License requirements by state
What each board asks for at initial licensure and at renewal, step by step, for RN, APRN and prescribing credentials.
Informational guidance only. Confirm current requirements with the appropriate licensing authority before applying, renewing or practicing. Read the disclaimer
New York: APRN, initial licensure
Prepare the state-specific education, certification, application and practice documents below. Separate prescribing approvals appear under Prescriptive Authority and State Rx / CS.
Initial pharmacotherapeutics education
Qualifying NP education includes at least three semester hours of acceptable graduate pharmacotherapeutics. The application specifies documentation and alternative routes for earlier graduates or endorsed applicants.
- Timing
- Initial certification
- Conditions
- Credit hours are not entered as CE contact hours.
NP application checklist
Hold a currently registered New York RN license before NP application review. Submit NP Form 1 and fee. Choose the appropriate route: registered/equivalent NP program, accepted national certification, or comparable out-of-state NP licensure. Arrange the route-specific direct school/certification/license verifications. Complete New York prescription-law and recordkeeping coursework unless it was included in your NYSED-registered program.
- Timing
- Before initial state authorization
- Conditions
- Standard NP application. Additional documents apply to international education, reentry, discipline, name changes and other nonstandard routes.
Updated child-abuse mandated-reporter training
Complete the updated approved curriculum covering identification and reporting involving children with intellectual or developmental disabilities. NYSED includes RNs and NPs in the affected professions.
- Timing
- Updated training due November 17, 2026
- Conditions
- People who completed approved training from November 1, 2022 through August 31, 2025 may use the approved 15-minute addendum route. Initial coursework and applicable exemptions still follow NYSED instructions. A provider course duration is not an additional annual CE quota.
NP practice and prescribing
NPs with more than 3,600 qualifying NP practice hours may practice without a physician collaboration agreement or written practice protocols. NP prescribing must remain within the specialty certified by NYSED and applicable prescribing law.
- Timing
- During practice
- Conditions
- At 3,600 or fewer qualifying hours, a written physician practice agreement and written protocols are required.
More than 3,600 NP practice hours
At 3,600 hours or fewer, the written physician agreement and protocols remain required. Qualifying experience must exceed 3,600 hours to use the experienced-NP exception.
- Timing
- Before independent practice or prescribing, as specified
- Conditions
- Clinical practice hours are not continuing-education hours. Board approval may be required.
Coverage and conditions
- Use the checklist for the standard NP route. International education, reentry, military pathways, older educational exceptions and disciplinary history can require additional board documents. Submit the board’s current application; this site does not submit it for you.
Maintained by The Multistate NP from board sources and updated on review. Confirm against the board’s current application before you file. National certification and federal DEA requirements are separate.