The New Jersey Board of Nursing, formed in 1912, has a primary mission: to guarantee that New Jersey residents get care from highly qualified nurses. This board is responsible for licensing registered and practical nurses across the state and is an integral part of the nursing regulatory process.
At its heart, the Board’s tasks are broad and important:
The New Jersey Board of Nursing is made up of 12 members nominated by the governor: 6 registered professional nurses, 2 licensed practical nurses, 2 nurse educators, 1 advanced practice nurse, and 1 public member.
| [email protected] | |
| Phone Number | (973) 504-6430 |
| Board of Nursing Newark | 124 Halsey St, Newark, NJ 07102 |
| NJ Board of Nursing login | https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/nur |
New Jersey is home to a dynamic population of over 200,000 nurses, both active and inactive. Registered nurses (RNs) make up the majority of this category, whereas nurse midwives and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are conspicuously underrepresented. This distribution aligns with trends seen throughout the state. Interestingly, 390 Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), 3,665 RNs, and 207 Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) are licensed to practice across multiple states.
According to the NJCCN’s New Jersey Nursing Data & Analysis, the nursing workforce in New Jersey is predominantly female, with average ages for RNs and APNs at 49 and 48, respectively. Looking ahead, 4% of LPNs, 6% of RNs, and 3% of APNs are considering retirement before the next renewal period. Notably, about a quarter of nurse practitioners are also licensed in other states, pointing to a fluid workforce.
| License Status | LPN | RN | APRN |
| Single state, NJ as primary state of residence | 19,480 | 92,232 | 10,500 |
| Single state, out-of-state | 1,197 | 15,525 | 3,757 |
| Multi-state compact license | 390 | 3,665 | 207 |
Turnover rates in New Jersey are also telling, with LPNs experiencing a 46% turnover, RNs at 26%, and Nurse Practitioners at 24%. These figures are slightly above the national RN turnover rate of 22.5%, which carries a median of 21.7% in hospital settings. Interestingly, a mere one percent shift in RN turnover can lead to a financial impact of $380,600 annually for an average hospital—highlighting the significant cost implications of nurse staffing fluctuations.
Furthermore, the median yearly salaries for LPNs, RNs, and NPs have all increased significantly. With New Jersey placing sixth in the United States for RN job listings, the need for qualified nurses remains high.
This research emphasizes an important point: New Jersey must proactively manage its nurses in order to reconcile the continuous increasing need with the accessible supply of competent professionals.
The New Jersey Board of Nursing highlights the necessity of learning state-specific legislation and regulations governing nursing activities. It is critical for nurses to discern between conduct that comes under the Board’s authority and those that are better addressed through workplace regulations or labor legislation.
Nurses are privy to a wealth of tools meant to assist them in providing exceptional care. These include organizational processes, guidelines for clinical practice, and more, which many people use every day, including but not limited to:
A key resource is the Nurse Practice Act (NPA). Following the NPA not only guides nurses in their practice but also shields them from potential legal issues.
To assist nurses in determining the appropriateness of a specific clinical action, the Board offers a comprehensive Scope of Practice Determination Model. This model guides nurses through a series of checks to ensure any act performed is within their legal scope of practice and meets professional standards:
Section 45:11-37 of New Jersey’s Nurse Practice Act requires all nursing practitioners to have a current and valid license or certificate to practice. Violation of this rule results in a $200 charges, which rises to $500 for additional violations following a prior conviction.
To be eligible for an initial license, nurses must have:
Registered nurses or licensed practical nurses from other states of the United States, including the District of Columbia, may apply for a license by endorsement.
The New Jersey Board of Nursing levies the following fees:
To be eligible for licensing, all candidates must pass the relevant National Council licensing Examination, whether for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) or Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).
| Program | Candidates | Total Passed | NCLEX-RN Pass Rate |
| Diploma in Nursing (DIP) | 483 | 383 | 79% |
| Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) | 1,651 | 1,385 | 84% |
| Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) | 2,205 | 1,762 | 80% |
| Total | 4,339 | 3,530 | 81% |
According to New Jersey regulations, if an applicant fails their licensure exam after 3 attempts, they must take a 30-hour remedial course before attempting it again. This course must be conducted by a certified instructor, and proof of accomplishment must be provided to the Board.
New Jersey utilizes a single application for both, Examination and Endorsement licenses. Depending on qualifications, applicants might be issued a multi-state Compact license or a single-state New Jersey license.
This application is valid for a year. After this time it will be dismissed, and you will have to start over, including paying the fees.
If you’re a nurse licensed in good standing in another state, you might qualify for a temporary courtesy license in New Jersey. To apply:
The license is valid for one year and can be extended for another year upon reapplication.
Check that all relevant documentation is delivered directly to the Board from official sources, including transcripts, testing results, and out-of-state license verifications. If you have a criminal background, please provide extensive explanations and formal proof for evaluation.
Nursing licenses in New Jersey expire every two years on May 31, with odd and even years alternating depending on when they were initially issued. The fees for renewing the licenses of nurses are as follows:
Each licensee is notified at their registered location at least 60 days preceding their license expiration date. Licensees must renew their licenses and pay the necessary payments before the expiration date. If you miss the due date, you can renew your license up to 30 days after it expires by submitting the renewal fee, a late fee, and an extra premium. Failure to renew within these 30 days results in an administrative suspension without a hearing.
