Instructions for Single-State Licensure by Examination for RN and LPN

Form X-09 1 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

Instructions for Single-State

Licensure by Examination for

RN and LPN

Application Fee - $85.00

Use this application if you:

• Have NOT previously applied for Licensure by Examination at the same licensure

level in Oklahoma

o If you HAVE applied previously and received a notification of your non-

passing from this Board, STOP this application immediately and submit the

application to “Rewrite the Licensure Exam” instead

• Are NOT licensed at the same level in another state, U.S. territory, or country; and

• Have not previously held a license (at the same level) in Oklahoma; and

• Wish to take the licensure examination for initial licensure in Oklahoma; and

• Wish to apply for a single-state license; and

• Were educated in a nursing program approved by a member board jurisdiction in

the United States or U.S. territory

o If you have not graduated from an LPN or RN program and need to apply

for examination through Equivalent education, you must complete the

“Request for Evaluation of Practical Nurse Equivalency Eligibility” found in

the Other Applications link in your Nurse Portal account first and receive

approval from this Board prior to submitting this application.

You are submitting an application for a single-state Oklahoma license. A single-state

Oklahoma license will allow you to practice nursing in Oklahoma only. To apply for a

multistate license, you must submit the Application for Multistate Licensure by

Examination.

PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY

BEFORE CO

MPLETING THE APPLICATION.

Pursuant to 485:10-1-3 (b) (2): REFUNDS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED

FOR SUBMISSION OF AN INCORRECT APPLICATION

Requirements for Licensure in Oklahoma

Age: The applicant for licensure must be a minimum of eighteen (18) years of age.

Verification of citizenship status: State law requires the Board of Nursing to issue a

license only to U.S. citizens, nationals and legal permanent resident aliens; and to

qualified alien applicants who present, in person, valid documentary evidence of:

1. A valid, unexpired immigrant or nonimmigrant visa status for admission into the

U.S.;

2. A pending or approved application for asylum in the U.S.;

3. Admission into the U.S. in refugee status;

4. A pending or approved application for temporary protected status in the U.S.;

5. Approved deferred action status; or

6. A pending application for adjustment of status to legal permanent residence status

or conditional resident status.

Form X-09 2 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

Applicants in the above six categories will only be eligible to receive a license that is valid

for the time period of their authorized stay in the U.S., or if there is no date of end to the

time period of their authorized stay, for one year. The license is required to indicate that

it is temporary. The information will be verified through the Systematic Alien Verification

for Entitlements (SAVE) Program, operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland

Security.

Graduation from a state Board-approved program of registered or practical

nursing: You must be a graduate of a state Board-approved program of registered or

practical nursing. An official transcript from the nursing education program must be

submitted directly from the nursing education program. The transcript must show the

diploma or degree and the date conferred. The transcript must be obtained from an entity

approved and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a primary source for

providing education transcripts. The nursing education program you attended must have

included theory and clinical experience in the following areas:

• Care of the adult

• Care of children

• Maternal-newborn nursing

• Psychiatric-mental health nursing

Completion of the licensure examination: Once all other requirements for licensure

have been met, you will be made eligible to take the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN licensure

examination. In order to be made eligible, you must have registered with the testing

service https://www.nclex.com/.

Review of criminal history: State law (59 O.S. § 567.18.B.) requires each applicant for

licensure to have a fingerprint-based background check completed not more than ninety

(90) days old at the time of submission of the application for licensure. The background

check consists of fingerprint-based searches of the Oklahoma State Bureau of

Investigation (OSBI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal History Record

Information databases and name index searches of computerized databases containing

criminal history records. Please read the Privacy Act Statement and Applicant Notification

found in the Appendix to this set of instructions. The Oklahoma Board of Nursing is not

authorized to receive criminal history record information prior to receiving an application;

therefore, you will receive information on obtaining a fingerprint-based background check

in the Message Center of your Nurse Portal account after your application has been

successfully submitted.

In addition to the background check, applicants for licensure are required to notify the

Oklahoma Board of Nursing, in writing, specific information related to criminal charges

and/or convictions, investigations, disciplinary actions, and/or judicial declaration of

mental competence. A “report in writing” means that the applicant/licensee provided a

description stating in his/her own words the date, location, and circumstances of the

incident, and if applicable, the resulting action taken by the court, agency, or disciplinary

board. The report should be in the form of a statement in the provided space on the

application. Certified court records or a board order, as applicable, must be uploaded

during the application process. A verbal report does not constitute a “report in writing”.

