Louisiana Nursing License Renewal: 3 Steps
Louisiana nursing license renewal is a mandatory process for nurses providing care to communities across the state. To continue practicing legally, CNAs, LPNs, RNs, and APRNs must meet renewal requirements set by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), including completing continuing education and submitting renewal applications before the deadline.
If you’re a CNA, APRN, LPN, or RN in Louisiana looking for a straightforward breakdown of the steps required to renew your Louisiana nursing license, this is your roadmap to keeping your hard-earned license active and continue practicing without interruption.
Louisiana Nursing Facts
Is Louisiana part of the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC)? Yes. You can find detailed information about state laws and regulations governing nursing practice in the Louisiana Nurse Practice Act.
How much do nurses in Louisiana earn?
- The average CNA salary in Louisiana is $31,700 per year.
- The average LPN salary in Louisiana is $54,610 per year.
- The average RN salary in Louisiana is $84,110 per year.
- The average NP salary in Louisiana is $124,850 per year.
How can I contact the Louisiana Board of Nursing?
Louisiana State Board of Nursing Contact Number: 225-755-7500
Board Administration Number: 225-755-7584
Website: https://www.lsbn.state.la.us/
Louisiana State Board of Nursing Mailing Address:
17373 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Louisiana Nursing License Renewal: 3 Steps
In Louisiana, nursing licenses are regulated by three separate state organizations, depending on license type. Refer to the appropriate authority below for your specific credential:
- Certified nurse aides (CNAs):Louisiana Department of Health CNA Registry
- Licensed practical nurses (LPNs):Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners
- Registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs):Louisiana State Board of Nursing
If you hold an RN license from another state, you must apply for licensure by endorsement to transfer your license to Louisiana. LPNs can obtain endorsement through the Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners. CNAs can refer to this guide to see how their credential can be transferred to Louisiana through a reciprocity process.
Step 1: Determine Your Renewal Deadline
Before you begin the renewal process, it’s important to know when your license expires and what the renewal requirements are for your specific credential in Louisiana:
CNAs
Your CNA credential is valid for two years. If you’ve worked during that time, your certification will renew automatically at midnight on the expiration date, as long as you submit your work history before your current certification ends. You can check your renewal dates and status using the Louisiana CNA Registry.
If you haven’t met the work requirements, you can still apply for recertification by taking the competency test.
LPNs, RNs, and APRNs
LPNs, RNs, and APRNs in Louisiana must renew their licenses every two years within specific renewal windows:
- LPNs: November 1 through January 31
- RNs and APRNs: October 1 through December 31
LPNs and RNs can verify their renewal dates using the Nursys system. APRNs can check their license status and renewal information on the Louisiana State Board of Nursing license lookup page.
Step 2: Satisfy Continuing Education Requirements
Once you know your renewal deadline, the next step is to meet the continuing education or practice requirements that apply to your license type. Check out the Louisiana nursing license renewal requirements that correspond with your credentials:
- CNA: You must have worked at least 8 hours in the past two years performing nursing or nurse-related duties in an approved setting. Work done as private duty sitting or through staffing agencies does not count toward this requirement.
- LPN: Currently, there are no continuing education requirements listed on the official website for renewing your license.
- RN: You must complete a minimum of 30 continuing competency hours or 900 hours of clinical practice within your renewal period. However, if you received your license in the past year or hold a current specialty certification approved by the Board, you may be exempt from the standard requirements for that renewal cycle.
- APRN: You must renew your RN license. If you have prescriptive authority, you must also complete 6 contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics each year (12 hours total per renewal cycle), focused on your advanced practice role and population focus.
Looking for contact hours? IntelyEdu offers quality professional development courses that are approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Step 3: File Your License Renewal Application
Once you’ve confirmed your renewal deadline and satisfied any continuing education or practice requirements, the final step is to file your Louisiana State Board of Nursing license renewal online. The process and deadlines vary by license type.
LPNs
You’ll receive an email at the start of your renewal period. Follow the link to log in to the Louisiana-PN Nurse Portal, complete the application steps, and pay the renewal fee. Standard renewal is $61.08; renewing a lapsed license is $162.88.
RNs
You’ll renew your license through the LA State Board of Nursing online portal. Submit any required documentation, including proof of continuing education or clinical practice hours, and pay the renewal fee of $100.
APRNs
You’ll renew your APRN license at the same time as your RN license and through the same online system. The fee to renew the prescriptive authority is $100.
Great Areas in Louisiana for Nursing Jobs
From the French Quarter to rural bayou regions, licensed nurses support the health of more than 4.5 million people residing in the Bayou State. Search for jobs by your license type:
Want to search by location? Here’s a look at current job openings in the state’s most populous cities:
These Employers Are Hiring Nurses in Louisiana
Prefer to browse by facility? Here are the latest nursing positions available at top Louisiana healthcare organizations:
- Always Best Care
- Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
- Lake Charles Memorial Health
- LCMC Health
- Ochsner Health
- Opelousas General Health System
- Rapides Regional Medical Center
- SouthStar Urgent Care
- St. Tammany Health System
- Willis Knighton Health
Find Great Nursing Jobs in Louisiana
Once you’ve finished your Louisiana nursing license renewal, it’s a great time to update your resume and explore exciting nursing opportunities across the Bayou State.
Latest Jobs
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