Licensing authority
Who actually issues a nursing licence in Texas?
Texas Board of Nursing
Nursing licensure · NLC status table · EMS licensure
TX
Texas
Can I work a 13-week contract here on my multistate licence?
Not establishedTX · spine record
Not established in the cited sources
Ruled 2026-09-11. The BON addresses privilege modes (physical, electronic, telephonic) and the NLC FAQ addresses multistate practice generally, but no primary source found in this pass addresses contract duration the way the EMS Commission's 'no time limit' statement does.
Supporting evidence and conditions
Ruled 2026-09-11. The BON addresses privilege modes (physical, electronic, telephonic) and the NLC FAQ addresses multistate practice generally, but no primary source found in this pass addresses contract duration the way the EMS Commission's 'no time limit' statement does. The 60-day rule governs residence changes, not assignment length. See open question tx-traveler-duration.
State Board of Nursing · bon.texas.gov · verified 11 Sep 2026 · Partly supported
- Law enacted
- Yes not on the NLC member list
- In force
- Yes since 19 Jan 2018
- Issuing multistate licences
- Yes employer can check your privilege
- Facts sourced
- 34
- No published answer
- 4
- Not yet verified
- 3
- Sources disagreeing
- 0
Requirements include source links and review dates. Expand each source quotation for the supporting text. Unverified and incomplete information is labelled alongside the relevant requirement.
Who licenses you
The board that issues the licence, and the practice act behind it.
5 of 5 answered from a source · 0 written up as absences
Authority website
Where is Texas's Board of Nursing online?
Licensing portal
Where do I actually submit a nursing application in Texas?
Source quotation
Texas Nurse Portal Texas Board of Nursing Nurse Portal
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Contact
Who do I call or email about Texas nursing licensure?
- Phone
- (512) 305-7400
- webmaster@bon.texas.gov
Source quotation
Email address: webmaster@bon.texas.gov Phone: (512) 305-7400
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Governing law
Which nurse practice act or rule governs licensure in Texas?
Texas Nursing Practice Act: Occupations Code chapters 301, 303, and 304
Quote is verbatim including the page's 'Occupational Code' for Occupations Code.
Source quotation
The Nursing Practice Act (NPA) encompasses chapters 301, 303, and 304 of the Texas Occupational Code
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
What the licence is
RN, LPN, and APRN tiers, and which of them come multistate.
5 of 6 answered from a source · 1 written up as absences
Licence types
What licence types does Texas issue — RN, LPN, APRN — and which come multistate?
RN
- State title
- Registered Nurse
- Multistate
- Yes
LVN
- State title
- Licensed Vocational Nurse
- Multistate
- Yes
APRN
- State title
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Multistate
- No
- Notes
- NLC covers RN/LPN only; an APRN must hold an individual APRN license in each state of practice.
Quote covers the RN/LVN multistate tiers. The APRN single-state row comes from the NLC FAQ: 'The NLC pertains to RN and LPN/VN licenses only. An APRN must hold an individual APRN license in each state of APRN practice.' (nursecompact.com/FAQs.page)
Source quotation
allows registered nurses (RNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) to have one multistate license
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Multistate licences issued
Does Texas issue multistate licences at all?
Yes
Source quotation
allows registered nurses (RNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) to have one multistate license
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Licence term
How long does a Texas nursing licence last before renewal?
- Years
- 2
Fee schedule states the biennial cycle. Expiration convention (anniversary vs birth month vs fixed date) not established in this pass.
NCLEX required to get licensed
Do I need NCLEX to get licensed in Texas?
Yes
Source quotation
needs to take the NCLEX to obtain their first U.S. license
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Jurisprudence exam
Does Texas make me sit a jurisprudence or ethics exam?
- Required
- Yes
- Exam
- Nursing Jurisprudence Examination (NJE)
Fee schedule caps the NJE fee: 'Nursing Jurisprudence Examination fee: not to exceed $25'.
Source quotation
nursing jurisprudence examination prior to being issued a permanent license
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
Disqualifying convictions
What criminal history bars me from nursing licensure in Texas?
Not yet verified
Evidence details
Not attempted in this pass.
Compact privilege
The Nurse Licensure Compact. Enacted, in force, and multistate issuance are separate dated facts, plus what privilege covers.
7 of 10 answered from a source · 3 written up as absences
Conditions for privilege
What do I have to satisfy for multistate privilege to apply in Texas?
- licensure requirements of the home state (state of residency)
- graduation from a board-approved or accredited international education program
- English proficiency where applicable
- passed NCLEX-RN, NCLEX-PN, or predecessor exam
- active, unencumbered license
- state and federal fingerprint-based criminal background checks
- no disqualifying felony or nursing-related misdemeanor history
- not a current alternative-program participant, with self-disclosure
- valid U.S. Social Security number
Quote is the framing sentence; the page enumerates all 11 uniform licensure requirements beneath it, summarised in the value array.
