How to become a nurse in Florida
Florida licenses nurses through the Florida Board of Nursing. The route is the same for every state: finish an approved program, apply to the board, pass the NCLEX, then renew on schedule. This page covers what is specific to Florida.
The steps
Finish a board-approved nursing program
Choose the level you want to start at: a practical nursing certificate (about a year), an associate degree (about two years) or a bachelor's degree (about four). Florida has 70 bachelor's, 147 associate degree and 170 practical nursing programs in our data. Compare BSN programs in Florida.
Apply to the board for a license by examination
You apply to the Florida Board of Nursing before you can test. The board's fee for registered nurses is $110. Expect a fingerprint background check.
Register for and pass the NCLEX
The NCLEX-RN (or NCLEX-PN for practical nursing) is the national licensing exam. Registration costs $200 through Pearson VUE, rising to $350 for registrations from February 1, 2027. The exam asks between 85 and 150 questions and allows 5 hours. 82.9% of Florida graduates passed the NCLEX-RN on their first try in 2025, against 86.7% nationally in 2025. NCLEX pass rates in Florida.
Receive your license, then keep it current
Licenses renew every 2 years, with continuing education required (details in the table below).
Working in more than one state
Florida is a full member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, in effect since January 19, 2018. A nurse whose home state is Florida can hold one multistate license and practice in other compact states.
Source: Nurse Licensure Compact
Florida licensing at a glance
| Licensing board | Florida Board of Nursing | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Board application fee, RN by exam | $110'$110.00 Application and Licensing Fee to Board of Nursing' for licensure by examination. The Board's page lists the $200 Pearson VUE fee and the Livescan provider's fingerprint fee, which varies, as separate costs. | Source |
| Board application fee, LPN by exam | $110The same licensure-by-examination application covers both RN and LPN applicants: a $110 application and licensing fee paid to the Board. | Source |
| Fingerprint background check | YesLevel 2 background screening. Applicants submit electronic fingerprints to FDLE through an approved Livescan provider, using the Board of Nursing ORI number, and pay the cost themselves. FDLE and the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse keep the prints. HB 975 (2024) made electronic fingerprinting mandatory for this profession. | Source |
| State law exam (jurisprudence) | Not requiredThe licensure-by-examination requirements (s. 464.008, F.S.) do not include a jurisprudence exam. Instead, Florida requires a 2-hour, Board-approved Florida Laws & Rules continuing education course at renewal, including the first renewal. | Source |
| Temporary permit while you wait for the exam | NoSection 464.008, F.S. (2026), which covers licensure by examination, has no graduate temporary permit. CS/SB 254 (2026) would have created temporary provisional licenses for graduate nurses, but it died in committee on 3/13/2026. | Source |
| License renewal | Every 2 years24 contact hours each biennium: 16 general hours, plus 2 each on Prevention of Medical Errors, Florida Laws & Rules, Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace (every other renewal) and Human Trafficking (every renewal). Domestic Violence (2 hours) is required every third biennium on top of the 24, and HIV/AIDS (1 hour) once before the first renewal. Nurses licensed by exam are exempt from general hours at their first renewal but must still take the mandatory courses. CE is reported through CE Broker. | Source |
Board fees are separate from the NCLEX registration fee paid to Pearson VUE. Fees and rules change; confirm with the board before you apply.
Good to know in Florida
- Applicants who fail the NCLEX three consecutive times, in any jurisdiction, must complete a Board-approved remedial course before retesting. They must apply to retest within 6 months of finishing it, and may then retake the exam up to three more times. Source
- Beginning July 1, 2027, applicants for licensure by examination must have completed a 2-hour human trafficking course (s. 464.008(1)(e), F.S., added by ch. 2026-82). Source
- A first Florida license is usually issued for less than a full two-year cycle. Nurses licensed by exam are exempt from general CE at the first renewal, but must complete 2 hours each of Medical Errors, Florida Laws & Rules, Recognizing Impairment in the Workplace and Human Trafficking, plus 1 hour of HIV/AIDS. Source
- Florida residents who meet the criteria in s. 464.0095, F.S. can ask for a multistate (NLC) license. Source
- The NCLEX registration fee paid to Pearson VUE rises from $200 to $350 for registrations made on or after February 1, 2027. Source
What nurses earn in Florida
| Role | Median yearly pay | Employed in Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $84,190 | 229,940 |
| LPN or LVN | $61,770 | 38,620 |
| Nurse practitioner | $129,510 | 21,790 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. The median registered nurse in Florida earns $13,360 less than the national median of $97,550.