licensure.
CGFNS International applicants without a Social Security Number (SSN), who apply for a Vermont Board of Nursing, Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) Professional Report and have not applied for Vermont licensure, should contact CGFNS International in regards to changing their CES Professional Report recipient from the Vermont Board of Nursing to another selected state board of nursing. (This change request should be confirmed by e-mail or letter.)
In addition, other US state boards of nursing may require applicants to have a US Social Security Number at the time of application for licensure by exam and/or for licensure by endorsement or renewal.
We encourage you to contact the individual board of nursing in the state or states where you wish to practice to verify if a US Social Security Number is necessary to meet their application requirements for licensure.
CGFNS services required or accepted for licensure by examination
You can download a PDF version of this table.
KEY
|
|
| State Board of Nursing |
CGFNS services required or accepted for REGISTERED NURSES |
CGFNS services required or accepted for LICENSED PRACTICAL OR VOCATIONAL NURSES |
Secondary school evaluation required for CES report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | CP and CES | CES | Yes |
| Alaska | CES or CP | CES | No |
| American Samoa | No CGFNS requirements | No CGFNS requirements | — |
| Arizona | CES, VS or CP | CES or VS | No |
| Arkansas | CES and English, CP or VS | CES | Yes |
| California – RN | CES may be accepted | — | — |
| California – LPN, LVN | — | CES may be accepted | — |
| Colorado | CES and English or CP | CES and English | No |
| Connecticut | CP | CES | No |
| Delaware | CP | CES may be accepted | Yes |
| Florida | CES | CES | Yes |
| Georgia – RN | CES or CP | — | Yes |
| Georgia – LPN | — | CES | Yes |
| Guam | CP, CES may be accepted | — | Yes |
| Hawaii | CES or CP | CES | No |
| Idaho | CES or CP | CES may be accepted | No |
| Illinois | CES, VS or CP | CES or VS | Yes |
| Indiana | CP | Yes | |
| Iowa | CES and English or CP | CES and English | No |
| Kansas | CES | CES | No |
| Kentucky | VS | VS | Yes |
| Louisiana – RN | CP | — | No |
| Louisiana – LPN | — | No CGFNS requirement | — |
| Maine | CES or CP | CES | Yes |
| Maryland | CES | CES | LPN only |
| Massachusetts | CES, CP or VS | CES or VS | No |
| Michigan | CES and English or CP | CES and English | No |
| Minnesota | CES or CP | CES | No |
| Mississippi | CP or CES | CES | No |
| Missouri | CES or CP | CES | No |
| Montana | CP | CES | No |
| Nebraska | CP | CES | Yes |
| Nevada | CES | CES | LPN only |
| New Hampshire | CP or CES | CES | No |
| New Jersey | CES and English, or CP | CES and English | Yes |
| New Mexico | CES | CES | No |
| New York | CVS | CVS | No |
| North Carolina | CES or VS | CES or VS | No |
| North Dakota | CP, CES may be accepted | CES may be accepted | No |
| Northern Marianas Islands | No CGFNS requirement, CES may be accepted |
No CGFNS requirement | Yes |
| Ohio | CES | CES | No |
| Oklahoma | CES, VS, or CP and transcripts | CES | LPN only |
| Oregon | CES, CP or VS | CES or VS | No |
| Pennsylvania | CP and transcripts | CES may be accepted | LPN only |
| Puerto Rico | No CGFNS requirement | No CGFNS requirement | — |
| Rhode Island | CP | CES | No |
| South Carolina | CES | CES | Yes |
| South Dakota | CP | CES | Yes |
| Tennessee | CP | CES | Yes |
| Texas | CES | CES | No |
| Utah | CP and CES | CES | No |
| Vermont |
CES, CP may also be required | CES | Yes |
| Virgin Islands | CP | No CGFNS requirement | Yes |
| Virginia | CES and English, or CP | CES and English | Yes |
| Washington | CES or CP | No CGFNS requirement | No |
| Washington DC (District of Columbia) |
CP, CES may be accepted | — | LPN only |
| West Virginia – RN | CP | — | Yes |
| West Virginia – LPN | — | CES may be accepted | Yes |
| Wisconsin | CP | CES and English | Yes |
| Wyoming | CP | CES | No |