Source quotation
must meet 11 uniform licensure requirements listed below
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Home-state residence rule
How does where I legally live affect my multistate privilege in Texas?
- Keys off home-state residence
- Yes
- If your home state changes
- apply for a multistate license in the new party state within 60 days
Source quotation
A multistate licensee who changes primary state of residence to another party state shall apply for a multistate license in the new party state within 60 days.
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
Where privilege is not enough
When do I need a Texas single-state licence instead of privilege?
Not yet verified
Evidence details
Not attempted in this pass.
Can I take a contract on privilege alone
Can I work a 13-week contract in Texas on my multistate licence?
Not established in the cited sources
Partly supported
Ruled 2026-09-11. The BON addresses privilege modes (physical, electronic, telephonic) and the NLC FAQ addresses multistate practice generally, but no primary source found in this pass addresses contract duration the way the EMS Commission's 'no time limit' statement does. The 60-day rule governs residence changes, not assignment length. See open question tx-traveler-duration.
Source quotation
with the privilege to practice in the home state and in other eNLC states physically, electronically, and/or telephonically
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
If you hold only a single-state licence
I hold a single-state licence — does the NLC do anything for me in Texas?
Conflicting or incomplete source information
Evidence details
BON says applicants who miss the uniform requirements 'may still be eligible for a single state license' but never states the negative — what a single-state license does not grant — so no value recorded.
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
Extra state requirements
Does Texas add anything on top of the compact?
Conflicting or incomplete source information
Evidence details
BON 'offers resources to assist nurses with primary multistate licensure outside of Texas who choose to practice in Texas using compact privilege' — an offer, not an imposed requirement. Whether Texas imposes anything on privilege holders is not stated.
Verify privilege
Where does an employer verify my privilege for Texas?
Source quotation
Nurse license lookup reports for employers and the general public.
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
NLC law enacted
Has Texas passed the Nurse Licensure Compact into law?
- Status
- Yes
Partly supported
BON confirms current membership but names no enactment bill or date. The statute site (statutes.legis.state.tx.us, OC chapter 304) serves a navigation shell with no section text to automated clients, so the session law could not be verified in this pass. See open question tx-enactment-bill.
NLC law in force
Is Texas's NLC law actually in effect yet?
- Status
- Yes
- Effective
- 2018-01-19
- Delayed clause
- No
Source quotation
The eNLC was implemented in Texas on January 19, 2018.
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Issuing multistate licences
Is Texas actually issuing multistate licences yet?
- Status
- Yes
BON describes current multistate issuance, eight years after the 2018 implementation date.
Source quotation
allows registered nurses (RNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) to have one multistate license
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Getting licensed from out of state
The route in when multistate privilege does not cover you.
7 of 9 answered from a source · 2 written up as absences
Endorsement available
Will Texas licence me by endorsement at all?
Yes
Source quotation
To be eligible for licensure by endorsement, you must have:
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
What it is called
What does Texas call its out-of-state pathway?
Licensure by Endorsement
Where to apply
Where do I start an endorsement application for Texas?
The 'here' link target is the txapps URL in the value; verified by opening the endorsement page's link list.
Source quotation
A Nurse may apply for a license by Endorsement for Texas: Online Endorsement Application here
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
What you must provide
What does Texas require from an out-of-state nurse?
Approved education
- Detail
- Graduated from an approved LPN/LVN or RN program.
U.S. exam
- Detail
- Taken the appropriate U.S. exam.
Recent practice
- Detail
- Practiced nursing in another state within the previous four years of applying for that license type.
Source quotation
graduated from an approved licensed practical nurse/vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) or registered nurse (RN) program taken the appropriate US exam, and practiced nursing in another state within the previous four years of applying for that license type
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Application fee
What does it cost to get licensed in Texas from out of state?
- Amount
- 150
- Per
- application
- Also payable
FBI/DPS criminal background check
- Note
- Varies per Chapter 223 fee schedule.
Quick-summary row: $150 includes the NJE fee. The Chapter 223 schedule itemises $125 endorsement + NJE not to exceed $25. Refundability of the endorsement fee is not stated on this page.
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
How long it takes
How long will Texas take to process my application?
Not established in the cited source
Evidence details
BON publishes sequencing (120-day temp license within 15 business days; NJE after a 15-business-day wait) but no decision timeframe for the endorsement itself.
Background check
What background check does Texas require, and how do I do it from out of state?
