If your nursing license is in an “inactive” status in any state, it's important to understand what that state's requirements are for maintaining that inactive status over time. Because each state has different requirements when it comes to nurse licensing, and because those requirements can change over time, you need to periodically check with the board of nursing in each state in which you hold an inactive license to make sure you comply with any requirements for maintaining your license's inactive status.
The Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team is made up of experienced attorneys who understand state nursing license requirements and can help you with questions about how to maintain your nursing license in any state no matter what its current status is. Contact us at 888.535.3686 or by using our online form to schedule a consultation to learn more about how we can help.
Why Maintain an Inactive Nursing License?
Many nurses hold licenses in more than one state. The Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC) makes this relatively easy to do and provides nurses with the flexibility to work where their talents are most in demand or to live in one state and work in nearby states. However, this flexibility does have some downsides.
Nurses holding active licenses in more than one state need to be careful to make sure they meet the continuing education requirements that apply in each state in which they're licensed. These requirements are set by the states, and while many states have similar continuing education requirements they aren't always the same. Keeping track of the requirements and making sure the requirements are met can be time-consuming.
As a licensed nurse, one way to reduce this ongoing burden is by changing the status of your nursing license from “active” to “inactive” in any state in which you're not currently practicing. Generally speaking, when your nursing license is in an “inactive” state, you are no longer required to meet that state's continuing education requirements. Only if you later decide to reactivate your license in that state will you need to confirm that you have met the state's continuing education requirements. The “inactive” status gives you the flexibility to maintain your license with that state, ready for future use if you need to once you've met the state's continuing education requirements and processed your request to reactivate your license.
How Long Can My Nursing License Remain Inactive?
This can vary from state to state. If you pay attention to the state's requirements for inactive licenses, you can, in most cases, maintain your license's “inactive” status indefinitely.
You'll still have to take occasional steps to maintain that inactive status, however. In most states, you can't simply apply for inactive status and leave it that way indefinitely without doing anything. Many states, such as California, Florida, and New York, require inactive nursing license registrations to be renewed just as they do with active ones. It's important to pay attention to those renewal requirements; if you don't, your nursing license may be treated as expired, and it will be much more difficult to reactivate it in the future.
Do I Have to Pay to Have an Inactive Nursing License?
Depending on the state, you may be able to renew your inactive license at no cost; or you may have to pay a registration fee just as you would if you were renewing an active license. For example, New York and Texas currently renew inactive licenses at no cost; California requires payment of the licensing fee.
It's important to check the rules that apply in each state where you hold an inactive license to make sure you're meeting that state's requirements. And because state licensing requirements can change, you should periodically check back to verify what those requirements are before your inactive license registration is scheduled to expire.
What Do I Have to Do to Reactivate an Inactive Nursing License?
Most states make it fairly easy to reactivate an inactive nursing license, provided you have met certain requirements.
- Confirm You've Completed Required Continuing Education. Generally, if you decide to reactivate an inactive nursing license you will need to confirm that you've completed the required continuing education for the current license period before you will be allowed to do so. A number of states, such as Texas and Florida, may require additional proof of your competency as a nurse or remedial coursework before renewing a license that has been inactive for a longer period of time, particularly if you have not been working as a licensed nurse elsewhere during that time.
- Take Any Missing or Required Courses Before Applying to Reactivate. It's important to check ahead of time to confirm what courses you may need to take before you can reactivate your inactive license. As mentioned above, many states have similar continuing education requirements, and courses that you took for your active license or licenses in other states may satisfy many or even all of the requirements for your inactive license. If you have not been working as a nurse, however, you may have to take special courses. In Florida, for example, if you have not been working as a nurse for more than four years, you will need to take a remedial course approved by the Florida Board of Nursing before your license will be reactivated.
- Check Whether You'll Need to Pay a Reactivation Fee. Whether or not you have to pay a fee to reactivate your license also depends on the state. If the state requires you to pay a licensing fee to continue your license's inactive status, it may not require an additional fee if you reactivate it. On the other hand, states that do not require you to pay to maintain an inactive nursing license registration will typically require a fee to reactivate that license. This is one more thing you should check on ahead of time so that there are no surprises when you go to reactivate your inactive nursing license.
- You May Need to Meet Other Requirements. If your nursing license has been inactive for an extended period of time, you may need to submit to a criminal background check when you reactivate it. Ohio is one state that requires this in cases where the nursing license has been “inactive” for five years or more.
The Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team can help answer your questions about changing the status of your nursing license to “inactive,” maintaining that status over the years, and reactivating your inactive nursing license.
How Can Disciplinary Actions Against Me Affect my Ability to Reactivate my Inactive Nursing License?
Just as you have an obligation to report any nursing disciplinary actions that have been made against you in one state to nursing boards in other states where you hold active licenses, you will generally have to do the same thing when you apply to reactivate any inactive nursing license. If you fail to do so, you could be subject to separate discipline from the state that issued your inactive license.
The Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team can answer your questions about which types of disciplinary actions taken by one state in which you hold a nursing license need to be reported to other states where you hold nursing licenses, including inactive licenses. We can also defend you against the board of nursing disciplinary proceedings no matter what state they're in.
The Lento Law Firm Can Help You With Your Inactive Nursing License Questions
The Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team has years of experience helping nurses all across the country understand their state's requirements for earning, keeping, and protecting their nursing licenses. We defend nurses accused of misconduct and fight to protect their nursing licenses in every state where those licenses are held. Our experienced attorneys also serve as a resource for nurses who want to make sure they are meeting their licensing obligations, and we are ready to help you with your questions about active and inactive nursing licenses.
Call the Lento Law Firm's Professional License Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or use our contact form to schedule a confidential consultation. Let us help you protect your most valuable professional asset – your nursing license!
