How to Verify a Nurse's License

Nursing credential types and what to verify

Nursing credentials vary by education level and practice role. Each has different verification requirements:

• 1
  RN (Registered Nurse) — Holds an ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) or BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) from an accredited program. Passed NCLEX-RN. Licensed by state board of nursing.
• 2
  LPN/LVN (Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse) — Completed a 12–18 month practical nursing program. Passed NCLEX-PN. Licensed by state board. Scope of practice is more limited than RN.
• 3
  NP (Nurse Practitioner) — MSN or DNP with advanced clinical training. Must hold RN license plus NP certification from ANCC, AANP, or specialty body (PNCB, AACN, etc.). Many states require NP-specific prescriptive authority authorization.
• 4
  CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) — MSN or DNAP with anesthesia specialization. Must hold RN license and NBCRNA (National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists) certification. Highest-credential nursing role.
• 5
  CNM (Certified Nurse-Midwife) — MSN with midwifery specialization. AMCB (American Midwifery Certification Board) certification. RN license plus CNM authorization at state level.

Step 1 — Verify the nursing degree and school accreditation

Contact the nursing program's registrar to confirm enrollment, graduation date, and degree type. Simultaneously confirm the program itself was accredited at the time of graduation.

• ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing): acenursing.org — Accredits ADN, BSN, and graduate nursing programs. Most community college and many university programs.
• CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education): aacnnursing.org/CCNE — Accredits BSN, MSN, DNP, and PhD programs. More common at research universities and Magnet hospitals.
• CNEA (Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation): For NLN-affiliated programs. Fewer programs use this pathway.

Step 2 — Verify license via Nursys or state board

Nursys is the most efficient tool for verifying RN and LPN/LVN licenses across participating states. For states not on Nursys, check directly with the state board of nursing.

For all other states, use Nursys or search "[state] board of nursing license verification".

Step 3 — Understand the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

The Nurse Licensure Compact allows RNs and LPNs to practice in any member state on a single multistate license — without obtaining individual state licenses. As of 2024, 41 states participate.

For travel nursing assignments, verify that the nurse's home state compact license or individual state license covers the state of the assignment — before the assignment starts.

Step 4 — Verify NP and CRNA specialty certification

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) must hold specialty certification from a recognized certifying body in addition to their RN license. Verify each separately.

• ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center): nursingworld.org/ancc — Certifies FNPs, PMHNPs, GNPs, and many other NP specialties. Public verification lookup available.
• AANP (American Association of Nurse Practitioners): aanpcert.org — Certifies FNPs and ENPs. The other major FNP pathway alongside ANCC.
• NBCRNA (National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists): nbcrna.com — The only certification body for CRNAs. Searchable public directory. CRNA roles require current NBCRNA certification.
• AMCB (American Midwifery Certification Board): amcbmidwife.org — The sole certification body for CNMs and CMs. Searchable public directory.

Common fraud patterns in nursing credentials

• !
  Fabricated or purchased NCLEX results: Fraudulent candidates sometimes purchase fabricated NCLEX score reports. Always verify NCLEX passage through Nursys or the state board directly — never rely solely on a document provided by the applicant.
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  International diploma mill degrees: Nursing schools in some countries operate outside of recognized accreditation frameworks. For internationally trained nurses, verify that their credentials have been evaluated by CGFNS International (cgfns.org) — the standard credential evaluation pathway for international nursing applicants.
• !
  Expired specialty certifications: ANCC and AANP certifications expire every five years and require ongoing continuing education for renewal. A nurse can be licensed as an RN with an expired NP certification — legally an RN, but not authorized to practice as an NP.
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  Non-compact license presented for compact-eligible practice: Travel nurses sometimes misrepresent single-state licenses as valid for multistate practice. Confirm compact status explicitly via Nursys before placing a nurse across state lines.

Verification checklist