List of State Boards of Nursing (BON) in the U.S. Updated for 2026

State Boards of Nursing are the gatekeepers of the profession. They license RNs, LPNs, and APRNs, enforce each state's Nurse Practice Act, and protect patients by holding nurses to safe, competent standards. This guide explains how boards shape every stage of your career, from education and NCLEX licensure to scope of practice and discipline, and includes a full directory of state and territorial boards for verifying licenses or checking your state's requirements.

What Boards of Nursing Are

A Board of Nursing is the official licensure authority in each U.S. state and territory. Its job is to protect public health by ensuring everyone practicing as a nurse meets standardized qualifications and competency requirements.

Boards have existed for over a century, and each enforces its state's Nurse Practice Act (NPA), the law that defines nursing's scope and sets licensure criteria. Together, the 59 U.S. nursing boards (50 states, the District of Columbia, and the territories) form the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which coordinates national licensure exams and policy. NCSBN develops and administers the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN, the exams every U.S. nurse must pass for initial licensure. In short, a board is both the gate into the profession and the watchdog over safe practice in its jurisdiction.

Each board's power comes from its state's NPA, which authorizes it to set licensure requirements, define scope of practice, and act on violations. Boards are usually made up of experienced nurses (RNs, LPNs/LVNs, often APRNs) and public members appointed to uphold standards in the public interest. Through administrative rules, boards clarify the broad language of the NPA, spelling out which acts fall inside or outside a nurse's authorized scope and setting criteria for nursing education programs. The bottom line: license only competent, qualified nurses, and intervene through discipline or remediation when practice turns unsafe.

Key Functions of State Boards of Nursing

Boards carry out a range of regulatory functions that touch every stage of a nurse's career.

Licensure of Nurses (RN/LPN/LVN and APRN)

Every board reviews licensure applications to confirm a candidate is safe to enter practice. That means verifying graduation from an approved program, a passing score on the required exam (NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN), and any required background checks. Only those who clear every requirement get a license and the legal authority to practice and use protected titles like Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse.

When the system works, only fully vetted clinicians get licensed, and unsafe ones are removed just as fast. In 2023, "Operation Nightingale," a federal investigation, uncovered 7,600 fake diplomas and transcripts sold through three Florida schools. Within months, more than two dozen states revoked or invalidated the licenses issued on those documents, blocking the holders from practice.

Boards also license Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and others) through additional licenses or certificates, holding them to higher education and national certification standards. Boards keep official records of licensed nurses and usually offer online license verification tools for employers and the public. Nurses moving from another state apply for licensure by endorsement unless they are covered by the multistate compact.

Defining and Regulating Scope of Practice

Boards enforce the boundaries of nursing scope as set by law. The NPA spells out what licensed nurses can and cannot do, and the board sharpens those lines through regulations, advisory opinions, and guidelines, for example, rules on which tasks can be delegated to unlicensed staff or whether a nurse practitioner can prescribe independently.

Boards interpret the NPA for nurses and the public, keeping practice within the limits of training and licensure and keeping unqualified people out of acts reserved for licensed nurses. When a nurse practices beyond their scope, the board can act. Through scope regulation, boards also adapt to a changing field, updating rules so nurses can safely take on new procedures and technologies or recognizing expanded APRN roles.

Approval of Nursing Education Programs

Boards approve and oversee the nursing schools in their jurisdiction, a key preventive function. They set standards for curriculum, faculty qualifications, clinical hours, and student outcomes, review new programs before approval, and periodically audit existing ones. A common benchmark is the program's NCLEX pass rate. Fall below the state standard and the board can impose probation or require corrective action.

By approving only programs that meet quality criteria, the board ensures anyone sitting for licensure has the knowledge and skills the exam demands. Graduating from a board-approved program is usually mandatory for licensure. Boards publish lists of approved RN and LPN programs and can withdraw approval from schools that slip.

Disciplinary Enforcement and Compliance

Boards investigate complaints, whether the allegation is drug diversion, documentation fraud, unprofessional conduct, or a criminal conviction. Penalties range from a formal reprimand or fine to mandated remedial education or monitoring (such as substance abuse treatment) to suspending or revoking the license outright.

In April 2025, the Maryland Board of Nursing reported it had reviewed 287 nurses flagged for questionable credentials, clearing most but revoking three licenses and filing formal charges against seven others. All actions were reported to Nursys so other states and employers could see the sanctions instantly.

Grounds for discipline typically include unsafe practice, unprofessional conduct, ethical violations, or impairment. Boards follow due process, giving the nurse a chance to respond, often through a hearing. Because actions are frequently made public and fed into national databases like Nursys, a sanction in one state follows the nurse across state lines. Board oversight removes or rehabilitates risky practitioners and deters everyone else from putting a license on the line.

Continuing Education and License Renewal

Licensure is not permanent. It requires renewal, typically every one to three years depending on the state. Boards set renewal requirements, which usually include continuing nursing education (CE/CEUs) or practice hours so nurses stay current. A board might require 20 or 30 hours of approved CE every two years. Some accept active practice hours or certification in place of part of the CE, and many mandate specific topics like ethics, pain management, or child abuse recognition.

Boards also handle the administrative side: applications, fees, and status updates, increasingly online. Many use renewal to confirm continued good conduct, requiring nurses to disclose any arrests or disciplinary issues since the last cycle. Nurses who fail to renew or meet requirements are not authorized to practice. The function ties straight back to public safety, catching a lapse in competency or character before a nurse keeps practicing.

Directory of U.S. Boards of Nursing

Below is a directory of every state and territorial Board of Nursing, with a brief description of each. A few states run more than one board: California, Louisiana, and West Virginia each have separate boards for registered and practical/vocational nursing, and Nebraska has a separate board for advanced practice nurses. Those are listed as distinct entries. Contact information comes from NCSBN and official state board websites.

Alabama Board of Nursing

Regulates nursing practice in Alabama by licensing RNs and LPNs, approving education programs, and enforcing the Nurse Practice Act.

Alaska Board of Nursing

Oversees licensure of RNs, LPNs, and APRNs in Alaska, enforcing state nursing laws and approving education programs.

American Samoa Health Services Regulatory Board

Licenses nurses and upholds nursing practice standards to protect public health in American Samoa.

Arizona State Board of Nursing

Protects the public by licensing RNs, LPNs, certifying APRNs, and enforcing the Arizona Nurse Practice Act.

Arkansas State Board of Nursing

Licenses and regulates RNs, LPNs, and APRNs, sets standards for education, and disciplines unsafe practice.

California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN)

Regulates registered nursing in California, licensing RNs and APRNs and approving RN programs.

California Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT)

Oversees licensure of LVNs and psychiatric technicians and sets training standards.

Colorado State Board of Nursing

Licenses RNs, LPNs, and APRNs, approves programs, and disciplines violators of the Nurse Practice Act.

Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing

Housed under the Department of Public Health, it licenses nurses and enforces safe practice standards.

Delaware Board of Nursing

Licenses and disciplines nurses, approves programs, and protects public health under the Nurse Practice Act.

District of Columbia Board of Nursing

Issues RN, LPN, and APRN licenses in DC, approves education, and enforces standards.

Florida Board of Nursing

Part of the Department of Health; licenses RNs, LPNs, and APRNs and administers the Nurse Licensure Compact in Florida.

Georgia Board of Nursing

Grants RN and LPN licenses, sets practice rules, and disciplines unsafe practitioners.

Guam Board of Nurse Examiners

Licenses RNs and LPNs on Guam and enforces practice standards to protect public health.

Hawaii Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, approves Hawaii programs, and disciplines violations through the licensing division.

Idaho Board of Nursing

Issues RN/LPN/APRN licenses, approves programs, and participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact.

Illinois Board of Nursing

Under the Department of Financial & Professional Regulation; licenses nurses and disciplines for safety.

Indiana State Board of Nursing

Licenses RNs, LPNs, and APRNs via the Professional Licensing Agency and enforces nursing statutes.

Iowa Board of Nursing

Grants RN, LPN, and ARNP licenses, approves schools, and disciplines unsafe practice.

Kansas State Board of Nursing

Regulates RN, LPN, and APRN licensure, education standards, and disciplinary actions in Kansas.

Kentucky Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and APRNs, approves education, and disciplines violators to protect the public.

Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN)

Regulates RNs and APRNs, approves programs, and enforces nursing laws in Louisiana.

Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE)

Licenses LPNs, approves training, and disciplines to ensure safe practical nursing care.

Maine State Board of Nursing

Sets licensure criteria, approves schools, and disciplines nurses to protect Maine's public.

Maryland Board of Nursing

Licenses all nurse categories and nursing assistants, approves programs, and disciplines violators.

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing

Licenses nurses, approves education, and enforces standards under the Department of Public Health.

Michigan Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and specialty certifications, approves programs, and disciplines unsafe practice.

Minnesota Board of Nursing

Grants licenses, monitors continuing education, and disciplines to ensure safe nursing in Minnesota.

Mississippi Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, accredits programs, disciplines violations, and administers the Nurse Licensure Compact.

Missouri State Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, approves schools, tracks NCLEX pass rates, and disciplines unsafe practice.

Montana Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, sets practice rules, approves programs, and disciplines to prevent unsafe care.

Nebraska Board of Nursing

Issues RN/LPN licenses, approves programs, investigates violations, and works with the APRN board.

Nebraska APRN Board

Regulates APRN licensure and enforces scope and discipline for advanced practice nurses.

Nevada State Board of Nursing

Licenses RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and APRNs, approves programs, and disciplines violations.

New Hampshire Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and assistants, approves programs, and manages multistate licensure as a Compact member.

New Jersey Board of Nursing

Licenses RNs and LPNs, certifies APNs and HHAs, sets CE requirements, and disciplines violations.

New Mexico Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, approves programs, disciplines violations, and certifies medication aides and techs.

New York State Board for Nursing

Licenses RNs and LPNs, authorizes NPs, requires BSN-in-10, approves programs, and disciplines violations.

North Carolina Board of Nursing

Independent agency licensing RNs and LPNs, recognizing APRNs, and enforcing standards; Compact state.

North Dakota Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and APRNs, oversees the nurse aide registry, and disciplines unsafe practice.

Northern Mariana Islands Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and CNAs, approves programs, and enforces the Nurse Practice Act in CNMI.

Ohio Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and techs, sets curriculum standards, and disciplines violators to safeguard Ohioans.

Oklahoma Board of Nursing

Licenses RNs, LPNs, and APRNs, approves programs, and disciplines nurses to uphold safe practice.

Oregon State Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and assistants, sets practice rules, approves programs, and disciplines violations.

Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing

Licenses multiple nurse categories, sets CE and education standards, and disciplines unsafe practice.

Puerto Rico Board of Nurse Examiners

Oversees examination and licensure of nurses and enforces practice standards in Puerto Rico.

Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education

Licenses nurses, approves schools, and disciplines violators to ensure safe nursing in Rhode Island.

South Carolina Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, sets CE, approves curricula, and disciplines unsafe practitioners; Compact state.

South Dakota Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and APRNs, approves programs, disciplines violations, and administers the Nurse Licensure Compact.

Tennessee Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, oversees education, enforces competence requirements, and disciplines unsafe practice.

Texas Board of Nursing

Licenses RNs and LVNs, approves programs, disciplines violations, and administers Compact licensure.

Utah Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, sets practice rules, approves programs, and disciplines violators; manages the Compact.

Vermont Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses, APRNs, and CNAs, approves programs, and disciplines unsafe practice in Vermont.

Virgin Islands Board of Nurse Licensure

Licenses nurses, approves programs, and disciplines violations; Compact participant in the USVI.

Virginia Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and CNAs, enforces laws, disciplines violators, and manages Compact licensure.

Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission

Licenses nurses, sets standards, approves programs, and disciplines unsafe practice in Washington.

West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses

Licenses RNs and APRNs, approves programs, and disciplines violations to protect West Virginia patients.

West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses

Oversees LPN education, licensure, and discipline in West Virginia.

Wisconsin Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and APRNs, approves programs, disciplines misconduct, and administers Compact licensure.

Wyoming State Board of Nursing

Licenses nurses and CNAs, approves programs, and disciplines violations; Compact participant in Wyoming.

State Boards of Nursing guard both public safety and professional standards, making sure every nurse has the knowledge, skills, and ethics to deliver quality care. Whether you are starting nursing school or decades into practice, knowing your board's requirements keeps your license current and strengthens the trust patients place in you.