A written report not accompanied by a full set of certified court records or the board

order(s) does not constitute a “report in writing”. Failure to report such action is a violation

of the Oklahoma Nursing Practice Act.

Form X-09 3 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

Criminal offenses of applicants may be used as a basis for denial of licensure or

certification. Detailed information regarding which offenses the Board shall consider may

be found in the Oklahoma Board of Nursing Rules (OAC 485:10-11-4) which are available

on the Board’s website at this link: https://oklahoma.gov/nursing/criminal-history.html.

You have the right to request a determination of eligibility for licensure or certification prior

to applying for licensure. To do so, submit the Petition for Determination of Eligibility for

Licensure or Certification form.

An applicant for a license to practice as a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse

must submit to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing “certified written evidence that the

applicant has never been convicted of a felony crime that substantially relates to the

occupation of nursing and poses a reasonable threat to public safety” [59 O.S. § § 567.5,

567.6].

Forms referenced can be found on the Board’s website located at this link:

http://www.oklahoma.gov/nursing/applications.html

Instructions for Completion of the Application

It is recommended that you submit your application to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing

approximately two months (but no more than four months) before graduation. This will

ensure adequate time for processing.

1. Completion of application: The application is to be submitted online via your

Nurse Portal account found on the Board’s home page. You must complete all

modules of the application with your full legal name which is the name on your

birth certificate and any subsequent legal name changes. Please indicate “NMN”

if you do not have a middle name. Please upload copies of legal documentation to

support your legal names (ex: birth certificate, marriage license). You must

provide a Social Security number on the application. This information is

mandatory, pursuant to 56 O.S. § 240.21A, for administration of the tax laws of the

State of Oklahoma.

If you have been licensed with this Board under a different name, you must

complete a Name Change Request found in the Other Applications link on your

Nurse Portal page, upload a certified copy of the legal document changing your

name and submit the required fee in order to be licensed under your new name.

2. Citizenship: All applicants for licensure must upload the appropriate notarized

Evidence of Status Form.

If you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or legal permanent resident alien, you must

upload a photocopy of one of the documents listed under “Acceptable Documents

to Establish Evidence of Citizenship” on the Evidence of Status Part A Form.

According to State law, if you are a qualified alien, you must bring in person

the Evidence of Status Form to the Board office along with the original documents

that support your qualified alien status, as shown on the Evidence of Status Part

B Form. At the Board office, a staff member will copy your qualified alien status

documentation and will notarize the Evidence of Status Form.

Form X-09 4 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

3. Background Check: Each applicant must provide fingerprint images to be used

for the purpose of permitting a state and national criminal history records search

through the OSBI and FBI. The Oklahoma Board of Nursing is not authorized to

receive criminal history record information prior to receiving an application;

therefore, you will receive information on obtaining a fingerprint-based background

check in the Message Center of your Nurse Portal account after your application

has been successfully submitted. In the event that you submit an incorrect

application and fingerprints are collected and submitted following the submission

of the incorrect application, note that the criminal history records search must be

conducted through the Board’s vendor, IDEMIA no more than (90) days prior to

receipt of the application in the Board office. The results of the search are provided

directly to the Board office by the OSBI usually within one to two weeks. Please

read the Privacy Act Statement and Applicant Notification found in the Appendix

to this set of instructions. Procedures for changing, correcting or updating OSBI

and/or FBI results are set forth in Title 28, C.F.R., §16.34 and will be furnished as

needed.

4. Criminal Charges, Disciplinary Action, or Judicial Declaration of Mental

Incompetence: If you answer “yes” to the criminal charge, discipline, or

competency questions on the application, you must write a statement in the

available space on the application form, describing the date, location and

circumstances of the incident, and the resulting action taken by the court or

disciplinary board. If you have more than one incident you are reporting, you

must speak to every case/charge that has been filed. In addition, you will be

required to upload certified copies of identified documents.

(A) Have you ever had disciplinary action taken against a nursing license,

recognition, certificate, or privilege to practice; any professional or occupational

license, recognition, or certificate; and/or any application for a nursing or

professional or occupational license, recognition, or certificate in any state, territory

or country not previously reported in writing to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing?”

a. If you answered “yes”, you must type in the space available a statement

describing the date, location, and circumstances of the incident(s), and,

if applicable, the resulting action(s) taken by the disciplinary board.

b. If you are reporting more than one incident, you must describe every

case that has been filed.

c. You will need to upload certified copies of the charges/complaints,

findings of fact, and orders from the licensing agency.

