State board of nursing requirements
Whether by exam or through an endorsement, the requirements for obtaining a license to practice as a nurse differs in each U.S. state and may change without notice. Therefore, we suggest that you contact the board of nursing in the state where you wish to practice to verify their licensure requirements. You can go to each state board of nursing’s website by clicking on the state name in the table. This table contains information available as of November 2011.
CGFNS services required or accepted for licensure by examination
You can download a PDF version of this table.
KEY
|
|
| State Board of Nursing |
CGFNS services required or accepted for REGISTERED NURSES |
CGFNS services required or accepted for LICENSED PRACTICAL OR VOCATIONAL NURSES |
Secondary school evaluation required for CES report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | CP and CES | CES | Yes |
| Alaska | CES or CP | CES | No |
| American Samoa | No CGFNS requirements | No CGFNS requirements | — |
| Arizona | CES, VS or CP | CES or VS | No |
| Arkansas | CES and English, CP or VS | CES | Yes |
| California – RN | CES may be accepted | — | — |
| California – LPN, LVN | — | CES may be accepted | — |
| Colorado | CES and English or CP | CES and English | No |
| Connecticut | CP | CES | No |
| Delaware | CP | CES may be accepted | Yes |
| Florida | CES | CES | Yes |
| Georgia – RN | CES or CP | — | Yes |
| Georgia – LPN | — | CES | Yes |
| Guam | CP, CES may be accepted | — | Yes |
| Hawaii | CES or CP | CES | No |
| Idaho | CES or CP | CES may be accepted | No |
| Illinois | CES, VS or CP | CES or VS | Yes |
| Indiana | CP | Yes | |
| Iowa | CES and English or CP | CES and English | No |
| Kansas | CES | CES | No |
| Kentucky | VS | VS | Yes |
| Louisiana – RN | CP | — | No |
| Louisiana – LPN | — | No CGFNS requirement | — |
| Maine | CES or CP | CES | Yes |
| Maryland | CES | CES | LPN only |
| Massachusetts | CES, CP or VS | CES or VS | No |
| Michigan | CES and English or CP | CES and English | No |
| Minnesota | CES or CP | CES | No |
| Mississippi | CP or CES | CES | No |
| Missouri | CES or CP | CES | No |
| Montana | CP | CES | No |
| Nebraska | CP | CES | Yes |
| Nevada | CES | CES | LPN only |
| New Hampshire | CP or CES | CES | No |
| New Jersey | CES and English, or CP | CES and English | Yes |
| New Mexico | CES | CES | No |
| New York | CVS | CVS | No |
| North Carolina | CES or VS | CES or VS | No |
| North Dakota | CP, CES may be accepted | CES may be accepted | No |
| Northern Marianas Islands | No CGFNS requirement, CES may be accepted |
No CGFNS requirement | Yes |
| Ohio | CES | CES | No |
| Oklahoma | CES, VS, or CP and transcripts | CES | LPN only |
| Oregon | CES, CP or VS | CES or VS | No |
| Pennsylvania | CP and transcripts | CES may be accepted | LPN only |
| Puerto Rico | No CGFNS requirement | No CGFNS requirement | — |
| Rhode Island | CP | CES | No |
| South Carolina | CES | CES | Yes |
| South Dakota | CP | CES | Yes |
| Tennessee | CP | CES | Yes |
| Texas | CES | CES | No |
| Utah | CP and CES | CES | No |
| Vermont |
CES, CP may also be required | CES | Yes |
| Virgin Islands | CP | No CGFNS requirement | Yes |
| Virginia | CES and English, or CP | CES and English | Yes |
| Washington | CES or CP | No CGFNS requirement | No |
| Washington DC (District of Columbia) |
CP, CES may be accepted | — | LPN only |
| West Virginia – RN | CP | — | Yes |
| West Virginia – LPN | — | CES may be accepted | Yes |
| Wisconsin | CP | CES and English | Yes |
| Wyoming | CP | CES | No |
