Advanced Practice Application - Frequently Asked Questions

A nurse who wishes to be licensed to practice as an APRN in the state of Texas must be licensed as a Registered Nurse in Texas or have a current, valid RN license with multistate privilege from a state that is party to the Nurse Licensure Compact for RNs and LVNs/LPNs before any level of APRN licensure can be granted. If you need to apply for a Texas RN license, you will find endorsement applications on our website by clicking here. For more information about the Nurse Licensure Compact, see question #16.

Yes, however we will not grant any level of approval until you hold a current, valid RN license (temporary or full) or privilege to practice in the state of Texas.

If you wish to submit your application online, please click here . If you are not eligible to submit an application online or prefer not to use the online application, you may obtain a copy of the application by downloading it from the website (click here to download the application). If you are unable to download the application, you may request that an application be mailed to you by emailing the APRN office at apn@bon.texas.gov or by calling the APRN office at (512) 305-6843. Because applications are sent via bulk mail, it may take 1-3 weeks for you to receive the application by mail, depending on the United States' postal system. Generally, applications will be mailed within 5 business days from the date that the request for the application is received. We regret that we are unable to fax the application to you nor can we send it to you via overnight delivery services.

We make every attempt to review and respond as quickly as possible, but the process may take up to 30 business days based on the volume of applications received at any given time. Applications and supporting documentation are processed in the order in which they are received.

Review your application before you submit it; many times simple mistakes are made or questions are not answered and this may result in a delay in obtaining approval. In addition, please read the application instructions and Rule 221 (and 222 if you are applying for prescriptive authority) carefully to be certain you meet the requirements outlined in Board rules. If you submit your application online, please be certain to provide us with the supporting documentation as indicated in the completion packet that is part of the online application.

The educational requirements may be found in Board Rule 221.3. Although you may have been licensed/authorized as an APRN in another state, you must meet the educational requirements set by the Texas Board of Nursing in order to be licensed as an APRN in Texas. We recommend you review this rule very carefully before you submit your application.

Any requests for additional information will be written requests (e-mail if available) that will be mailed to your address of record. Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we generally will not call to alert you of mistakes or the need for new information.

Please understand that it generally takes us about 30 days to review and respond to new applications or new information that is sent to our office. If you call our office, we may not have had a chance to review your application. We make every attempt to review information as quickly as possible and to respond in writing (e-mail if available) with an approval or with a request for additional information.

Yes. Each application to our office requires its own set of documentation.

The application that is currently on the web site allows you to apply for both advanced practice licensure and prescriptive authority in a single application. Prescriptive authority is an optional authorization. If you are requesting only authorization to practice as an advanced practice registered nurse, a $100 processing fee is required. If you are requesting both authorization to practice and prescriptive authority, a $150 processing fee is required.

Interim approval allows an applicant to begin working as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse during a period of time when the board is waiting for additional information. The APRN office may grant interim approval when it appears that the applicant will meet the requirements for full licensure as an APRN in Texas but additional information is needed. This type of approval is granted for a period not to exceed 120 days. Per Rule 221.6 (b)(3), extensions of the interim approval period may not be granted.

The Texas Board of Nursing no longer issues interim approval to new graduates who have not yet taken and passed their national certification examinations. You must submit evidence of current national certification (must show expiration date) before you will be eligible for interim approval or full advanced practice licensure.

Yes. National certification is one of the requirements for licensure as an APRN in Texas. However, you must meet all of the requirements that are outlined in Rules 221.3 and 221.4 in order to be licensed, practice, or hold yourself out as an APRN in Texas.

All advanced practice registered nurse titles are protected and may only be used by those nurses who meet the requirements for licensure as an APRN. You must apply for and receive an APRN license from the Texas Board of Nursing before you may claim to be an advanced practice registered nurse or hold yourself out as an advanced practice registered nurse in this state. You may not use a title or any other designation tending to imply that you are licensed as an advanced practice registered nurse without current licensure from the Texas Board of Nursing.

No, endorsement is not available for those who desire to be licensed as an APRN in Texas. Any person wishing to be licensed as an APRN in Texas must meet the requirements that are outlined in Rule 221, regardless of licensure in another state or prior work experience. APRN requirements vary from state to state. Therefore, please read Rule 221 carefully to determine that you are eligible for APRN licensure in Texas.

The Nurse Licensure Compact is an agreement between states that allows a nurse to obtain an RN license in the nurse's primary state of residence and allows the nurse to practice as an RN in any other Compact state without obtaining an RN license in that state.

The Compact status is only extended to those nurses who meet requirements for licensure in their home state that is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact. Proof of a nurses's primary state of residence may be required. Documentation to verify this information may include, but is not limited to, a driver's license with a home address, voter registration card displaying a home address, and/or federal income tax return declaring the primary state of residence. A nurse who permanently moves from one Compact state to another must obtain an RN license in the new home state. For more information on the Nursing Licensure Compact, click here: https://www.ncsbn.org/nlc.htm. For a list of current Compact states, please click here: https://www.ncsbn.org/158.htm.

Please note that at this time, Texas has not implemented the APRN compact at this time. Therefore, in order to practice in Texas, you must have a privilege to practice on your RN license from your home state that is party to the Nurse Licensure Compact. If your primary state of residence is not party to the Nurse Licensure Compact, you must obtain a Texas RN license.

If you have a current, valid Compact RN license, you are not required to obtain a Texas RN license before applying for APRN licensure in Texas.

You are required to declare certain information as described in the questions on the application and provide a written explanation of the incident(s) you are declaring. Once all necessary documentation is received, we will forward this information to our enforcement department for review. This may take up to three months to complete if an eligibility determination is required. Additional fees may also be required. If additional fees are needed, you will be notified in writing. No approvals will be granted until clearance is received from the enforcement department. If you have eligibility issues to declare, you will not be able to submit your application online. You may download an application by clicking here or by e-mailing your request for application materials to apn@bon.texas.gov.

Please note: Providing false information on your application is a violation of board rule and the Texas Penal Code. Additional information is available in the board's disciplinary sanction policy on lying and falsification.

In answer to your second question, no. APRN licensure is granted for the purpose of authorizing a nurse to practice in a particular role and population focus area (such as family nurse practitioner or nurse-midwife). The license is based on your formal education in a specific advanced practice role and population focus area. You cannot legally expand your scope of practice from one area of licensure to another without meeting the educational and licensure requirements set by the board (see question 6). This means you must submit a separate application and fee for each APRN role and population focus area in which you are seeking licensure.

This is also the case for prescriptive authority. Although you have prescriptive authority in one role and population focus area, you must apply for and meet the requirements for prescriptive authority in each APRN category in which you wish to be licensed to practice.