During the renewal procedure, nurses can choose whether they want to maintain their licenses active or inactive. Those who select inactive status may not practice. Yet they continue to get all Board communications. To reinstate a license, an official request to the Board is required.
Active status necessitates fulfillment of all required continuing education hours. If you choose inactive status, these criteria will be disregarded until you elect to reinstate your license. The Board performs random audits to guarantee compliance with continuing education standards.
Nurses have to take at least 30 hours of continuing nursing education each two-year period. One of the requisite 30 hours must be spent on prescription opioids. This session should include alternatives to opioids for pain management and treatment, as well as information on the hazards and warning indications of opioid misuse, addiction, and diversion.
Nurses who surpass the minimum necessary continuing education hours in one biennial period may carry forward up to 15 of these extra hours to the following cycle, providing flexibility and acknowledgment for their commitment to continual learning.
Nurses can obtain their CE credits through various educational activities, including:
New Jersey is an active participant in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows nurses holding active, unencumbered licenses from other Compact states to practice in New Jersey without additional licenses. Conversely, New Jersey licensed nurses looking to practice in other Compact states can apply for a multistate license through a License by Upgrade process.
New candidates for RN or LPN roles should initially apply as such, and if they meet all requirements, a multistate Compact license will be issued. However, if they don’t meet the Compact license requirements, they will receive a single state New Jersey license.
The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General plays a crucial role in upholding nursing standards through its Professional Boards Prosecution section. This body is responsible for presenting discipline charges before the New Jersey Board of Nursing. Under N.J.S.A. §45:1-18, the Attorney General has broad authority to investigate violations, requiring nurses to provide detailed accounts under oath and permitting the seizure of documents and other items as evidence. In some situations, nurses may be required to complete a skills exam to certify their competency.
Nurses in New Jersey are also legally compelled to cooperate in disciplinary proceedings. According to New Jersey Administrative Code Section 13:45 C-1.2, failing to comply may be deemed professional misconduct and result in disciplinary action. Furthermore, nurses must report any colleague whose conduct poses an imminent danger to patient safety or public health as per N.J.S.A. §45.1-37. Not reporting such misconduct is itself considered a breach of professional ethics.
Patient, family member, employer, or coworker complaints might all result in disciplinary action. Nurses also have to self-report if they are physically or legally impaired in a way that might jeopardize their professional obligations, or if they are participating in legal procedures relating to their practice. This involves getting indicted, engaging in malpractice lawsuit, or facing disciplinary action from any regulatory agency.
According to N.J.S.A. §45:1-21, the New Jersey Board of Nursing can impose disciplinary sanctions for fraud, professional misconduct, gross negligence, and criminal behavior, among other grounds. The Board has the jurisdiction to revoke or suspend licenses, as well as to apply a variety of disciplinary penalties. Warnings, civil fines, or orders to stop wrongdoing, restore impacted parties, seek professional treatment, or participate in additional education and monitoring to guarantee safe practice may be among them.
Anyone in New Jersey who needs to check the qualifications of a nursing practitioner can use a real-time licensing information system. You may instantly verify the license status by choosing your profession and licensing type. To do a search, use a combination of your first and last names, license number, and city.
Nursys makes it simple to seek verification, whether you’re applying for a license in a new state or just want to validate your credentials. Simply specify your license type (RN or LPN/VN) and the state you’re applying to, and Nursys will submit all necessary verifications to the appropriate state board of nursing. This guarantees that all of your license information is current and available to future employers or regulatory authorities, facilitating career transfers and ensuring compliance with nursing standards.
The New Jersey Board of Nursing is the regulatory authority that oversees the licensing of registered and practical nurses in New Jersey. It sets and enforces standards, accredits nursing education programs, and ensures that nurses in the state provide care with integrity and compliance.
You can contact the New Jersey Board of Nursing via email at [email protected], by phone at (973) 504-6430, or by mail at 124 Halsey St, Newark, NJ 07102. Their website is https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/nur.
To register as a nurse in New Jersey, submit an online application via the New Jersey Board of Nursing portal. You must complete the required documentation, meet the educational requirements, pass the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, and complete a criminal background check.
The time to get a nursing license in New Jersey can vary depending on the completeness of your application and your background check. Generally, it can take several weeks to a few months.
Obtaining an RN license in New Jersey typically follows the same timeline as other nursing licenses, taking several weeks to a few months, depending on various factors such as the time of year and completeness of the application.
The fees for a New Jersey nursing license are as follows: Application Fee: $75.00, Initial License Fee: $120.00, Application for Licensure by Endorsement: $75.00 plus the initial license fee, Verification for Endorsement: $30.00.
Official transcripts should be sent directly to the Board from the educational institution. The application instructions will provide the specific email or mailing address where transcripts should be sent.
Yes, New Jersey is a participant in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows nurses to hold one multistate license with the ability to practice in all compact states.
Nursing licenses in New Jersey must be renewed biennially by May 31 of odd or even years, depending on the issuance date. Renewal involves submitting a renewal application, paying the renewal fee, and completing continuing education requirements.
You need to complete at least 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew your nursing license in New Jersey. This includes one contact hour related to prescription opioid drugs.
To check the status of a nursing license in New Jersey, you can use the real-time system provided by the state. You can search by profession, licensee type, name, license number, or city.
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