- Required
- Yes
- State check
- Yes
- FBI check
- Yes
- Fingerprints
- Yes
- Vendor
- MorphoTrust (IdentoGo)
Vendor confirmed as MorphoTrust (IdentoGo) on the same page. Fee varies per the Chapter 223 schedule; out-of-state submission process not established in this pass.
Source quotation
must be completed through the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) based on a set of fingerprints provided to MorphoTrust
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Temporary licence
Can I start working in Texas before full approval?
- Available
- Yes
- Type
- one-time 120-day temporary license
- Issuance
- within fifteen business days of receipt of the completed application and fee
- Eligibility
- if eligible
Source quotation
will issue a one-time, 120 day, temporary license (if you are eligible) within fifteen business days of receipt of the completed application and fee
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
Nursys verification
Do I have to route verification through Nursys for Texas?
Conflicting or incomplete source information
Evidence details
BON publishes its own RN/LVN Verification Request Forms for endorsement applicants. Whether Nursys verification is additionally required for incoming endorsement is not stated; the Nursys direction BON documents is Texas licensees verifying out to other states.
Keeping it
The renewal clock and what it costs in hours.
4 of 5 answered from a source · 1 written up as absences
Renewal cycle
How often do I renew in Texas?
2
CE hours required
How many CE hours does Texas want, and which topics are mandated?
RN/LVN
- Hours
- 20
- Mandated topics
- targeted continuing education per Board Rule 216 — enumerated on the CE pages, not the renewal page
Renewal page states the 20-hour requirement and references targeted CE under Board Rule 216 without enumerating topics; the per-topic breakdown was not read in this pass.
Source quotation
completion of 20 contact hours of continuing education (CE) in the nurse's area of practice
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
No verified valueRecord date 11 Sep 2026
Unverified
State-specific requirements
What does Texas require at renewal that other states do not?
Not yet verified
Evidence details
Not attempted in this pass.
Approved CE providers
Where do I find CE that Texas will accept?
Source quotation
Continuing Education / Continued Competency Offerings
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
If your licence lapses
My Texas licence expired — can I still get it back?
- After lapse
- delinquent
- Pathway
- reactivation application via the Texas Nurse Portal
Quote establishes the delinquent status. The same page covers reactivation applications for delinquent licenses through the Nurse Portal.
Source quotation
Expired licenses will display a status of "delinquent"
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Looking a licence up
Where employers check status and discipline history.
2 of 2 answered from a source · 0 written up as absences
Licence lookup
Where do I look up a Texas licence and its discipline history?
Source quotation
Board of Nursing License Verification Portal
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
What the lookup shows
What does Texas's lookup actually disclose?
- license status
- discipline history
- practice privileges
Source quotation
Licensure verification, discipline and practice privileges for RNs and LPN/VNs licensed in participating boards of nursing.
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Military and spouse routes
Where a service record shortens the path.
4 of 4 answered from a source · 0 written up as absences
Military pathway
Does Texas have a faster route for military training or veterans?
Yes
Source quotation
The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) honors and supports our military personnel and veterans returning to civilian life
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
How it works
What does Texas's military pathway actually get me?
Education credit, dedicated nursing tracks, and an application exception process that expedites endorsement for deploying military nurses and spouses.
Quote is the program heading; the page details education credit (College Credit for Heroes), dedicated tracks, and expedited endorsement beneath it.
Where to read it
Where does Texas document its military pathway?
Source quotation
The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) honors and supports our military personnel and veterans returning to civilian life
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Military spouses
Does Texas extend its military pathway to spouses?
- Fee and CE waivers
- Reactivation fees, fines, and continuing nursing education requirements may be waived for spouses of active duty military personnel.
- Expedited endorsement
- Yes
Quote covers the waivers; the same page's exception process covers expedited endorsement for deploying spouses.
Source quotation
Special Waivers for Military Spouses: Reactivation fees, fines and continuing nursing education requirements may be waived for nurses who are spouses of active duty military personnel.
bon.texas.gov · State Board of Nursing
Open questions
Questions not yet settled from a primary source.
Which bill enacted the eNLC in Texas and on what date? BON confirms membership and the 2018-01-19 implementation; the session law is unverified because the statute site serves no section text to automated clients.
opened 11 Sep 2026 · blocks compact.enacted
Can a multistate licensee work a 13-week Texas contract on privilege alone? No duration-specific primary source found; needs an NCSBN or BON statement or a human ruling.
opened 11 Sep 2026 · blocks compact.privilege.traveler_contract_assessment
Does Texas require incoming endorsement applicants to verify through Nursys, or only through its own Verification Request Forms?
opened 11 Sep 2026 · blocks endorsement.nursys_verification_required