Notice to Nurses and Employers - Licensure Renewal

March 8, 2021
Category

A.R.S. § 32-1642
A. Except as provided in section 32-4301, a registered and practical nurse licensee shall renew the license every four years on or before April 1. If a licensee does not renew the license on or before May 1, the licensee shall pay an additional fee for late renewal as prescribed in section 32-1643. If a licensee does not renew the license on or before August 1, the license expires. It is a violation of this chapter for a person to practice nursing with an expired license.

R4-19-305
C. A licensee who fails to submit a renewal application before expiration of a license shall not practice nursing until the Board issues a renewal license.

Interpretation:
To continue to practice nursing a nurse is to renew his/her license before April 1 in the year in which their license expires. Nurses who renew their licenses before April 2 (by April 1) deadline may continue to practice nursing while awaiting the issuance of a new license by the Board. Credit card statements or verification that your application was received by the Board may be presented to an employer who requests proof that the license was renewed. If a licensee does not renew the license on or before May 1, the licensee shall pay an additional fee for late renewal but may continue to work until his/her license expires or licensed is renewed. The late fee is $50 a month for the nurse who works any number of days in May, June, or July. If a nurse fails to renew before August 1 of the year the license expires, the nurse shall not practice nursing after August 1 until the Board issues a renewal license. An administrative penalty is issued if a nurse works on an expired license.

Nurses will be able to verify their renewal application status at any time via their Nurse Portal account. When the license has been renewed, the information will be updated within their Nurse Portal immediately, and will be updated on Nursys.com by the following day. The Nursys.com Quick Confirm is the Board’s primary source of verification for license/credential status. We no longer issue paper copies of licenses.