New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Licensure Steps - 2024

Nurse Practitioner Licensure Requirements in New Hampshire

Follow below to learn how to become a nurse practitioner (NP) in New Hampshire.

Initial Registered Nurse (RN) License

Already have your RN License?  Skip to the next section

An RN license to practice in New Hampshire is a compulsory requirement for nurses who want to become nurse practitioners (NPs) in the state. The Board allows applicants who have never been licensed before and those who hold valid RN licenses in another state to obtain a license by examination and endorsement, respectively.

However, holders of valid NLC multi-state licenses do not need to apply for an RN license to practice in New Hampshire unless they are moving there permanently.

RN by Examination

If you have never been licensed as an RN in any state or territory in the US, this is the application route for you. You can complete the application online, as paper applications are not accepted for initial licensing. Requirements for licensure include the following:

• All applicants are expected to have completed a board-accredited New Hampshire-based basic nursing program awarding at least an associate degree. But, because you’re looking to become a nurse practitioner, you will need a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Proof of your nursing education must be sent to the Board in the form of an official copy of your transcript emailed from the awarding institution or mailed to:
  
  
  New Hampshire Board of Nursing
  7 Eagle Square
  Concord, NH 03301
• The transcript should include your date of graduation and the degree awarded.
• If you studied outside New Hampshire, you must download the RN Comparable Education Verification Form, which is to be completed by the Nursing Director at your program and sent here.
• Foreign-trained applicants are required to have their credentials evaluated by the CGFNS, and a report of this evaluation must be made available to the Board.
• Those who choose this route are to take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), the entry-level exam for nurses. You are required to apply for an examination at Pearson Vue before starting your online RN application for $200.
• A Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) fingerprint and New Hampshire background check are required. Instructions for the process are included here.
• A copy of your driver’s license or state ID and a Declaration of Primary State of Residency form. The form is included in the application packet.

A temporary permit to practice can be issued while the applicant waits to take the NCLEX-RN exam. The fee for the permit is $20. The RN application fee is $148.

Your application status can be checked using the Board’s website. Any questions should be sent to nursing@oplc.nh.gov. All application and registration fees are non-refundable.

Once the Board processes the application and all requirements are met, your RN license will be issued. 

RN by Endorsement

Nurses licensed to practice in another state or territory in the US are to apply via this route.

• Applicants need to fulfill the requirements for licensure by examination in their issuing state, including passing the NCLEX-RN.
• The Board requires proof of your valid US license, which can be pulled from the Nursys platform for a fee of $30. However, if your issuing state’s Board does not report to Nursys, you must contact them directly regarding the verification process and fees.
• Foreign-trained applicants are to provide a CGFNS report so the Board can evaluate the program’s credentials to ensure they meet the standards of education required by New Hampshire. They’ll also need licensure verification and a completed Declaration of Primary Residence Form.
• Applicants must participate in a fingerprint-based criminal background check conducted by the Department of Safety, Division of State Police.
• You will also be required to provide a photo ID. The recommended option is a copy of your state-issued driver’s license. The applications are completed online for a fee of $148.

Please note that paper applications are not accepted for initial licensure, and the process will have to be completed online. You can upload additional documents directly to your account once it’s created. The Board will then review all documents and issue qualifying licenses to those who meet the requirements.

Advanced Education Requirement

You will be expected to have completed a post-graduate nursing program that awards at least a master’s degree program to successful participants.

This program has to be accredited by an agency recognized for accrediting graduate nursing programs and must include at least 228 hours of theory and 48 hours of clinical work.

Your nurse practitioner preparatory program must equip you with the skill set to take up a role in a given specialty area, serving a specific population focus. Typical classes include advanced pharmacology, pathophysiology, and clinical management courses.

If you are only applying for an APRN license two years after completing an NP preparatory program, you might be required to complete at least 30 contact hours of continuing education which must include pharmacology.

National Certification

Certain agencies are recognized and authorized by the Board of Nursing in different states to certify prospective APRNs, including nurse practitioners. These agencies operate at the national level and are specific regarding the specialty area and population focus of the nurse practitioner they certify. Hence, you are only to reach out to an agency that certifies professionals in your chosen areas.

The certification is usually examination-based and is a test of the knowledge and skill impacted on the prospective nurse practitioner by their graduate nurse practitioner education. Candidates have found it helpful to only participate in nurse practitioner programs endorsed by the agency they hope to be certified by. Here are the recognized agencies for nurse practitioner certification in New Hampshire.

• American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
• Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB)
• American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)

Getting Licensed to Practice as a Nurse Practitioner in New Hampshire

You can apply for a license to practice as an APRN-NP in New Hampshire online for $100. Before the 9th of September 2021, a license was issued for each certification. Now, you only get one license, no matter the number of certifications you have. You must provide a valid ID photo ID.

The Board requires proof of completing a post-graduate nursing program in your specialty. Your official transcripts are to be sent to the Board by your awarding institution. The transcripts must include the degree awarded and your date of graduation.

The Board requires applicants for an NP license to show proof of a valid national certification from a recognized certifying agency for their role. You are to submit this with your online application. If you have completed your nurse practitioner education more than two years immediately prior to your application date, you’re required to provide proof of having completed 30 contact hours of continuing education. At least 5 hours have to be in pharmacology, and 3 out of the 5 hours are in opioid prescribing, pain management, or substance abuse disorder.

Applicants must hold a valid RN license to practice in New Hampshire, which may be a single-state license or an NLC multi-state license. You will need to verify such licenses, especially if they were not issued in New Hampshire. It is usually done using the Nursys licensure verification system.

Finally, all applicants are required to complete a CBC as covered under the initial RN license segment.