(B) Is there currently any investigation of your nursing license, recognition,

certificate, or privilege to practice; and/or any professional or occupational license,

recognition, or certificate; and/or any application for a nursing and/or professional

or occupational license, recognition, or certificate in any state, territory or country

not previously reported in writing to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing?

Form X-09 5 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

a. If you answered “yes”, you must type in the space available a statement

describing the date, location, and circumstances of the incident(s), and,

if applicable, the resulting action(s) taken by the disciplinary board.

b. If you are reporting more than one incident, you must describe every

case that has been filed.

reported in writing to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, including those pending

appeal? (You may exclude minor traffic violations, but must report all DUI/DWI

charges and/or DUI/DWI convictions)

Check all that apply:

[ ] been convicted of a misdemeanor?

[ ] been convicted of a felony?

[ ] pled nolo contendre, no contest, or guilty?

[ ] received deferred adjudication, to include but not limited to deferred

prosecution agreement?

[ ] been placed on community supervision or court-ordered probation,

whether or not adjudicated guilt?

[ ] been sentenced to serve jail or prison time? Court-ordered

confinement?

[ ] been granted pre-trial diversion, to include but not limited to Drug

Court?

[ ] have any pending criminal charges?

[ ] have any pending violation of the law?

[ ] been subject of a court-martial; Article 15 violation; or received any form

of military judgment/punishment/action?

[ ] No, none of the above applies.

NOTE: Expunged and Sealed Offenses: While expunged or sealed offense,

arrests, tickets, or citations need not be disclosed, it is your responsibility to ensure

the offense, arrest, ticket or citation has, in fact, been expunged or sealed. It is

recommended that you submit a copy of the Court Order expunging or sealing the

record in question to our office with your application. Non-disclosure of relevant

offenses raises questions related to truthfulness and character.

(D) If you checked any of the above (except “No, none of the above applies”):

a. If you answered “yes”, you must type in the space available a statement

describing the date, location, and circumstances of the incident(s), and,

if applicable, the resulting action(s) taken by the court.

b. If you are reporting more than one incident, you must describe every

case that has been filed.

c. You will need to upload certified copies of Court Records to include the

Information Sheet, Incident Report, Complaint, and/or Charges; Affidavit

of Probable Cause; Judgment and Sentence; and verification of

completion of the Judgment and Sentence. The Court Records must be

obtained from the Court(s) in which the offense(s) occurred.

Form X-09 6 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

(E) Have you ever been judicially declared incompetent in any state, territory or

country not previously reported in writing to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing?

a. If you answered “yes”, you must type in the space available a statement

describing the date, location, and circumstances of the incident(s), and,

if applicable, the resulting action(s) taken by the court or agency. If you

are reporting more than one incident, you must describe every case that

has been filed.

b. You will need to upload a certified copy of the Court Order.

(F) Have you ever submitted a Petition for Determination of Eligibility for Licensure

or Certification to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing?

5. Fee: Payment must be made in the form of VISA, MasterCard or electronic fund

transfer when completing the application online. Fees submitted are not

refundable.

Transcript

An official transcript should be submitted from your school after you have graduated.

Many of the nursing education programs automatically send graduate transcripts to the

Oklahoma Board of Nursing as a courtesy to their graduates; however, you will need to

check with the director of your program on the school’s policy. Please ensure that the

transcript includes the conferral date of the degree earned.

Graduates from out-of-state programs should request that the school send an official copy

of the transcript to the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. The Board must evaluate the

curriculum provided in the out-of-state program to ensure that it meets the state’s

curricular requirements. Out-of-state candidates must also submit course descriptions

for nursing and related courses for evaluation. The course descriptions must be from the

time you were enrolled in the program and may be obtained from the school’s catalog or

course syllabi. If the course descriptions from your school do not verify the required

curriculum, additional documentation from your program will be required.

NCLEX Registration

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) is administered by Pearson VUE

and delivered through Pearson Professional Centers. In order to be eligible to take the

examination, you must register with Pearson VUE. You may register with the testing

service on their website: https://www.nclex.com/ or at 866-496-2539. When registering,

you must provide the testing service your email address.

You must be registered with Pearson VUE to receive an Authorization to Test letter

(ATT), which is issued by Pearson VUE after your application has been approved

by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing. Once you are registered with NCLEX, your NCLEX

registration will remain effective for one year, awaiting the approval of the Board, or until

you are approved and take the examination, whichever comes first. After the Board

approves your registration and you have received your ATT, you have 90 days to

schedule and take the examination.

Form X-09 7 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

• It is recommended that you schedule an appointment immediately upon receiving

the ATT to ensure that you are able to get your choice of dates and times.

• You must take the examination within 90 days from the date the ATT was issued or

you will forfeit your fee and have to re-register.

• Instructions for scheduling an appointment and information regarding test center

locations are included with the ATT letter.

• Please note current requirements for documents that you must take to the testing

center on your test day as found on the NCLEX website.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Oklahoma Board of

Nursing provides reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities that may

interfere with their performance on the National Council Licensure Examination for

Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®) and/or Licensed Practical nurses (NCLEX-PN®). A

person with a disability is defined in federal law.

If you are requesting that reasonable accommodations be provided to take the NCLEX-

RN® and/or NCLEX-PN®, please download the “Instructions and Form for Requesting

Reasonable Accommodations for NCLEX” form from the website by accessing:

https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/nursing/documents/nclexaccommodate.pdf.

During the application process, you will be required to upload the completed form with

supporting documents.

Registration with Pearson Vue must be in place before reasonable accommodations can

be approved. Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations will not be approved

to take the NCLEX-RN® or NCLEX-PN®, or receive an online authorization to test until

the reasonable accommodations for testing have been approved by the Board of Nursing.

General Information

Test results will NOT be provided over the telephone by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing.

You are required to notify the Board of any address changes occurring during the

registration and testing process. This notification is to be submitted via your Nurse Portal

account.

Your application to the Board for licensure is valid for one year after receipt. After that

time, a new application and fee must be submitted. If you take and fail the examination,

a rewrite application and fee must be submitted. You may view average processing times

of a completed application on our website at: https://oklahoma.gov/nursing/agency-data-

and-reports.html. Applications are reviewed in the order they are received. To check on

the status of your application, visit the Nurse Portal. Every effort is made to process

applications expeditiously.

Reasonable Accommodations for

the NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN®

Form X-09 8 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

Once licensed, the License Verification portal on the Board’s website

https://okbn.boardsofnursing.org/licenselookup will be the first place your new license will

be noted.

Registered Nurse licenses expire the last day of the licensee’s birth month in even-

numbered years, and Licensed Practical Nurse licenses expire the last day of the

licensee’s birth month in odd-numbered years following the date of issuance. The

application fee includes the processing of your application and licensure through the

current renewal period. Fees are not pro-rated and are non-refundable.

In accordance with Oklahoma law (59 O.S. § 567.7 E), the Executive Director shall

suspend the license or certificate of a person who submits a check, money draft, or similar

instrument for payment of a fee which is not honored by the financial institution

named. The suspension becomes effective ten (10) days following delivery by certified

mail of written notice of the dishonor and the impending suspension to the person’s

address on file. Upon notification of suspension, the person may reinstate the

authorization to practice upon payment of the fees and any and all costs associated with

notice and collection. The suspension shall be exempt from the Administrative

Procedures Act.

Information On Time Limit After Graduation

To Take and Pass the NCLEX

All applicants for licensure by examination must submit a completed application,

transcript, and fee to the Board and a completed registration form and fee to the

authorized testing service within two years of completion of the nursing education

program. If more than two years has elapsed, you must complete additional education

as follows:

1) Successfully complete a Board-approved refresher course in accordance with the

Board’s policy; or

2) Successfully complete nursing didactic coursework and faculty-supervised clinical

experience in a board-approved nursing education program at the appropriate

education level, to include at least 80 hours in classroom and skills laboratory

review and at least 80 hours participating in patient care activities in the clinical

setting

After completion of the required additional education, the applicant will have two

additional years to take and pass the NCLEX examination [OAC 485:10-7-1 (e)].

If it has been more than two years since you graduated from your nursing education

program, you must submit evidence of either completing a Board-approved refresher

course or coursework/clinical experience in a nursing education program, as outlined

above. The following evidence will be accepted:

1) An official transcript or original copy of a certificate of completion identifying

successful completion from a Board-approved refresher course

Form X-09 9 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

2) An official transcript from an educational institution offering a board-approved

nursing education program at the same educational level as the program you

originally completed, documenting at least 80 contact hours of theory/skills

laboratory coursework and 80 contact hours in clinical coursework. Credit hours

will be converted to contact hours using the following ratios: 15 contact hours per

credit hour for theory, 30 contact hours per credit hour for skills laboratory, and 45

contact hours per credit hour for clinical coursework.

