Renew your License
Registered Nurse (RN) & Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Renewal Requirements
Applicants for renewal must meet ONE of the following practice requirements:
- Practiced as a nurse for 960 hours or more in the past 5 years OR
- Graduated from a nursing program and obtained a degree within the past 5 years OR
- Completed an Arizona Board approved refresher course in the past 5 years OR
- Obtained an advanced nursing degree in the past 5 years (i.e. LPN to RN, RN to BSN, masters, or doctorate).
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
Renewal Requirements
APRN applicants for renewal must meet the following requirements:
- Practiced as an APRN for 960 hours or more in the past 5 years.
- Hold an active Arizona RN OR current RN license with multistate privileges in another compact state.
- Hold active national certification. (Your APRN certification will expire when your RN license expires)
- APRNs who hold an active DEA license, MUST have completed a minimum of three hours of opioid-related, substance use disorder-related or addiction-related continuing education (as required by Arizona Revised Statute 32-3248.02).
APRN Renewal FAQs
When do I need renew my APRN, CNM, CNS or CRNA Arizona certification?
If you are an Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner (APRN), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) your Arizona APRN certification will expire when your Multistate RN license or Arizona RN license expires, or when your national certification expires, whichever occurs first.
Note: Official national certification, including issue and expiration dates with category/specialty, must be provided directly to us by the credentialing agency.
I want to renew my APRN certification, and I have not practiced for 960 hours or graduated from an APRN program in the past 5 years. What should I do?
If you have not practiced for 960 hours in your role and population focus in the past 5 years or have not graduated from an advanced practice program within the past 5 years, see Rule R4-19-506 in the Nurse Practice Act.
RN / LPN Renewal FAQs
What are the fees to renew, inactivate or retire my license?
Application Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable.
- Renewal fee: $160.00 (Required)
- Obtaining temporary license for a refresher course – No Charge
- Placing license on inactive or retirement status – No Charge
Late Fees
If you have worked after May 2nd, during your renewal year, a late fee of $50.00 is due (per month up to $200.00), plus a completed Late / Invalid License Questionnaire.
How do I inactivate or retire my license?
If you wish to inactivate or retire your license, please do so through the Arizona Nurse Portal.
When is my license due for renewal?
Renewals can be submitted up to 6 months before the renewal due date or within the 30 days following the due date. If you are submitting an application more than 30 days after your renewal due date and worked on an Arizona license beyond those 30 days, a late fee is required.
To check the renewal due date for your license, visit Nursys.com and perform a search for your license.
How do I reactivate my inactive license?
To reactivate an inactive license, you may do so through the Arizona Nurse Portal.
I paid for a four-year renewal. Why does my license have an expiration date less than four years?
If you have an "Alien" status, the expiration date on your license is the expiration date on your Lawful Presence document. Your license expiration date will be extended when you provide the Board with a new Lawful Presence document with another expiration date.
Why is there a 960 hours / 5 years practice requirement?
In the past, the Board required an applicant to complete a refresher course if the license was inactive for five or more years and the applicant did not show evidence of active practice. The practice requirement provides for the specific number of hours to ensure that all nurses are current in their practice.
The Board requires each applicant to verify that they have met the practice requirement on renewal and initial licensure applications. If the Board receives a complaint on the licensee and it is discovered that the applicant falsified the information, the licensee is subject to action on the license that may include a civil penalty, a decree of censure, probation, suspension, or revocation of the license.
Licensees and applicants that do not meet the requirement may apply for and receive a temporary license to complete a nurse refresher course.
What activities qualify as practice?
Any job or position that requires or recommends an RN or LPN license would meet the criteria as will any activity performed as an employee or volunteer within the legal scope of nursing practice. In addition to bedside nursing, such activities as teaching nursing, supervising care, consulting, clinical experience in a nursing program, serving as a volunteer with a nursing organization, or volunteering in health screenings will also qualify as practice.
When you submit your renewal application, you need to provide a description of the nursing knowledge used or duties performed on a separate sheet, along with your employer's name, address, phone number, your title, start of employment date, end of employment date and total number of hour worked/volunteered in the past 5 years. Care of family members does not meet the 960-hour requirement unless R4-19-312 (c) (2) is met.
If I have not worked 960 hours in the past five years, what do I need to do to renew my license?
You will have to take a Refresher course. A list of Refresher Course Programs is available under Education Program Lists. You need to choose a refresher program and enroll. Then you submit to the Board a RN / LPN Renewal application, a "Request for Temporary License for Refresher Course Only" form, a copy of the invoice showing you paid for a refresher course (full or partial), documentation of legal status in the U.S. and the appropriate renewal fee.
