Registered Nurse Certification in Oklahoma helps nurses enhance their capabilities and skills for providing better health care facilities to the patients. The license is issued by the Oklahoma Board of Nursing, which aims at protecting and safeguarding the health and welfare of the residents of the state.
Requirements for acquiring RN Licensure in Oklahoma (OK)
1. Examination
The requirements for acquiring RN licensure by examination are:
- Minimum age of 18 years.
- Provide verification of legal citizenship.
- Successfully completed graduation from a government approved nursing education program of registered nursing.
- Passed the licensure exam, NCLEX-RN.
- Provide fingerprints for criminal background check.
- Provide Social Security Number (SSN) on the application form.
- Submit 2”x2” size photograph with the following specifications-
- Sign and provide date in the border at the bottom, side, or at the top of the photographNote: Do not sign across the face.
- The photograph must have neutral background without shadows.
- Black and white color. Semi-matte or glossy finish.
- Should have full face view without glasses. Your eyes must be clearly visible in the photograph.
- Do not provide pictures clicked by personal camera snapshots, booth-type, or photocopies of photos.
- After completing graduation, ask your nursing school to submit an official transcript. Out of state candidates must include in their transcripts- course descriptions of their nursing program and related courses for evaluation.
2. Endorsement
The requirements for RN licensure by examination are:
- For applicants graduated in the United States
- The requirements (from I-VII) are same as the above mentioned requirements for licensure by examination.
- Provide verification of your licensure including the licensure status, completion of the licensing examination, and graduation from an approved nursing program and degree received, from the state in which you were initially licensed. Request your nursing school to send an official transcript to the Oklahoma Board office.
- Submit evidence of completion of continuing education requirements by providing receipt of completion of any ONE of the following-
- Submit a certificate or an official transcript verifying the completion of a Board approved refresher course for nurses.
- Proof of having successfully cleared the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse) exam.
- Submit an official transcript verifying the completion of at least 105 contact hours or 6 academic semester credit hours of nursing courses including clinical instruction and classroom classes.
- Provide an “Employment Verification Form” including the job description, as a verification of holding a licensure in another state, or employment position which requires nursing licensure verifying minimum of 520 working hours within the past 2 years. Submit this form directly to the Board.
- For applicants graduated outside the United States:In addition to the above mentioned requirements (Refer Requirements of RN license by Endorsement for applicants graduated in the United States) the applicants must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:
- Provide verification of successfully passing any one of the following English language competence with the minimum passing scores:
- TOEFL-iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language)-Speaking: 26
Total: 83
- TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication)-Listening and Reading: 725
Speaking and Writing: 140
- IELTS (International English Language Testing System)-Academic format: 6.5
Spoken band: 7.0You do not need to fulfill this requirement, if: - You have completed your graduation from Australia, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), Jamaica, Ireland, Tobago, New Zealand, Trinidad, South Africa, or the United Kingdom.
- You presently hold a license in another U.S. state or territory and have passed the Board approved licensure examination and have a minimum of 1 year full-time work experience in a clinical setting, at the same level of licensure you are applying for.
- TOEFL-iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language)-Speaking: 26
- Provide CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) Certificate or Visa Screen Certificate. If you already hold this certificate, you may request CGFNS to forward a copy of this certificate. If you do not have this certificate, contact CGFNS to apply for a Credentials Evaluation Service Professional Report or Health Profession and Science Course-by-Course Report.
Procedure to Obtain RN License by Examination
The step by step procedure to gain an RN license is:
Step 1:
Before completing the application for licensure by examination, you will need to register yourself with the Pearson VUE to take the NCLEX exam.
Use the following link to complete the NCLEX-RN registration:
Step 2:
Complete the application form using any of the following methods:
- Online at – https://www.ok.gov/nursing/licensing/app/nursing_login.php
Note: An additional fee of $3.50 will be charged as an online processing fee.
- By mail – You may request a paper copy by submitting a written application to the Board. You need to include a $1.06 postage cost (postage-paid) 8 ½ x 11 inch envelope for the Board staff to return the application form.
Step 3:
Submit an appropriate fee of $85 in the form of electronic fund transfer – VISA or MasterCard (while applying online), or by money order, cashier’s check, or certified check (while using paper application) made payable to the “Oklahoma Board of Nursing”.
Step 4:
You may read the instructions for licensure by examination using the below link.
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/rnlpnnclex07.pdf
Step 5:
If you submit an online application, an email confirmation and links to the additional forms will be received, that needs to be submitted back to the Board, in order to complete your application file.
Step 6:
After receiving the application and all required documentation in the Board office, the application will be reviewed, and processed. Upon completion of the process, the Board will notify the Pearson VUE, making you eligible to take the test.
Step 7:
The Pearson VUE will send you an ATT (Authorization to Test).
Step 8:
Upon receiving the ATT, schedule an appointment, immediately, within 90 days and take the exam.
Procedure to Obtain RN License by Endorsement
The step by step procedure to gain an RN license is:
- For applicants graduated in the United States
Step 1:
Temporary license: For applicants, who wish to request for a 90 days temporary license are required to complete their application form online for “Endorsement with a request for a temporary license”. If you are submitting a paper application, check “Y” on the first page of the “Application for Licensure by Endorsement”.You need to fulfill the following temporary license requirements:
- Submit the application form with the essential details.
- Provide fee for endorsement as well as for the temporary license.
