Connecticut Nurse Practitioner Licensure Steps - 2024

Nurse Practitioner Licensure Requirements in Connecticut

The Connecticut Board of Examiners receives nurse practitioner license applications from interested applicants all year long and they issue licenses to successful candidates who meet the requirements for licensure.

Follow the process below to learn Follow below to learn how to become a certified nurse practitioner (CNP) in Connecticut.

Initial Registered Nurse (RN) Licensure

Already have your RN License?  Skip to the next section

Holding a valid registered nurse (RN) license to practice in Connecticut is the first requirement in the journey towards being licensed as an NP. There are two paths for applying for an RN license: RN by Examination and RN by Endorsement of an Out-of-State License.

RN by Examination

This is the path of choice for recent graduates of nursing programs.

• The minimum academic qualification is an associate’s degree through an accredited nursing program from a board-approved institution. Your program must meet the requirements outlined in the regulations of Connecticut State Agencies as can be seen here.
• Your institution will be required to send a copy of your transcript to the board. This document must contain the type of degree obtained and your date of graduation.
• Applicants who choose this route have never been licensed as RNs before and are mandated to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This is the final test that certifies one to practice as a nurse. For expediency, one should begin their registration to take this test before applying for an RN license. You can register at PearsonVUE for $150.  To sit for the examination, you must have received an Authorization to Test (ATT) by mail or email. This will only be sent after the board has deemed you eligible for the test and will contain information about your test including your testing date and venue.  If you fail to register for the test before sending in your application, there might be delays in the approval process. The DPH will mail the results of the examination to candidates after routine processing.
• If you are a foreign-trained nurse, you are required to complete the CGFNS International Certification program before you are eligible for the NCLEX-RN. Foreign-trained nurses do not need to send in their transcripts.
• Only online applications are being received at the moment, so you can apply here.

RN by Endorsement of Out-of-State License

This route is for nurses who hold a valid RN license to practice in another state. As Connecticut is not part of the NLC, even a multistate license from a member state is invalid here.

• The application process is completed online here for a fee of $180.
• The most important requirement for licensure by this route is a verification of your license. This can be done by submitting a request for this document on the Nursys website.

If you are coming from a state that does not require passing the NCLEX-RN or an equivalent test as a requirement for licensure as an RN, you must comply with Connecticut’s requirements for RN by Examination instead. If this applies to you, you are also ineligible for a temporary license. Nurses who hold a valid license in states that have similar RN licensing requirements to Connecticut are eligible for a 120-day, non-renewable temporary permit to practice nursing while they await full licensure.

Nurses who are trained in a region where the English Language is not the official language of the training will be required to pass the Test of English Language (TOEFL) with a score of at least 550 or 213 on the paper-based or computer-based tests respectively.

All fees are non-refundable and are to be paid online using a credit/debit card. There may be minor additional charges from the payment gateways used. You are also required to provide your social security number during the application process. Finally, all supporting documents required for the application process are to be sent from the source to:

Advanced Education Requirements

The next step towards becoming a Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP) in Connecticut is the completion of a graduate-level nurse practitioner preparatory program awarding at least a master’s of science in nursing (MSN).

This program must prepare you to be certified in at least one specialty area among the following; pediatrics, oncology, geriatrics, women’s health, oncology, psychiatry, adult, and family practice.

Your chosen program must be accredited by the national certifying body that certifies CNPs in your chosen specialty area. This advanced training program should include at least 30 hours of advanced pharmacology training and cover advanced dimensions of pathophysiology and clinical management.

You can apply for a temporary license to practice for up to 120 days after your graduation. This is only open to graduates from institutions in Connecticut and provides a means to keep busy while you prepare for your national certification examination. Hence, you must have applied to take such an examination before applying for this temporary license. Holders of temporary licenses will practice under a physician’s supervision and they are not permitted to prescribe or dispense medications.

National Certification

Having completed an accredited nurse practitioner preparatory program in an approved institution, you must obtain a certification in your chosen specialty areas from the appropriate national certifying agencies. Each certifying agency sets its requirements for certifying a prospective nurse practitioner. The DPH recognizes the following certifying agencies for nurse practitioners;

• National Certification Corporation (NCC)
• Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
• National Board of Certification & Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)

These certifying agencies conduct certification examinations from which successful candidates are certified. These agencies reserve the right to declare your nurse practitioner education sufficient or inadequate.

Getting Licensed to Practice as a Nurse Practitioner Within Connecticut

In addition to being certified nationally in your specialty area, you must have a valid APRN license to practice in Connecticut before you can practice. The application for this license is also done online. Firstly, you will have to open an account here. Every applicant is expected to hold a valid RN license to practice in Connecticut. You are required to submit proof of completion of a graduate-level nurse practitioner preparatory program, usually in form of a transcript. You are to request your awarding institution to send an original copy of the document to the DPH. The transcript must specify your date of graduation and the certification received.

Verification of your national certification is also required, hence you must send a request to your certifying agency for a copy of this to be drafted for you. All applicants are required to verify all licenses held, current, and expired. This can be done using the Nursys platform as was covered in the RN licensure segment. In addition to the above, you are to present a verification form for your pharmacology coursework. This form is provided by the board and must be verified by the dean of your program.

Once all your credentials are in order, you can send in a complete application with an application fee of $200. All supporting documents are to be mailed to the address specified under the RN licensure segment above.

The APRN license does not come with an authorization to prescribe and dispense controlled drugs hence, you must file a separate application for this. For information on how to apply for this, you can find contact information: here. This application must be forwarded to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection at the following address: