In Utah, all individuals seeking work as nurses must be licensed by the State Board of Nursing, which is part of the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL). All in-state nursing education programs must be accredited by the NLNAC, the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Obtaining a License

Utah is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, a multi-state agreement that allows nurses to move and work among member states without having to obtain a new license for each. The other states that are part of the Nurse Licensure Compact are Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, South Carolina, and North Carolina. If an individual moves from one of these states to Utah permanently, he or she may work using his or her old license for up to thirty days. After the thirty days have passed, he or she must apply for a Utah nursing license.

Like most states, there are two different types of nursing licenses: a Practical Nursing License and a Registered Nursing License. Both of these licenses have unique requirements and qualify their holders for different nursing positions.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Requirement

Once a student reaches the final semester of his or her program, he or she may apply for licensure. The application fee for a nursing license is $100, and this fee includes the required background checks and fingerprinting if the applicant chooses to be fingerprinted at the DOPL office.

Once the applicant has completed his or her educational program, he or she must send his or her official transcripts to the DOPL for the Board of Nursing to record and review. When this step is complete, the applicant may register for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing, or NCLEX-PN. The fee for this computer-administrated exam is $200.

Registered Nurse (RN) Requirement

The steps to becoming a registered nurse in Utah are similar to those for becoming a licensed practical nurse, but there are a few key differences. RN applicants must submit to background checks by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). Like LPN applicants, RN applicants must pay a $100 fee to the Board of Nursing to conduct these background checks. If the individual opts to have his or her fingerprints taken through the DOPL, he or she does not have to pay a fingerprinting fee.

The RN application also contains qualifying questions about the individual's background and past disciplinary actions. Answering “yes” to certain qualifying questions require the applicant to provide additional documentation to the Board.

Once an RN applicant has completed the necessary background checks and sent his or her sealed transcripts to the DOPL, he or she may take the NCLEX-RN.

Maintaining a License

Utah nursing licenses may be renewed online at http://www.dopl.utah.gov/licensing/nursing.html. LPN licenses expire January 31 of even-numbered years, and RN licenses expire January 31 of odd-numbered years.

In addition to filling out the online form, an individual must complete one the following requirements to renew his or her nursing license:

• 400 contact hours

• 200 contact hours and 15 contact hours

• 30 contact hours

These hourly requirements are the same for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.

Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions against nurses are handled by the DOPL. Depending on the offense, a nurse might have his or her license suspended or even revoked completely. Following a revocation, the court may impose a mandatory waiting period for an individual before he or she may reapply for a nursing license. Some examples of offenses a nurse might commit that could lead to disciplinary action are:

• Professional misconduct

• Falsifying patients' records

• Failing to enroll in an addiction treatment program if he or she has become addicted to painkillers or other substances

• Impersonating another medical professional

Recommended Links

Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing

Nursing License Requirements in Utah

Nursing Continuing Education Requirements by State

Disciplinary Actions