Certified Medication Assistants (CMA)
Renewal Requirements
Applicants for renewal must meet the following requirements:
- Have worked, doing medication assistant duties, for a minimum of 160 hours within the past 2 years.
- Hold an active Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) license.
CMA Renewal FAQs
What are the fees to renew my certificate?
Application Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable. The renewal fee is $0.
Certified Nursing Assistant & Licensed Nursing Assistant
Renewal Requirements
Applicants for renewal must meet the following requirements:
- A CNA must have worked as a nursing assistant (or doing nursing assistant tasks) a minimum of 8 paid hours in the last 2 years to remain on the CNA Registry or to convert from LNA to CNA at renewal.
- An LNA must have worked as a nursing assistant (or doing nursing assistant tasks) for a minimum of 160 paid hours in the last 2 years to renew an LNA license.
CNA/LNA Renewal FAQs
What are the fees to renew my CNA certificate?
Application Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable. The renewal fee is $0.
Late Fees
If you have worked more than a year after your expiration date, a late fee of $10.00 is due per year worked.
What are the fees to renew my LNA license?
Application Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable. The renewal fee is $50.
Late Fees
If you have worked more than a year after your expiration date, a late fee of $10.00 is due per year worked.
Licensed Health Aides (LHA)
Renewal Requirements
Applicants for renewal must meet the following requirements:
- Submit proof that the patient still meets the age and eligibility requirements.
- Submit a statement on the form, provided by the Board and completed by the applicant’s patient’s home care provider, confirming that the applicant has adequately maintained the skills and knowledge required for safe LHA care of the patient.
LHA Renewal FAQs
When is my license due for renewal?
Renewals can be submitted up to 2 months before the renewal due date. If you are submitting an application more than 30 days after your renewal due date and worked on an Arizona license beyond those 30 days, a late fee is required.
To check the renewal due date for your license, visit the Arizona Verification Portal.
What are the fees to renew my license?
Application Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable. The renewal fee is $50.
Late Fees
If you have worked more than a year after your expiration date, a late fee of $25.00 is due per year worked.
School Nurse
Renewal Requirements
Applicants for renewal must meet the following requirements:
- Current RN license in good standing or multistate privilege to practice as an RN in Arizona
School Nurse Renewal FAQs
What are the fees to renew my School Nurse Certificate?
Application Fees
All fees are in U.S. dollars and are non-refundable.
- Renewal fee: $25.00 (Required)
General Application Questions
To check the status of your application, login to your Nurse Portal.
When you submit an application, AZBN will send you a notice identifying any elements of the application process which remain outstanding. If you fail to remediate the deficiency within the applicable time period, your application will be withdrawn. After withdrawal, if you are still interested in obtaining licensure you would need to submit a new application and pay the application fee.
The Board is required to process applications for licensure/certification within certain time periods, per R4-19-102.
| Item | Business Days |
|---|---|
| Board Overall Time Frame without Investigation | 150 |
| Board Overall Time Frame with Investigation | 270 |
| Board Administrative Completeness Review Time Frame | 30 |
| Applicant Time to Respond to Deficiency Notice | 270 |
| Board Substantive Review Time Frame without Investigation | 120 |
| Board Substantive Review Time Frame with Investigation | 240 |
| Applicant Time to Respond to Comprehensive Written Request | 150 |
You must disclose criminal charges on your application. If it occurred after you had already submitted your application, you must notify AZBN of criminal charges within 10 days of being charged. For further information visit, Reporting Criminal Charges.
Felony Convictions
According to A.R.S. § 32-1606(B)(17), an applicant for licensure or certification is not eligible if the applicant has any felony convictions and has not received an absolute discharge from the sentences for all felony convictions. The absolute discharge from the sentence for all felony conviction(s) must be received 3 or more years before submitting this application. If you cannot prove that the absolute discharge date is 3 or more years, the Board will notify you that you do not meet the requirements.
A licensee, certificate holder or applicant who legally changes their name must notify the Board in writing within 30 days of the name change. A copy of the official document evidencing the name change must be submitted. Do not send original documents.
Provide documentation to verify license/certificate holder’s previous name (i.e. birth certificate, a social security card, marriage license, divorce decree, High School diploma) and documentation that verifies the licensee/certificate holder’s current name (i.e. divorce decree, driver’s license, social security card, marriage license).
Name and address changes must be made through the Nurse Portal.
The Arizona State Board of Nursing stopped issuing hard copy licenses and certificates as of September 21, 2018. License or certificate information for LPN/RN/APRN can be verified through Nursys.com and CNA/LNA/CMA/LHA can be verified through the License/Certificate Verification Portal.