Verify a North Dakota Nurse—or Clear the December 31 Renewal Checkpoint
North Dakota renewal is more than paying a fee. Before renewing, a nurse may need 400 hours of recent nursing practice, 12 continuing-education hours and accurate portal information. An APRN with prescriptive authority has a separate pharmacotherapy requirement.
This guide explains how to verify a license, identify whether it expires December 31, 2026, meet practice and CE requirements, renew through the Nurse Portal, track an application, use a temporary permit and avoid the much higher late-renewal or reactivation fees.
Open the official Verification Portal and confirm the exact license number, status and expiration date. Only nurses whose record expires December 31, 2026 need the regular 2026 renewal transaction.
Verify a license
Check active, inactive, temporary and permanent North Dakota nursing credentials.
Renew an active license
Use the portal when the renewal link appears beside a license expiring in 2026.
Check application status
View outstanding documents, Board messages and temporary-permit information.
Verify a nursing program
Check Board-approved LPN, RN and advanced-practice programs in North Dakota.
Apply by endorsement
Prepare a transcript, formal verifications, practice evidence and background check.
North Dakota nursing-license facts that determine your next step
Do not assume every active nurse renews in 2026. North Dakota nursing licenses expire December 31, but the expiration year depends on the individual license record.
All applications are online
Initial applications, renewals and reactivations must be submitted through the Nurse Portal. Paper applications are no longer accepted.
Status updates are not instant
Allow three to five business days for a renewed expiration date to display on the Verification Portal.
CE cannot carry forward
Extra contact hours from a previous reporting period cannot satisfy a future renewal period.
Prescriptive APRN rule
An APRN with prescriptive authority needs 15 pharmacotherapy contact hours during the previous two years.
Late CE becomes expensive
CE completed after December 31 can be assessed at $50 for each contact hour completed late.
No hard-copy license is mailed
View or print license information through the Verification Portal after approval.
How to verify a North Dakota nursing license
The public Verification Portal displays licenses, registrations, temporary permits and work authorizations issued by the North Dakota Board of Nursing.
Open the official Verification Portal
Use the Board-hosted lookup rather than an unofficial nursing directory.
Open Official VerificationSearch by license number when possible
A complete number helps avoid selecting another nurse with a similar name.
Match the exact credential
Distinguish LPN, RN, APRN, specialty practice, temporary permit and work authorization records.
Read status and expiration together
A license with a past expiration date or inactive status does not authorize current nursing practice.
Check temporary credentials carefully
Temporary identifiers may begin with P, T or Temp and have their own expiration dates and limitations.
Print the dated result
Employers should retain the official source, date checked, credential and current status.
| Lookup field | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name | Match the person and consider a previous surname. | Similar names can produce the wrong result. |
| License type | LPN, RN, APRN or specialty-practice credential. | One nurse may hold multiple Board records. |
| Status | Active, inactive, temporary, lapsed or another status. | Only the live status proves current authority. |
| Expiration | December 31 and the correct year. | The renewal year varies by individual record. |
| Temporary permit | Permit issue date, expiration and single-state limitation. | A permit is not the same as permanent or multistate licensure. |
| Discipline | Public restrictions or Board action where displayed. | The complete record may include practice conditions. |
After an active-license renewal, allow three to five business days before expecting the new expiration date to appear. Weekends and holidays do not count as business days.
No result or unexpected status?
Renew a North Dakota nursing license expiring in 2026
Use this route only when the Verification Portal shows an expiration date of December 31, 2026. The live Nurse Portal controls when the renewal link becomes available.
Do not rely on an old renewal-opening announcement from a previous cycle. Sign in to Nurse Portal and use the renewal link displayed beside the current license.
Verify the expiration year
Confirm that the active credential expires December 31, 2026.
Check ExpirationConfirm the 400-hour practice requirement
Count qualifying nursing-practice hours during the previous four years unless an official exception applies.
Complete CE before renewal
Most renewing nurses need 12 approved contact hours during the previous two years.
Review CE RulesSign in to Nurse Portal
Create or confirm the account and click the renewal link beside the active license.
Open Nurse PortalType information instead of using autofill
The Board warns that browser autofill can enter inaccurate demographic or application information.
Pay, save the receipt and verify again
Allow three to five business days, then confirm the updated expiration in the public portal.
