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4. Initial License by Endorsement

Endorsement - US Educated

If you are an Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) educated outside of the United States or Canada, but hold a license issued by another U.S. state after passing the NCLEX, please visit our IEN Endorsement process at: endorsement for internationally educated nurses.

If you are an IEN who has not passed the NCLEX, please visit our IEN Exam process at: exam for internationally educated nurses.

To qualify for license by endorsement, you must meet all of the requirements below:

1. Possess a U.S. Social Security Number:
   1. NOTE: This is not the same as an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or a Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN). North Dakota Law (NDCC 43-50-02) requires a U.S. social security number to issue any permit or license.
2. Have completed a board-approved North Dakota nursing education program, or an out-of-state program that is approved by another Board of Nursing and includes supervised clinical experience across the life span as part of the curriculum and is equivalent in amount and time to the ND Board of Nursing approved programs.
3. Been issued a license issued by another U.S. state after passing the NCLEX.
4. Hold an active license with another U.S. state for the level of licensure sought.
   1. This can be your initial exam license as noted in requirement three above if it is still active.
5. Meet the practice requirement of:
   1. Worked 400 hours of licensed nursing practice in the last four (4) years for the level of license sought
      OR
   2. Completed your nursing program in the past four (4) years as verified by your official transcript,
      OR
   3. Completed a board-approved refresher course within the past four (4) years.
6. Meet one of the residency requirements below in accordance with the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) Primary State of Residence (PSOR) rules due to North Dakota being a member of the NLC:
   1. Be a resident of North Dakota,
   2. Be a resident of a state that is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC),
   3. e a resident of a state that is a resident of the NLC, but are ineligible for a multistate license in that state due to disciplinary action or criminal history,
   4. Be a resident of a state that is a member of the NLC, but moving to North Dakota in the near future to become a resident of North Dakota

Please note: Nurses who are residents of NLC states that hold an active multistate license in their PSOR coming to work in North Dakota for a temporary amount of time are not required to obtain ND licensure. They are able to work in North Dakota on their current multistate license without any additional requirements.

• Learn more about the Nurse License Compact at: www.nursecompact.com
• Verify nurse multistate license status at: www.nursys.com.

To receive your North Dakota LPN or RN license by endorsement, you must complete the following items which are discussed in further detail below:

1. Complete the LPN or RN license by endorsement application.
   1. If you have not created your North Dakota Nurse Portal account in the ORBS licensing system, you will need to create one first, then select the Initial License by Exam application for the level of licensure sought.
   2. If you already have created your North Dakota Nurse Portal account, you will need to log into that account and then select the Initial License by Exam application for the level of licensure sought.
2. Submit an official copy of your transcript for your nursing program to the ND BON directly from the school or through a preferred third-party transcript service. Copies sent from the applicant, unofficial copies, faxed copies, and emailed copies will not be accepted.
3. Send verification of your initial license by exam and at least one active license.
4. Attest to the practice requirement of 400 hours in the endorsement application or have evidence of refresher course or nursing program completion within the past four (4) years.
5. Complete a Criminal History Record Check (CHRC).

Endorsement application process detailed steps:

1. Complete the License by Endorsement application:
   1. If you have not created your North Dakota Nurse Profile in the ORBS licensing system, you will need to create one first, then select the Initial License by Endorsement application for US educated nurses for the level of licensure sought.
   2. If you already have created your North Dakota Nurse Profile, you will need to log into that profile and then select the Initial License by Endorsement application for US educated nurses for the level of licensure sought.
2. Submit an official copy of your transcript for your nursing program to the ND BON directly from the school or through a preferred third-party transcript service. Copies sent from the applicant, unofficial copies, faxed copies, and emailed copies will not be accepted.
   1. The preferred method for fastest delivery and processing is electronically using a third-party transcript service:
      1. Parchment: www.parchment.com
      2. National Student Clearinghouse: www.studentclearinghouse.org/
   2. Your program can also mail a paper copy directly to the ND BON at: North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON); 919 S 7th Street, Suite 504; Bismarck, ND 58504.
3. Send verification of license for both your initial license by exam as well as an active license.
   1. All verifications must be sent through Nursys with exception of CA-LVN/LPN and PA RN & LPN: www.nursys.com
   2. If your initial license by exam is still active, that license verification will satisfy both requirements.
   3. If your initial license by exam is expired, you must have another active license verified.
4. Attest to meeting the practice requirement:
   1. Check the box in the application that you have four hundred (400) hours of nursing practice within the past four (4) years (subject to audit). If you’ve completed 400 hours of nursing practice in the past four (4) years outside of the U.S., a Verification of Employment (link to form) must be completed by your employer and sent directly to the NDBON at: Endorse@ndbon.org.
   2. Submit evidence that you have completed a board-approved refresher course.
   3. State on the application that you have completed a nursing program within the past four (4) years and submit an official transcript to the ND BON for verification.
5. Submit all CHRC items to the ND BON to complete the background check.

