Licensure is the process by which boards of nursing grant permission to an individual to engage in nursing practice after the applicant has graduated from an accredited school of nursing and successfully passed the NCLEX. Licensure is necessary when the regulated activities are complex and require specialized knowledge, skills, and judgement.
During the final semester of pre-licensure BSN programs, Academic Advisors will provide instructions on submitting the Missouri Application for License as a Registered Professional Nurse by Examination. Completion of the nursing program does not guarantee eligibility to take the licensure examination, per section 335.066 RSMo of the Missouri Nursing Practice Act.
If seeking licensure in a state other than Missouri, students must notify their Academic Advisor and review the requirements of that state.
Initial nurse licensure applicants to the Missouri State Board of Nursing are required to complete fingerprinting for criminal background checks. Information concerning the fingerprint process will be distributed with the NCLEX Application Candidate Bulletin approximately three months prior to graduation from the program. Students are responsible for making an appointment with the fingerprinting company and paying for their fingerprinting. Exam applicants will not be allowed to take the licensure exam until the Board Office has the results of the background check.
Apply for Licensure
First, submit an application for licensure/registration to the NRB where seeking to be licensed/registered. This step is required to obtain eligibility to take the NCLEX.* If testing with accommodations, request them with the NRB.
Missouri Nursing Licensure Information
When to Schedule the Exam Appointment
Candidates may not schedule their exam appointment until they have received an Authorization to Test (ATT).
Waiting to call to schedule an exam appointment may significantly limit the selection of dates from which candidates can choose to schedule. Additionally, if candidates wait until their ATT is close to expiring, test centers may not be able to seat candidates prior to its expiration. If this occurs, candidates will be required to reregister and pay another exam fee.
First-time test takers will be offered an appointment 30 days after the request to schedule an appointment. Repeat candidates will be offered an appointment starting 45 days after the last exam attempt. Candidates may decline the appointment offered and schedule later than the 30 or 45 days. If their first-choice date or time is unavailable, candidates will be offered an alternative as close to their first choice as possible.
Scheduling the Exam
University of Missouri-St. Louis Program Code: US17500600
Candidates will need to register to take the NCLEX with Pearson VUE and provide their program code, an email address and an acceptable form of payment. The first and last name provided when registering must match exactly with the identification presented at the exam appointment.
Candidates should receive an email confirmation acknowledging their NCLEX registration within two days of submitting a registration, correspondence from Pearson VUE is only via email.
The NCLEX is offered at domestic and international test centers. Appointments can be scheduled online or over the phone with Pearson VUE Candidate Services.
Fees & Payments: $200
Candidates will need a valid VISA, MasterCard, or American Express credit, debit or prepaid card to complete registration. The name shown on the card, the card number and the expiration date must be provided. There will be no refund of registration fees for any reason.
If you plan to take the NCLEX in another state, notify your academic advisor and Mr. Gibson at nursing@umsl.edu
Nurses are required to be licensed in the state in which they practice at the time service is provided. A multi-state license allows a nurse to practice in their home state and all compact states/territories with one license issued by the home state. This eliminates the costly and time-consuming process of obtaining single-state licenses in each state of practice. The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement between states that allows licensed registered nurses to obtain a compact/multi-state license to practice in all NLC jurisdictions.
In order to gain employment as a nurse in a non-compact state, you can apply for licensure by endorsement to the board of nursing in the state where you wish to seek a license. Some non-compact states require the completion of additional coursework above and beyond those required for your UMSL BSN prior to obtaining licensure. We always recommend checking other state Board of Nursing requirements if you wish to obtain licensure and employment outside of Missouri.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and post-graduate APRN certificate programs at the University of Missouri-St. Louis are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, (202) 887-6791. The baccalaureate degree program is approved by the Missouri Board of Nursing; all programs are approved by the Higher Learning commission.
