Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Free tool
Lapsed your RN, LPN, or APRN license? Pick your state and tell us how many months it's been expired. The calculator returns your reinstatement cost range, processing timeline, whether you'll need a refresher course, and the exact next steps, all based on each state board's current rules.
Pick your state, license type, and how many months since your expiration date. The calculator returns your reinstatement cost range, timeline, refresher-course requirement, and a step-by-step path back to active status.
State boards vary widely on the specifics, but most follow the same shape. 1–3 months: late renewal window: pay the standard fee plus a small late penalty. 3–24 months: reinstatement application, fee, back renewal fees, full CE documentation. 1–5 years: reinstatement plus an approved refresher course covering theory and supervised clinical hours. 5+ years: refresher course is usually mandatory; some states close reinstatement and require re-application as a new graduate. The calculator above buckets your situation and gives you the pathway most likely to apply.
Most brackets require documented CE to reinstate. Catch up with free CE for your state first, or compare accredited CE providers to close the gap fast. Haven't lapsed yet and weighing your options? See inactive status vs letting it lapse before the deadline decides for you.
Practicing on a lapsed license is a finable offense in every state and grounds for board discipline that follows you into other states. Document the date you stopped working and notify your employer in writing. Discipline for an inadvertent lapse, handled fast and quietly, is recoverable. Discipline for an inadvertent lapse where you kept working is much harder to walk back.
Late renewals and reinstatements trigger CE documentation review at a far higher rate than on-time renewals. Some boards audit every reinstatement application. Pull every CE certificate, contact-hour record, and mandatory-topic course you completed. If you can't produce documentation for a course, contact the provider before submitting your application.
For lapses over a year, most boards publish a list of approved refresher programs. Start there, not on third-party course-aggregator sites. Boards do not honor refresher courses they haven't approved. The board's contact page on every state guide is the fastest way to get a current list.
Boards are clear that not receiving a renewal notice doesn't excuse a missed renewal. The obligation is yours, which is exactly why an independent countdown matters. RenewRN's free plan tracks one license with a 90-day countdown and push reminder. Pro adds email reminders at 90, 60, 30, 7, and 1 day out, plus an audit-ready PDF compliance report. Built by a travel RN who has watched colleagues lapse over a single missed mandatory-topic CE.
No. Practicing on a lapsed license is grounds for board discipline in every state, separate from any criminal exposure for practicing without a license. Stop work immediately and confirm your status with the board before returning.
Published board reinstatement fees range from about $25 to $350 depending on the state and license type, plus back fees for missed renewal cycles in some states. Lapses over 1 year typically also require a refresher course costing $500 to $2,500, which is usually the biggest line item.
Late renewals (within a few months) can process in days. Reinstatement applications without a refresher take 2–8 weeks. Long lapses requiring a refresher course typically take 3–9 months because the refresher itself includes theory and supervised clinical hours.
Usually not for lapses under 5 years. A board-approved refresher course is the typical pathway. For very long lapses (often over 5 or 7 years, depending on the state), some boards close the reinstatement option and require a full re-application as a new graduate, which can include retaking NCLEX. Always confirm directly with the board before assuming.
Audit likelihood is elevated for any late renewal or reinstatement and approaches universal for long lapses. Pull every CE certificate and document every mandatory topic before submitting your application.