# LPN / LVN license: NCLEX-PN, renewal & lookup

An LPN / LVN license comes from your state board of nursing after you pass the NCLEX-PN. Here is how licensure, renewal, lookup, and the compact work.

- **Author:** MedJobList Team
- **Published:** Jul 24, 2026

## What is an LPN / LVN license?

An LPN / LVN license is a state's legal permission to work as a licensed practical nurse, issued by that state's board of nursing once you pass the NCLEX-PN exam. You cannot work as a practical nurse without one. The board grants the license, sets its renewal rules, and can suspend or revoke it for cause.

This is a license, not a voluntary certificate, so search terms like "LPN certification" usually mean this license. A credential such as BLS or IV therapy is something an employer may ask for on top of the license.

## LPN vs LVN: two names for one license

LPN and LVN are two names for the same license. California and Texas call it a licensed vocational nurse (LVN); every other state calls it a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Both come from a state-approved practical or vocational nursing program and the same NCLEX-PN exam, and both cover the same scope of practice: bedside care, monitoring, and medication under the direction of an RN or physician.

The one thing people confuse more often is LPN versus RN. Those are two different licenses with two different exams.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| LPN / LVN | The entry-level nursing license. Usually about a year of practical or vocational nursing school, then the NCLEX-PN. Practices under an RN or physician. |
| RN | A separate, higher license with its own exam, the NCLEX-RN, and an associate or bachelor's degree behind it. See the [RN license guide](/guides/rn-license) for how that one works. |

## How LPN licensure works: NCLEX-PN and the state board

You get an LPN / LVN license in two steps: graduate from a state-approved practical or vocational nursing program, then pass the NCLEX-PN and apply to a board of nursing. Practical nursing programs usually run about 12 months. The board checks your education, runs a background check, and issues the license after you pass the exam.

The NCLEX-PN is written by the [National Council of State Boards of Nursing](https://www.ncsbn.org/exams.page) (NCSBN) and delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. Registration costs $200, paid to Pearson VUE (NCSBN, 2026). The exam is computer adaptive: it runs from 85 to 150 items over a maximum of 5 hours and stops once the system can score you with confidence. It uses the Next Generation NCLEX format that has been in place since April 2023, and the 2026 NCLEX-PN Test Plan took effect in April 2026. Every US board uses the same passing standard, so a pass counts in any state.

There are two ways to apply. Application by examination is for first-time candidates who still need to sit the NCLEX-PN. Application by endorsement is for LPNs or LVNs who already hold a license in another state and want a second one; you skip the exam and the new board verifies your existing license instead.

## License renewal

Most states renew an LPN / LVN license every 2 years, though the exact cycle and the continuing education tied to it change from state to state. You renew online through your board, pay a renewal fee, and attest that you met the continuing education (CE) rules for the period.

CE is where states differ most. Texas asks LVNs for 20 contact hours of continuing nursing education per 2-year cycle (or a current national certification in your area of practice), plus 2 hours on nursing jurisprudence and ethics every third renewal and a human trafficking prevention course each renewal. California asks LVNs for 30 contact hours per cycle from a board-approved provider, with the first renewal after you pass the exam exempt. Some states set no general CE hours and instead require one-time courses on specific topics. Check your own board's page before each renewal, because the mandatory-topic list changes.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Issuing body | Your state board of nursing (one of 50 states plus DC) |
| Exam | NCLEX-PN, written by NCSBN, delivered at Pearson VUE |
| NCLEX-PN registration | $200, paid to Pearson VUE (2026) |
| Program length | Usually about 12 months of state-approved practical or vocational nursing school |
| Initial license fee | Varies by state |
| Renewal cycle | Every 2 years in most states |
| Continuing education | Varies by state; 0 to about 30 contact hours per cycle |
| Verification | Nursys (nursys.com), run by NCSBN |

## License verification and lookup

You verify an LPN / LVN license through [Nursys](https://www.nursys.com/), the national license database run by NCSBN, or through your own state board's lookup page. Nursys covers both RN and LPN/VN records reported by participating boards, so it is the fastest way to confirm that a practical nurse license is active.

Nursys has two services. QuickConfirm is a free public lookup that employers, recruiters, and anyone else can use to check an LPN's license status and any discipline on record. The Nurse License Verification service is the paid one you use when applying for a license by endorsement in another state; it costs $30 per license type, per board you apply to (Nursys, 2026). If your state board does not report to Nursys, you look the license up on that board's own site instead.

