There are plenty of things that make California a terrific place for nurses to live and work. The state ranks high for public health services and quality of health care delivered. It’s also the state with the highest employment level of registered nurses and the state where registered nurses earn the highest annual mean wages.
In this article, we will cover:
What's your current role?
The California Board of Nursing has assessed the education provided by both two-year and four-year nursing degree programs in the state. Applicants from these programs, as well as those who have graduated from accredited out-of-state programs, are eligible for licensure by examination.
The California Board of Nursing recommends that applicants use the online process to apply for licensure, though nurses can download the application and send it via mail if they prefer.
To apply online, begin by registering for a BreEZe account. Once you have registered, log on to your account, select “RN Initial Exam Application,” then select “Start a New Application or Take an Exam.” The platform provides the ability to pay the required fee of $300 for California nursing program graduates and $350 for out-of-state nursing graduates, as well as to attach required documents to the application.
Applicants who choose to submit a paper application can mail it and their fee to:
Board of Registered Nursing
P.O. Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
Applicants should also register to take the NCLEX-RN exam through Pearson VUE as soon as the Board deems them eligible.
If you graduated from a California nursing program, your transcripts were sent to the Board of Nursing electronically when you completed your program.
If you graduated from an out-of-state nursing program, you must request that your school send your transcripts to the Board of Nursing electronically from a certified third-party electronic transcripts service such as Parchment or National Student Clearinghouse, or directly from your school to [email protected].
All applicants for licensure by examination must submit one set of fingerprints through either Live Scan or on an Applicant Fingerprint Card. The Board of Registered Nursing recommends using Live Scan to shorten the process.
Board of Registered Nursing
PO Box 944210
Sacramento, CA 94244-2100
The fingerprint card process can take 1-2 months.
The NCLEX-RN exam measures your readiness for the responsibilities of nursing. Once you have completed your application for licensure by examination and have provided all the required documentation, the state will notify Pearson VUE and they will email you an Authorization to Test. The NCLEX questions include material on the following topics:
If you pass the NCLEX exam, your status will appear on the BreEZe account. Nurses who do not pass the NCLEX exam are able to retake the exam after 45 days have passed since their previous test-taking date, up to eight times per year. Candidates must pass NCLEX within three years from when they graduated nursing school.
What's your current role?