- Submit evidence of current unrestricted licensure in another state with no background history record of arrest or any other disciplinary action that requires any further review. (For example, you may submit a notarized copy of your license card, or if available, submit verification of licensure from the website of the state, or provide the receipt of an interstate verification).
- Provide verification of licensure from the state, in which you were licensed originally including successful completion of a state recognized nursing program, which meets all the educational standards of the Board and degree received, and cleared the licensure examination (such as NCLEX-RN).
- Submit receipt of “Evidence of Status form” and all the other supporting documents in a notarized form.
- Provide certification of employment, verifying completion of at least 520 work hours within the last 2 years.
- Successfully submitted fingerprint images for national criminal background search.
Step 2:
This step is same as Step number 2 of procedure to obtain RN license by examination.
Step 3:
Provide an appropriate fee of $85. An additional fee of $10 will be charged, if you apply for a temporary license. If you are applying online, submit the fee in the form of electronic fund transfer – VISA or MasterCard. Upon applying by paper application, submit it by money order, cashier’s check, or certified check made payable to the “Oklahoma Board of Nursing”.
Step 4:
You may read the instructions for licensure by endorsement using the below link.
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/endorseused07.pdf
- For applicants graduated outside the United States
Step 1:
Temporary License: All foreign candidates may apply for a 90 days temporary license. While applying for application online choose “Endorsement with a request for a temporary license”. On applying for paper application, put a check “Y” on the first page of the “Application for Licensure by Endorsement”. In addition to the above mentioned temporary license requirements (Refer Step no. 1 of Procedure to Obtain RN License by Endorsement for applicants graduated in the United States), the applicants need to fulfill the following criteria:
- Receipt of completed CGFNS report and transcripts that verify eligibility for licensure.
- Receipt of current passing English language testing scores, if required for licensure.
Step 2:
Complete the endorsement application form using Step number 2 of “Procedure to obtain RN license by Examination”.
Step 3:
Provide non-refundable fee of $125 which includes endorsement fee of $85.00 and education equivalence evaluation fee of $40.00. If you request for a temporary license, an additional fee of $10 will be charged. For online application, the fees may be paid by electronic fund transfer – VISA or MasterCard; and for paper application, pay the fees by money order, cashier’s check, or certified check in the name of “Oklahoma Board of Nursing”.
Step 4:
You may read the instructions for licensure by endorsement using the below link.
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/endorforeign07.pdf
Verification of RN License
The applicants may use any one of the following methods to verify their license:
Methods to verify your license:
- Online at – https://www.ok.gov/nursing/verify/index.php
- By mail – You may request for a written verification of licensure status by downloading the paper application using the following link:https://www.ok.gov/nursing/writverify.pdfSubmit the completed request form to the Board office address mentioned on the top of the application form.
For providing employment verification, click on the following link:
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/empveri.pdf
Renewal of RN License
All RNs holding a current and active license in Oklahoma need to renew their license in every even numbered year. This state does not require completion of continuing education requirements. Generally, the applicant gets notified before three months of their license’s expiration date, in the form of a renewal notice letter. Submit an applicable fee of $75 with an additional fee of $3.50 as online processing fee on every renewal, in the form of electronic funds transfer from checking account, MasterCard or Visa.
Online Method to renew RN license
Use the following link to renew license online:
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/renewal/login.php
After completing the renewal online, confirm the renewal process using the following link:
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/verify/
Inactive License
If you no longer wish to continue your nursing practice, you may place your license on an inactive status. Use the following link to download the inactive license application:
https://www.ok.gov/nursing/inactapp.pdf
Submit the completed application form to the Board office by mail or in person to the address mentioned on the top of the form.
Note: You may change the license to an active status, by filling a reinstatement application.
Reinstatement/Return to Active Status
The applicants may reinstate their lapsed, inactive, suspended, voluntarily surrendered, or revoked license, if they provide the following documents:
- Submit completed application form.
- Provide an appropriate fee of $115.
- Provide verification of your citizenship status.
- Submit fingerprints for criminal background check.
- Provide evidence of completion of continuing education requirements (Refer to point no. 3 of requirements of RN license by Endorsement for applicants graduated in the United States)
Method to reinstate your license:
- Online at – https://www.ok.gov/nursing/licensing/app/nursing_login.phpAn additional fee of $3.50 will be charged, if you reinstate your license online.
- By mail – Download the paper application using this link – https://www.ok.gov/nursing/reinstateappl07.pdfAfter filling the required details of the form, submit the completed application form on this address-Oklahoma Board of Nursing
2915 N. Classen Boulevard, Suite 524
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma-73106
Rewriting an Exam
The applicants, who failed to pass the licensure exam, may apply to retake the licensure exam. The requirements for rewriting the exam are same as the requirements for RN license by examination. Provide an applicable fee of $85 in the form of electronic fund transfer – VISA, MasterCard, money order, cashier’s check, or certified check.
To complete the rewriting application, refer Step number 2 of “procedure to obtain RN license by examination”.
Duplicate License
In case of stolen, lost, or destroyed license card, you are required to submit a written evidence of the situation to obtain a duplicate license. Submit a non-refundable fee of $25.00 in the form of a certified check, personal check, or money order. The Board issues only one duplicate card. If you do not receive your license within 90 days, submit written application to the Board and a duplicate license will be issued without submitting any additional fee.
Use the following link to download the duplicate license application:
