Board Info

Licensure By Endorsement

Apply for licensure by endorsement if you were licensed in another state or U.S. jurisdiction and want a Kentucky RN or LPN license.

Applications and documents are reviewed within 14 days. However, if you respond "Yes" to the disciplinary or conviction questions it can take up to 3 months to process your application.

Click on the following

If you:

Were educated outside of the United States or
educated in Puerto Rico after
September 1, 2006.

Are endorsing both, an RN and APRN license.

RN/LPN Requirements

NOTE: The endorsement application is valid for six months. You have six (6) months to complete the endorsement process before the application expires; if the application expires before a temporary permit or license has been issued you will have to submit a new application, fingerprint card and fees. Click on the following link to check your Application status after applying to see what is needed to complete the endorsement process.

Requirements for RN/LPN License:

Endorsement Application and $165.00 fee (fees are non-refundable).
Application is best viewed using Internet Explorer or Firefox
Kentucky Criminal Background Report from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).
KBN will receive an electronic copy of the report, if you request the report online and follow the
AOC Fastcheck Instruction [PDF Format - 201KB].
Fingerprint Card
(federal background check) and $12.00 fee payable to KSP.
Instructions for completing the fingerprint card [PDF Format - 16KB]
NOTE: Please allow 2-3 weeks for processing once the card is sent to KSP.

Please mail the card and fee to:
- Kentucky State Police
- Records Branch
- 1266 Louisville Rd
- Frankfort, KY 40601
Click on the following link to request fingerprint card will be mailed within 1-2 business days.
Complete the Kentucky Jurisprudence Exam online after completing the endorsement application.

Click on Application Status to access
the link to the exam after you have applied with KBN
Go to Jurisprudence Examination for
more information on the exam

Verification of Original Licensure
(Verification of licensure is required from the state in which you took and passed NCLEX/Boards)
Transcripts: If you were licensed from one of the following states, you must request your nursing program to send
KBN an official transcript, with degree and graduation date posted.

California*

Connecticut

Hawaii

Kansas

Washington

NOTE: A temporary permit will not be issued to nurses who completed a program of nursing in and were originally licensed
in CA until the transcript is received.

             Mail transcript to: Kentucky Board of Nursing
                                             Attn: Endorsement
                                             312 Whittington Pkwy, Suite 300
                                             Louisville, KY 40222

For nurses who have not worked 500 hours in the past five (5) years
click on the following have not practiced at least 500 hours within the past 5 years. (Not Required for New Graduates)

Reporting Criminal History

Click here for more information on reporting criminal convictions.

KRS 314.011(21) defines conviction as an unvacated adjudication of guilt, pleading no contest or nolo contendere, entering an Alford plea, or entering a guilty plea pursuant to a pretrial diversion order regardless of whether the penalty is rebated, suspended, or probated.

Temporary Permit

Click on temporary permit below:

To view documents needed before a temporary permit or license will be issued.

Paper Application Request Form

The application requires an additional fee when the application is submitted via paper. There is no additional fee if these forms are submitted electronically. Please fill out and submit the request form along with the additional fee.

Paper Application Request Form - Endorsement [PDF Format - 94KB]

Contact Us...

Endorsement Contact

Use this contact form if you have questions about the licensure by endorsement process.