Practice hours
Previous four years.
Standard CE
Previous two years.
APRN pharmacotherapy
Previous two years.
Portal update
Business days after renewal.
Complete all required CE before attesting on the renewal application. The Board does not grant an extension simply because the education was not completed by the deadline.
North Dakota’s 400-hour practice and 12-hour CE rules
Renewal requires both recent competency and continuing education unless a specific exception applies. Hours from another regulated profession cannot be counted as nursing-practice hours.
| Requirement | Official standard | Important exception or warning |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing practice | At least 400 hours during the previous four years. | Hours from another regulated profession do not count. |
| Recent nursing graduate | Graduation from an undergraduate or graduate nursing program within four years may satisfy the practice route. | Keep official graduation evidence. |
| Refresher course | A refresher completed within the preceding year may support renewal without 400 practice hours. | The course must meet Board requirements. |
| Standard CE | 12 contact hours during the previous two years. | Extra hours do not carry into the next period. |
| First exam-based renewal | Additional CE is not required for the first renewal after initial licensure by examination. | The nurse must make the correct attestation on the form. |
| First endorsement renewal | The 12-hour CE requirement still applies. | Endorsement is not covered by the first-exam-license exemption. |
| APRN with prescriptive authority | 15 pharmacotherapy contact hours during the previous two years. | These hours also satisfy the RN renewal CE requirement. |
CE documentation rules
Generally acceptable topics
Nursing practice, ethical and legal issues, quality assurance, regulation and qualifying academic nursing coursework.
Basic CPR and BLS do not count
Basic Life Support, CPR, routine orientation, unapproved self-study and repeated identical content are not accepted.
UpToDate is not pharmacology proof
UpToDate activity certificates do not satisfy the APRN pharmacotherapy-specific CE requirement.
CE Broker and other third-party tracking services are optional. North Dakota now manages CE audits through its internal licensing system.
North Dakota renewal, late-renewal and reactivation fees
Late-renewal amounts are generally double the active renewal fee. Reactivation applies after a license has lapsed and is different from late renewal.
| Credential | Active renewal | Late renewal | Reactivation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPN | $130 | $260 | $210 |
| RN | $140 | $280 | $220 |
| Specialty Practice RN | $220 | $440 | $300 |
| APRN | $220 | $440 | $300 |
| APRN with prescriptive authority | $295 | $590 | $375 |
| APRN license only with compact RN | $80 | $160 | $160 |
| APRN with RX authority only and compact RN | $155 | $310 | $235 |
| Specialty Practice license only with compact RN | $80 | $160 | $160 |
Continuing education completed after December 31 in the renewal year may be assessed at $50 per late contact hour. Completing all 12 hours late could produce a $600 CE penalty before other consequences.
Late renewal versus reactivation
North Dakota provides a late-renewal transaction during January following license expiration. A license that is no longer eligible for late renewal requires reactivation.
| Situation | Correct route | Critical warning |
|---|---|---|
| Renewing before December 31 | Active-license renewal. | Submit early enough for status processing. |
| January after expiration | Late-renewal application where available. | The late fee is generally twice the regular fee. |
| Practice occurred after expiration | Contact the Board and disclose accurately. | Additional fees or disciplinary consequences may apply. |
| License is lapsed | Reactivation. | Renewal and reactivation are not interchangeable. |
| Practice or CE cannot be proven | Possible limited-license or refresher route. | Board review is required before practice. |
Do not practise merely because a late-renewal application is available. Confirm current legal authority in the Verification Portal and follow any employer credentialing restrictions.
Check a North Dakota nursing application
The Nurse Portal shows application progress, outstanding items, receipts, Board messages, temporary permits and previously held credentials.
Sign in to the original Nurse Portal account
Use the same personal email and account used to submit the application.
Open Nurse PortalOpen the submitted application
Review the progress indicator and every outstanding requirement.
Read portal messages before sending email
The Board sends correspondence about missing items, permits and license issuance through the portal.
Confirm who must send the document
Official transcripts and formal license verifications must come through an approved source.