A list of nursing education programs and refresher courses approved by the Oklahoma

Board of Nursing is available on the Board’s website:

https://oklahoma.gov/nursing/education/education-program-types.html

Information On Time Limit After Previously Passing the

NCLEX Without Resultant Licensure

If more than two (2) years has elapsed since you successfully passed the NCLEX-RN /

NCLEX-PN and did NOT obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse / Licensed Practical

Nurse, you must complete additional education as follows:

1) Successfully complete a Board-approved refresher course in accordance with the

Board’s policy; or

2) Successfully complete nursing didactic coursework and faculty-supervised clinical

experience in a board-approved nursing education program at the appropriate

education level, to include at least 80 hours in classroom and skills laboratory

review and at least 80 hours participating in patient care activities in the clinical

setting.

If it has been more than two (2) years since you passed the NCLEX, you must submit

evidence of either completing a Board-approved refresher course or coursework/clinical

experience in a nursing education program, as outlined above. The following evidence

will be accepted:

1) An official transcript or original copy of a certificate of completion identifying

successful completion from a Board-approved refresher course; or

2) An official transcript from an educational institution offering a board-approved

nursing education program at the same educational level as the program you

originally completed, documenting at least 80 contact hours of theory/skills

laboratory coursework and 80 contact hours in clinical coursework. Credit hours

will be converted to contact hours using the following ratios: 15 contact hours per

credit hour for theory, 30 contact hours per credit hour for skills laboratory, and 45

contact hours per credit hour for clinical coursework.

Form X-09 10 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

Common Mistakes That Delay Processing

 Failing to submit fingerprint images to be used for the purpose of permitting

a state and national criminal background search

 Failing to provide the full legal name and Social Security number on the

application

 Failing to provide license or certificate numbers, if the applicant holds

another health-related license or certificate

 Failing to upload an Evidence of Status Form and supporting documentation

 Failing to request that an official transcript be submitted directly by the

nursing education program

 Having a different name on the application from the name on the transcript

or testing service registration form

 Not registering with the testing service for the examination



Failing to upload a degree plan and course descriptions for review (required

only for students graduating from out-of-state programs)

 Failing to write in the space available for each question a complete

description and upload complete documentation regarding a history of

criminal charges, disciplinary action, or judicial declaration of incompetence

Form X-09 11 4/28/23; 2/22/24; 7/9/24

Appendix

Privacy Act Statement and Applicant Notification

Authority: The FBI’s acquisition, preservation, and exchange of fingerprints and associated

information is generally authorized under 28 U.S.C. 534. Depending on the nature of your

application, supplemental authorities include Federal statutes, State statutes pursuant to Public

Law 92-544, Presidential Executive Orders, and federal regulations. Providing your fingerprints

and associated information is voluntary; however, failure to do so may affect completion or

approval of your application.

Principal Purpose: Certain determinations, such as employment, licensing, and security

clearances, may be predicated on fingerprint-based background checks. Your fingerprints and

associated information/biometrics may be provided to the employing, investigating, or

otherwise responsible agency, and/or the FBI for the purpose of comparing your fingerprints to

other fingerprints in the FBI’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) system or its successor

systems (including civil, criminal, and latent fingerprint repositories) or other available records

of the employing, investigating, or other responsible agency. The FBI may retain your

fingerprints and associated information/biometrics in NGI after the completion of this

application and, while retained, your fingerprints may continue to be compared against other

fingerprints submitted to or retained by NGI.

Routine Uses: During the processing of this application and for as long thereafter as your

fingerprints and associated information/biometrics are retained in NGI, your information may

be disclosed pursuant to your consent, and may be disclosed without your consent as permitted

by the Privacy Act of 1974 and all applicable Routine Uses as may be published at any time in

the Federal Register, including the Routine Uses for the NGI system and the FBI’s Blanket

Routine Uses. Routine uses include, but are not limited to, disclosures to: employing,

governmental or authorized non-governmental agencies responsible for employment,

contracting, licensing, security clearances, and other suitability determinations; local, state,

tribal, or federal law enforcement agencies; criminal justice agencies; and agencies responsible

for national security or public safety.

Applicant Record Challenge: Before a final decision is made, you have the opportunity to

complete or challenge the accuracy of the information contained in the FBI identification record.

The procedure for obtaining a change, correction, or updating an FBI identification record is

set forth in Title 28, CFR 16.34. For information on updating the national criminal history record,

visit www.FBI.gov.

If certified documents are obtained for the purpose of updating your criminal history record, the

documents should be forwarded to the FBI and to the repository in the state where the arrest

occurred.