Advance Practice Nurses (APNs) know well that in order to practice, both his/her RN and APN licenses must be current. Here are the rules and timelines you should be familiar with if you are a current or prospective APN.
- No one can practice as an APN unless his/her RN and APN licenses are both current.
- RN and APN licenses are on a 2-year cycle, renewable during the even-numbered years.
- Although the Nursing Act was revised in 1998, the Rules for the revised language were not promulgated until 2001. As a result, the first APN licenses were issued "off-cyle," and so were in effect for a one time only cycle of three years. Thus, in 2004, the APN license became in sync with RN license cycle.
- Controlled substance licenses, for the APNs who have them, are also renewable in the even-numbered years.
- Renewing these licenses require completing separate applications and paying certain fees for each license.
- License renewal can be done by mail with check or credit card payment, or over the telephone with a credit card payment only.
- It should be noted that DEA numbers, however, are renewed every three years, and as this number comes from the federal government, the renewal process is entirely separate from that of a state CSL.
Questions about your licenses renewals? Contact us now.
