Application by Examination

There are two types of applications to be completed (the NCLEX Candidate Bulletin and the Indiana licensure application). Both the Indiana licensure application and the NCLEX registration process must be completed before eligibility to take the examination can be granted by the Indiana State Board of Nursing.

1. State Application: Applications may be submitted online at MyLicense.IN.gov or completed by paper and mailed to our office (Foreign graduates see section below). Applicants may request a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) license during the application process.  If you have ever held a license as a nurse previously in Indiana, and are applying again for the same license type, please contact our office at (317) 234-2043 or by email at pla2@pla.in.gov to inquire about reactivating your previous license.
2. Application Fee of $50.00: Pay by credit or debit card for applications submitted online at MyLicense.IN.gov. If applying by paper/mail make checks or money orders payable to Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. If a NLC license is requested on the application, there is an additional $25.00 fee. All application fees are nonrefundable.
3. Name Change Documentation: Documentation of any legal name change if your name differs from that on any of your documents. Documentation may include a copy of your marriage certificate or divorce decree.
4. Positive Response Documentation: If you answer "Yes" to any disciplinary/background questions on the application, explain fully in a statement that includes all details. Include the violation, location, date and disposition. Submit copies of court documents for each instance to support the statement. If malpractice, provide the name(s) of the plaintiff(s).
5. Education: High school information will need to be entered on the application as well as the nursing program information. If you have not completed high school a copy of your GED scores must accompany the application. (Foreign graduates see additional information below)
6. Criminal Background Check: If you submit a paper application, a confirmation email advising you to do your criminal background check will be sent to the email address supplied on the application. If the application is submitted online, you may start your criminal background check process after the receipt screen appears after submitting your online application and payment. Applicants who complete a criminal background check prior to their application being received will be required to complete another criminal background check.
7. Verification of Licensure: We must receive verification from every state, territory, and country that you hold or have held a license in a health profession. (Foreign graduates see additional information below)
   1. States that participate in NURSYS are as follows: AL, AR, CO, DE, DC, FL, ID, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MN, MS, MO, MT, NB, NH, NJ, NM, NC, ND, OH, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV-PN only, WI and WY. You can register online at http://www.nursys.com/.
   2. Jurisdictions not using the NURSYS program need to be sent a Verification of State Licensure form. They should return this form back to the Indiana Board of Nursing or submit their own form including all requested information. Please check with each state and territory to see if there is a fee for this service. Verification needs to be sent from every state and territory that you hold or have ever held a nursing license.
   3. You must also provide verification of all health related licenses and certificates you hold of have held, including but not limited to CNA licenses, EMT certifications, etc.
8. Certificate of Completion/Transcripts from Nursing Program: This certificate of completion must be completed by the Dean, Director, or Designee of the domestic program of nursing with an original signature and received at the Board's address before you can be declared eligible to take the examination. This form must be provided directly from the program of nursing. The Board will not accept a certificate of completion form provided by parties other than the nursing program's Dean, Director, or Designee. If the program was completed more than 6 months before the application submission, transcripts may be sent directly to us from the nursing program showing the degree and date of graduation.

All documents being sent to our office from a direct source should be mailed to:
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
Attn: Nursing Board
402 West Washington Street
Room W072
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Foreign Nursing School Graduates: apply online or submit the paper application, items 1-7 above, and the following:

1. High School/Secondary School Transcript: Submit an official or notarized copy of your high school or secondary school transcripts, verifying proof of graduation from the school to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (included in the CFGNS Certification Program)..
2. Nursing School Transcripts: An evaluation of the education is required for the Certification program through CGFNS. Transcripts as part of an evaluation sent directly from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools will be accepted.
3. Verification of Licensure: Graduates of foreign nursing schools must be licensed in the territory or country in which they graduated. We must receive official verification of your nursing license from the territory or country you graduated in (included in the CFGNS Certification Program).
4. CGFNS Examination: Evidence must be provided that a candidate has taken and passed the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) examination that is part of the Certification Program directly from the CGFNS to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. Those candidates who are equivalent to education as a RN in the United States are not eligible to become licensed as a LPN in Indiana. Pursuant to 848 IAC 1-1-6, foreign candidates seeking licensure as an LPN by examination in Indiana must show evidence of having passed the examination prepared by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools
3600 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651
(215) 222-8454
http://www.cgfns.org/

NCLEX Application & Registration: The NCLEX application and registration process must be completed according to the instructions in the NCLEX Candidate Bulletin. The NCLEX bulletin may only be accessed at http://www.ncsbn.org/. You may register by mail, telephone (1-866-496-2539), or internet at http://www.ncsbn.org/. The current fee for the NCLEX is $200.00 payable to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in the form of a certified check, cashier's check or money order.

1. Special Accommodations: Candidates who require special accommodations or a modification of the normal examination procedures must notify the Board in writing when the application is filed and state the modification being requested. A letter from an appropriate health professional confirming the diagnosis of the disability of condition must also be submitted with the application, as well as a letter from the nursing program stating accommodations made by the program, if any. Candidates will be notified of the arrangements made by the Board.
2. Notification of Exam Results: The processing of examination results takes at least three (3) weeks to complete from the date the candidate was administered the examination. Successful candidates who have met all the other application requirements for licensure will receive an email from the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency with a license number. Unsuccessful candidates will receive a notification letter and an application to retake the examination. Examination results are not given out via telephone. New licenses can be verified on the internet at http://www.in.gov/pla. Please allow at least 4 weeks before you call regarding the status of your application for examination.

"Official" means the document must be the original document or a notarized copy provided directly from another state board of nursing or the awarding entity.

1. If your original state of licensure has an official copy of your nursing school transcripts and/or high school diploma or equivalent, you may request that state forward a certified copy to this office.
2. All documents must be accompanied with an official translation if not in English. The Board will accept as "official translations" only those translations coming from the consulate or embassy of the country in which the nursing school is located, or those provided as part of a credentials evaluation service or certification program as provided by CGFNS.

All applications not completed within one year will be considered abandoned and a new application and fee will need to be submitted.