Allow processing time
Allow five to ten business days for processing of received items and Board responses.
| Outstanding item | What it means | Best next action |
|---|---|---|
| Official transcript | The school-issued transcript has not been received or matched. | Ask the school or approved transcript service to confirm delivery. |
| Initial-license verification | Formal verification from the original examination state is incomplete. | Order Nursys verification or contact the issuing board. |
| Active-license verification | The Board has not verified at least one current license. | Confirm the active state and formal verification route. |
| CHRC | Fingerprint or criminal-history processing remains incomplete. | Follow the North Dakota Attorney General payment and fingerprint instructions. |
| Practice requirement | The application lacks evidence of 400 hours, recent graduation or refresher completion. | Use the route that applies to the applicant’s history. |
| Board review | A legal, disciplinary, education or eligibility answer needs evaluation. | Submit only the explanation and documents requested. |
“I submitted a North Dakota _____ application on _____. My portal still shows _____ as outstanding. The document was sent by _____ on _____ through _____. Please confirm whether it has been received and matched, or identify the exact additional requirement.”
Avoid sending the same inquiry to multiple departments. The Board asks applicants to use portal correspondence so messages can be routed to the correct licensing team.
North Dakota licensure by endorsement
Endorsement applicants must use Nurse Portal and satisfy education, verification, practice, residence and criminal-history requirements.
Create or sign in to Nurse Portal
Select the initial RN or LPN endorsement application matching the applicant’s education route.
Order the official nursing transcript
The transcript must come directly from the school or an approved transcript service. Applicant copies, faxes and ordinary emailed copies are not accepted.
Verify two licensing facts
North Dakota requires verification of the initial license by examination and at least one active nursing license.
Open NursysMeet the practice route
Document 400 hours during the previous four years, recent nursing-program completion or an approved refresher course.
Complete the criminal-history record check
Follow the Board’s CHRC form, fingerprint-card and North Dakota Attorney General payment instructions.
Monitor temporary and permanent status
Check both Nurse Portal and the public Verification Portal until permanent licensure is issued.
Temporary permit
An eligible endorsement applicant may receive a nonrenewable 90-day temporary permit without an additional application or fee.
Typical permit timing
A permit is commonly issued within three to five working days after the application, fee and required transcript or verification arrive.
Incomplete file
An incomplete endorsement application remains active for one year from initial receipt.
Temporary permits are single-state only, cannot be extended and cannot be used as license verification when applying to another state.
North Dakota license, multistate privilege or Nursys verification?
| Your task | Correct route | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Check a North Dakota license | NDBON Verification Portal. | Shows current Board-issued licenses, permits and registrations. |
| Check multistate authority | Nursys QuickConfirm. | Shows compact status and practice privileges. |
| Send North Dakota verification elsewhere | Nursys License Verification. | Other nursing boards obtain formal North Dakota verification through Nursys. |
| Work temporarily in North Dakota | Existing home-state multistate license. | An eligible nurse from another compact state may not need a separate North Dakota license. |
| Make North Dakota the permanent home state | North Dakota endorsement and PSOR evidence. | The multistate license must come from the nurse’s primary state of residence. |
| Practise as an APRN | North Dakota APRN licensure. | RN compact authority does not independently grant APRN authority. |
An eligible North Dakota resident can receive a multistate RN or LPN license without a separate compact application or additional compact fee.
North Dakota APRN renewal and prescriptive-authority rules
APRN renewal must be coordinated with RN authority, national certification and prescriptive-authority education where applicable.
Maintain RN authority
The APRN must hold North Dakota RN authority or an eligible multistate RN license from another compact home state.
Certification must remain current
The APRN must maintain current national certification in the approved role and population focus.
Pharmacotherapy education
Prescriptive-authority renewal requires 15 pharmacotherapy contact hours related to the APRN’s scope of practice.
Certificates must itemize pharmacology
A general CE total without clearly identified pharmacology hours may not prove compliance.
Initial APRN temporary permit
A nonrenewable 90-day temporary permit without prescriptive authority may be issued after director review.
APRN and RN dates align
Initial final APRN licensure is issued with the same expiration date as the supporting RN license.
When required national certification expires, the APRN no longer meets North Dakota licensure requirements. Do not continue advanced-practice work merely because an old state record remains visible.
Check a North Dakota nursing program
All prelicensure nursing programs operating in North Dakota must receive Board approval. State approval and national nursing accreditation are separate checks.