Criminal History Record Check (CHRC):

The Criminal History Record Check, or CHRC, is the official name for the background record that the ND BON conducts with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) for all initial license applications or reactivation applications as required by law and rule. Your CHRC is required to be completed for issuance of your license, but not required for you to receive a temporary permit. As soon as you complete your endorsement application, you can submit your CHRC items as one packet to the ND BON: ND Board of Nursing, 919 S 7th Street Suire 504, Bismarck ND 58504.

1. The CHRC form and instructions are found at: https://www.ndbon.org/NurseLicensure/CHRC/Index.asp
   1. Read all instructions completely and carefully to avoid errors that will result in delays completing your CHRC and issuing your license.
   2. The ND BON cannot accept any background check results from any other state agencies, schools, or places of employment.
2. The CHRC packets include:
   1. CHRC form – completed and signed,
   2. Fingerprint cards, and
   3. Payment made to the ND Attorney General.

90-day Temporary Permit:

Upon receipt and processing of your endorsement application, official transcript, and license verification of both your initial exam license and an active license, your application will be reviewed for issuance of a 90-day nonrenewable temporary permit. There is no additional fee, application, or request required to receive a temporary permit, all applications are issued one when eligible after review. All temporary permits are issued as single-state and good for only practice in North Dakota and cannot be used as verification for applying for licensure in other states. The temporary permit is good for full practice as a nurse within the appropriate scope of practice and is issued to allow practice while your CHRC is being processed. Extensions will not be granted. A temporary permit may not be issued if you have previously received a temporary permit for an application that you did not complete the requirements to receive full licensure/registry for, the application will be reviewed for full licensure issuance instead.

To receive full licensure:

Once the ND Board of Nursing has received and processed all required items, the application will be reviewed for full licensure. Please allow 5-10 business days for processing of all items. You can check your application status any time on the ORBS Nurse Portal. All correspondence related to outstanding items or temporary permit/license issuance can be viewed there. All initial endorsement licenses are issued with an expiration date of 12/31 the following year. You can check your license expiration date anytime in the Nurse Portal or through Nursys (www.nursys.com).

For more information on renewal of your license, please visit: https://www.ndbon.org/NurseLicensure/RenewReactivate/index.asp

Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) Multistate License Requirements:

A compact (multistate) license will be issued automatically without additional fee, application, or request, to all nurses who meet the residency requirements and are not otherwise ineligible for multistate licensure in accordance with the NLC Uniform Licensure Rules (ULRs).

• A nurse must be a resident of North Dakota, declare North Dakota as their Primary State of Residence (PSOR) and provide evidence that North Dakota is their PSOR. "Primary State of Residence" is the state a nurse refers to as their "home state" under the NLC and is their "declared fixed permanent and principal home for all legal purposes."
• Internationally educated nurses whose education was not completed in English with English textbooks, are also required to complete and pass a Board accepted English Language Proficiency exam and have the results of that exam sent to the North Dakota Board of Nursing.
• Nurses living in a non-NLC state are only eligible for single-state licensure for practice in North Dakota only.
• All temporary permits are issued as single-state only. For more information on the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), please visit: www.nursecompact.com

Correspondence regarding your application or license

Please provide 5-10 business days for processing of all items and responses to inquiries. All correspondence is required to be sent through the Nurse Portal unless otherwise instructed to do differently. Please do not submit redundant inquiries or to multiple departments/teams, as all correspondence is routed to the correct team. You can check your application or license status any time in your Nurse Portal account.