Licensing-Related Information
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Applications- Effective January 1, 2024, Rhode Island will be rejoining the Nurse License Compact (NLC). Click here to learn how this impacts your RN or LPN license.
Effective January 1, 2024, Rhode Island will be rejoining the Nurse License Compact (NLC). Click here to learn how this impacts your RN or LPN license.
Renewal notices are sent out 60 days before your expiration date. Renew Online
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If you have never been licensed, apply. Make sure that you have completed the requirements and submit all the necessary paperwork. more
Board Approved Guidances
On April 10, 2023, the Board of Nursing Registration and Nursing Education voted to adopt American Nurses Association’s (ANA) Scope and Standards of Practice and ANA’s Code of Ethics for Nurses pursuant to RIGL section 5-34-7(3) for use by Board of Nursing (BON) members.
On June 12, 2023, the BON recommended the following guidelines for reinstatement of RN licensure:
- RNs who have not practiced nursing for up to two years, no remediation is recommended.
- RNs who have not practiced nursing for at least two years and up to five years will be required to take a Board-approved competency test, to provide confirmation of a passing grade on the test, and to provide clinical demonstration and proficiency.
- RN' who have not practiced nursing for more than five years will be required to complete and pass a Board-approved RN refresher course—which shall include a pre-test and post-test and to demonstrate clinical competency.
At the March 18, 2024 Board of Nursing (BON) meeting, the BON approved two refresher courses offered for nurses that require remediation or refreshing of skills for reinstatement of licensure. The Board reviewed the course content for both the University of Delaware and Boston College in Massachusetts courses. The cost of class will be paid by the licensee/applicant.
Continuing Education/Training
Nurses seeking to renew a nursing license must complete 10 continuing education hours during every two year licensing cycle, two of those hours must be about substance abuse.
Continuing education courses must be approved by the Rhode Island Board of Registration and Nursing Education. Approved training includes: courses approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center or its local chapter, other recognized professional nursing organizations, any department or school of nursing approved by a board of nursing; or such other professional, labor organization, or accrediting agency approved by the Board.At renewal, nurses must sign a statement attesting to completion of the continuing education requirements.
A six-month extension for the continuing education requirement may be granted by the Board if the nurse has suffered a hardship. Documentation of course completions should be retained for four years.
Required Alzheimer's Disease Training
Effective August 1, 2019, every nurse has to complete one hour (per career) of CEU training regarding Alzheimer’s disease. RI Law
List of available CME/CEU Alzheimer's Disease trainings
Trainings for Treating or Managing Care for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) reminds Rhode Island prescribers of the US Congress’new one-time requirementthat went into effect on June 27, 2023, requiring any new or renewing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-registered practitioners, with the exception of veterinarians, to complete at least eight hours of education on the treatment or management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorder. Any new or renewing DEA registrants, upon submission of their application, are required to fulfillat least oneof the following:
- A total of eight hours of training from certain organizations* on opioid or other substance use disorders for practitioners renewing or newly applying for a registration from the DEA to prescribe any Schedule II-V controlled medications;or
- Board certification in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry from the American Board of Medical Specialties, American Board of Addiction Medicine, or the American Osteopathic Association;or
- Graduation within five years and status in good standing from a medical, advanced practice nursing, or physician assistant school in the US that included successful completion of an opioid or other substance use disorder curriculum of at least eight hours.
Prescribers can fulfill the requirement with the completion of a single, eight-hour course or multiple courses or activities totaling eight hours.
DEA-registered and new medical practitioners must fulfill this new training requirementbeforestarting the process of renewing or completing an initial DEA registration.
List of organizations that offer educational opportunities meeting the training requirement
- American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP)
- American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
- American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS)
- American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA)
- Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), or any other organizations accredited by the ACCME or the Commission for Continuing Education Provider Recognition (CCEPR), whether directly or through an organization accredited by a State medical society that is recognized by the ACCME or CCEPR.
- American Dental Association (ADA)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
- American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or any organizations accredited by the AOA to provide continuing medical education
- American Psychiatric Association (APA)
- American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, or any other organization approved or accredited by the ACCME or the CCEPR.
List of courses that meet the new training requirements
(hover on each 
icon for a course's description).
National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) Annual Pass Rates
The NCLEX is a national licensure examination that graduates take in order to become registered as a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse. The NCLEX pass rate is the percentage of graduates who successfully passed the examination for the first time over the number of graduates who applied to take the examination. The Board of Nursing evaluates the nursing programs based on the annual pass rates of the nursing program. The data is collected from January 1 to December 31.
| 2016-2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical Nurse | |||||||
| CCRI | 90.00% | 90.63% | 90.00 % | 83.02% | 95.38% | 93.75% | 88% |
| Lincoln Technical Institute | 81.51% | 84.09% | 86.36% | 81.66% | 71.92% | 77.43% | 85% |
| New England Institute of Technology | 100% | ||||||
| Registered Nurse | |||||||
| CCRI | 82.27% | 89.22% | 84.58% | 82.52% | 86.63% | 83.68% | 75% |
| New England Institute of Technology | 100.00% | 94.87% | 93.02% | 83.19% | 80.18% | 75.21% | 85% |
| Rhode Island College | 96.27% | 97.69% | 98.39% | 96.15% | 90.41% | 82.31% | 92% |
| Salve Regina | 84.06% | 87.14% | 85.14% | 95.52% | 79.69% | 69.62% | 88% |
| University of Rhode Island | 90.78% | 89.31% | 91.48% | 90.29% | 85.89% | 81.41% | 93% |
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