Open the official approved-program list
Use the current Board page rather than relying only on a school advertisement.
Open Approved ProgramsMatch the exact institution and pathway
Confirm whether the program prepares students for LPN, associate RN, baccalaureate RN or advanced-practice licensure.
Read the approval dates
Check the current approval period and whether the program has initial or full approval.
Verify accreditation separately
Look for institutional accreditation and any ACEN, CCNE or CNEA nursing accreditation listed.
Confirm total cost and licensing outcome
Obtain tuition, fees, clinical costs, transfer rules and NCLEX eligibility in writing.
North Dakota Board of Nursing phone, email and address
Use the department-specific email whenever possible. Include the license or application type, submission date and exact outstanding item.
General Board inquiries and main office contact.
Use when no specialized department applies.
Use only when the relevant instructions permit fax submission.
Renewal, late-renewal and reactivation questions.
Phone: (701) 400-0483.
Phone: (701) 400-7386.
Phone: (701) 954-0975.
Phone: (701) 400-0483.
Questions involving nursing lists and formal verification orders.
“I am contacting NDBON about my _____ license or application. My reference or license number is _____. I submitted _____ on _____. The portal currently shows _____. Please identify the exact remaining requirement and whether it must come directly from the issuing organization.”
Office address
North Dakota Board of Nursing
919 South 7th Street, Suite 504
Bismarck, ND 58504
Office hours
Monday–Thursday: 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Central
Friday: 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Central
Office visits: 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Call before travelling. An in-person visit does not guarantee same-day renewal, application approval, document matching or license issuance.
North Dakota Board of Nursing FAQ
How do I verify a North Dakota nursing license?
Open the official NDBON Verification Portal, search by license number or name, match the correct credential and review its status and expiration date.
When do North Dakota nursing licenses expire?
North Dakota nursing licenses expire December 31. Check the individual record to determine the correct expiration year.
Who needs to renew in 2026?
A nurse whose Verification Portal record shows an expiration date of December 31, 2026 needs the regular 2026 renewal transaction.
How many practice hours are required?
Most renewing nurses need at least 400 hours of nursing practice during the previous four years unless a recent-graduate or refresher-course exception applies.
How many CE hours are required?
Most renewing nurses need 12 approved contact hours completed during the previous two years.
Does a first-time nurse need CE for the first renewal?
A nurse initially licensed by examination does not need additional CE before the first renewal. A nurse initially licensed by endorsement must meet the 12-hour requirement.
How many pharmacotherapy hours does a prescriptive APRN need?
An APRN with prescriptive authority needs 15 pharmacotherapy contact hours related to the scope of practice during the previous two years.
How much is North Dakota RN renewal?
The active RN renewal fee is $140. The published RN late-renewal fee is $280, and RN reactivation is $220.
How much is North Dakota LPN renewal?
The active LPN renewal fee is $130. The published LPN late-renewal fee is $260, and LPN reactivation is $210.
How long does a renewal update take?
Allow three to five business days for the updated expiration date to display in the Verification Portal.
Does North Dakota mail a paper nursing license?
No. The Board does not mail hard-copy licenses. View and print the license information through the Verification Portal.
How do I check an endorsement application?
Sign in to Nurse Portal to view application status, outstanding items, Board messages and temporary-permit information.
How long is a North Dakota temporary endorsement permit?
An eligible temporary endorsement permit is nonrenewable and valid for 90 days. It is single-state only.
How long does an incomplete endorsement application stay active?
An incomplete North Dakota endorsement application remains active for one year from the date it was initially received.
Does North Dakota belong to the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes. Eligible North Dakota residents can receive multistate RN or LPN authority when they meet compact requirements.
What is the North Dakota Board of Nursing phone number?
The main North Dakota Board of Nursing phone number is (701) 751-3000.
North Dakota Board of Nursing pages used for this guide
Renewal availability, application instructions and fees can change. Recheck the relevant official page before submitting an application, payment or sensitive document.
For employers and public users
Use the live NDBON Verification Portal or Nursys, match the exact nurse and credential, review status, expiration, temporary authority and discipline, and retain the dated verification.
For applicants and licensees
Use Nurse Portal for applications, renewal, reactivation, receipts, messages and profile updates. This independent guide cannot access or modify private licensing records.