## The Nurse Licensure Compact and multistate practice

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) covers LPNs and LVNs, not just RNs. If your primary residence is in a member state, you can hold one multistate license and practice as a practical nurse in every other compact state without applying for a separate license. It covers both in-person and telehealth practice across member states.

As of 2026, 43 jurisdictions have enacted the NLC and about 41 are actively issuing multistate licenses (nursecompact.com). A multistate license is tied to your primary state of residence, not to where you work. If you move your legal residence to another compact state, you apply for a new multistate license there and your old one is retired. Several large states, including California, New York, and Illinois, are not compact members, so an LPN who lives there holds a single-state license and applies by endorsement for any other state.

Note that a compact license lets you practice at the LPN / LVN level. It does not upgrade you to an RN in another state; that is a separate license entirely.

## How requirements differ by state

The LPN / LVN license is a state credential, so the fee, renewal cycle, CE hours, and any extra required courses change when you cross a state line. The NCLEX-PN and its passing standard are national, but almost everything else about the license is set locally.

Practical differences you will run into: the initial license fee varies by state; renewal is usually every 2 years but the CE attached to it ranges from none to about 30 contact hours per cycle; and states add their own mandatory topics, such as jurisprudence, child abuse recognition, or human trafficking prevention. Whether the license is called LPN or LVN is itself a state fact, and so is compact membership. Your board of nursing is the source of truth for your state, and NCSBN links to all of them.

## Demand for LPN / LVN licenses on MedJobList

An LPN / LVN license is named in 543 of the active US openings we track right now. [Licensed practical nurse](/licensed-practical-nurse-jobs) roles cluster in skilled nursing, long-term care, home health, and clinics, and almost all of them want an active license before your first shift.

The license is also the usual first step toward becoming an RN. Many LPNs move up to registered nurse through an LPN-to-RN bridge program, which ends in a different, higher license and its own exam, the NCLEX-RN. If that is your plan, the [RN license guide](/guides/rn-license) covers the step after this one.

## Moving, reinstating, and keeping the license active

Two situations come up often after you are licensed: moving states and letting a license lapse. If you move to a non-compact state, you apply by endorsement and the new board verifies your existing license through Nursys, usually without re-taking the NCLEX-PN. If you move your residence between compact states, you switch your multistate license to the new home state.

If a license lapses, you reinstate it through the board that issued it, which typically means paying a reinstatement fee and clearing any back CE. Employers verify your status through Nursys at hire and sometimes re-check it at renewal, so a lapsed license shows up quickly. Renewing on time is cheaper and simpler than reinstating a delinquent one.

## FAQ

### How do I get an LPN license?

Graduate from a state-approved practical or vocational nursing program, which usually takes about 12 months, then pass the NCLEX-PN and apply to your state board of nursing. The board runs a background check and issues the license once you pass. First-time candidates apply by examination; nurses already licensed elsewhere apply by endorsement and skip the exam.

### Is an LPN the same as an LVN?

Yes. LPN and LVN are two names for the same license. California and Texas call it a licensed vocational nurse (LVN); every other state calls it a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Both require a state-approved program and the same NCLEX-PN exam, and both cover the same scope of practice.

### How much does the NCLEX-PN cost?

The NCLEX-PN registration is $200, paid to Pearson VUE and set by NCSBN (2026). On top of that, your state charges a separate application or license fee that varies by state. All NCLEX fees are non-refundable.

### How often do you renew an LPN license?

Most states renew an LPN or LVN license every 2 years. You renew online through your board, pay a renewal fee, and confirm you met that state's continuing education rules. The CE hours vary by state, from none to about 30 contact hours per cycle, so check your own board's page.

### How do I look up or verify an LPN license?

Use Nursys QuickConfirm at nursys.com, the free public lookup run by NCSBN, or your state board's own verification page. QuickConfirm shows an LPN's license status and any discipline on record. For an endorsement application, the paid Nurse License Verification service costs $30 per license type, per board.

### Can an LPN work in another state?

If you hold a multistate license through the Nurse Licensure Compact and live in a compact state, you can practice as an LPN or LVN in the other compact states. If you have a single-state license or move to a non-compact state, apply for that state's license by endorsement, which verifies your existing license without re-taking the NCLEX-PN.

Source: https://medjoblist.com/guides/lpn-license