Returning to Nursing in Nevada

Built by Keegan, a travel RN · verified against official board sources

Reinstatement and refresher requirements · Verified against the Nevada State Board of Nursing · 2026-06-22

The Nevada State Board of Nursing sets reinstatement costs per application rather than publishing a flat fee. What else your return takes depends on how long the license has been lapsed: short lapses are paperwork and CE, long ones can add a refresher course.

Grace period: No grace period. A $100 late fee is assessed for renewals submitted after the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited.

What your lapse length means in Nevada

Lapsed	Status	Estimated cost
2 months lapsed	Late renewal window (likely)	Renewal fee + late penalty (Nevada: $100 late fee added on top of the $100 renewal ($200 total to renew after expiration)). Total is usually $100–$300 above the standard fee.
1 year lapsed	Reinstatement required	Reinstatement fee (Nevada: varies by license type) plus back fees for missed renewal cycles. Total typically $300–$800.
3 years lapsed	Reinstatement + likely refresher course	Reinstatement fee (Nevada: varies by license type) + refresher course tuition ($500–$2,500) + back fees. Total usually $1,500–$4,000.
6 years lapsed	Deep lapse: refresher course + possible re-application	If reinstatement is allowed: $1,500–$4,500 (fees + refresher). If re-application is required: $300–$800 in application fees plus NCLEX retake costs.

Size your exact situation with the reinstatement calculator, which uses the same board data.

Reinstating usually means catching up on continuing education. Earn it cheaply: free CE in Nevada.

Refresher course rules in Nevada

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

When a refresher applies: Nevada treats a lapsed license as a late renewal rather than a separate reinstatement track, and the trigger is inactivity rather than lapse length: if you have not practiced nursing or passed the NCLEX within the 5 years before submitting the renewal application, you must complete a board approved refresher program or retake and pass the NCLEX before renewal. The rule does not restrict the practice to Nevada, so nursing practice under another state's license satisfies it.
What it takes: The refresher program includes both theory and clinical experience; the board publishes no minimum hour count. After completing the theory portion you submit the renewal application and theory certificate, and the board issues a temporary license, valid up to 6 months, used only to complete the clinical portion. The board accepts refresher programs approved by another board of nursing. New fingerprints are required if yours are more than 5 years old.
Re-examination: Re examination is an explicit published option: in lieu of the refresher program you may retake and pass the NCLEX, registered through the board and Pearson VUE. It is an alternative, never a mandate, and no jurisprudence exam is published.
CE catch-up: No separate reinstatement CE is published; a late renewal must meet the normal renewal requirements of 30 hours of CE per cycle plus the one time 4 hour bioterrorism course, with a 100 dollar late fee on top of the 100 dollar renewal fee and no grace period.

Source: Nevada State Board of Nursing, refresher or NCLEX instructions, last checked 2026-06-11. Rules change; confirm with the board before enrolling in anything.

Steps to reinstate in Nevada

1Stop practicing immediately if you haven't already.
2Pull your CE records together: every certificate, every approved provider.
3Submit the reinstatement application through the board portal.
4Pay reinstatement fee + any back renewal fees.
5Expect a fingerprint background check (most states require one at reinstatement).
6Plan for 2–8 weeks of processing before you can return to work.

Start at the source: Nevada State Board of Nursing or the online renewal portal.

Nevada reinstatement FAQ

How much does it cost to reinstate a lapsed RN license in Nevada?: The Nevada State Board of Nursing does not publish a flat reinstatement fee; the cost is set per application and may include back renewal fees. A refresher course, where required, adds tuition on top. Confirm the current total with the board before applying.
Do I need a refresher course to reinstate my Nevada nursing license?: Nevada treats a lapsed license as a late renewal rather than a separate reinstatement track, and the trigger is inactivity rather than lapse length: if you have not practiced nursing or passed the NCLEX within the 5 years before submitting the renewal application, you must complete a board approved refresher program or retake and pass the NCLEX before renewal. The rule does not restrict the practice to Nevada, so nursing practice under another state's license satisfies it. The refresher program includes both theory and clinical experience; the board publishes no minimum hour count. After completing the theory portion you submit the renewal application and theory certificate, and the board issues a temporary license, valid up to 6 months, used only to complete the clinical portion. The board accepts refresher programs approved by another board of nursing. New fingerprints are required if yours are more than 5 years old.
Will I have to retake the NCLEX to get my Nevada license back?: Re examination is an explicit published option: in lieu of the refresher program you may retake and pass the NCLEX, registered through the board and Pearson VUE. It is an alternative, never a mandate, and no jurisprudence exam is published.
Is there a grace period after my Nevada license expires?: Nevada's published rule: No grace period. A $100 late fee is assessed for renewals submitted after the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited.. A grace or late window is not permission to practice; check your status with the board before working.
How long does Nevada license reinstatement take?: Short lapses usually process in 2 to 8 weeks once the application is complete. If a refresher course is involved, plan around the course length, often 3 to 9 months end to end. The Nevada State Board of Nursing publishes processing updates on its portal.

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Returning to Nursing in Nevada

Reinstatement and refresher requirements · Verified against the Nevada State Board of Nursing · 2026-06-22

Grace period: No grace period. A $100 late fee is assessed for renewals submitted after the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited.

What your lapse length means in Nevada

Lapsed	Status	Estimated cost
2 months lapsed	Late renewal window (likely)	Renewal fee + late penalty (Nevada: $100 late fee added on top of the $100 renewal ($200 total to renew after expiration)). Total is usually $100–$300 above the standard fee.
1 year lapsed	Reinstatement required	Reinstatement fee (Nevada: varies by license type) plus back fees for missed renewal cycles. Total typically $300–$800.
3 years lapsed	Reinstatement + likely refresher course	Reinstatement fee (Nevada: varies by license type) + refresher course tuition ($500–$2,500) + back fees. Total usually $1,500–$4,000.
6 years lapsed	Deep lapse: refresher course + possible re-application	If reinstatement is allowed: $1,500–$4,500 (fees + refresher). If re-application is required: $300–$800 in application fees plus NCLEX retake costs.

Size your exact situation with the reinstatement calculator, which uses the same board data.

Reinstating usually means catching up on continuing education. Earn it cheaply: free CE in Nevada.

Refresher course rules in Nevada

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

When a refresher applies: Nevada treats a lapsed license as a late renewal rather than a separate reinstatement track, and the trigger is inactivity rather than lapse length: if you have not practiced nursing or passed the NCLEX within the 5 years before submitting the renewal application, you must complete a board approved refresher program or retake and pass the NCLEX before renewal. The rule does not restrict the practice to Nevada, so nursing practice under another state's license satisfies it.
What it takes: The refresher program includes both theory and clinical experience; the board publishes no minimum hour count. After completing the theory portion you submit the renewal application and theory certificate, and the board issues a temporary license, valid up to 6 months, used only to complete the clinical portion. The board accepts refresher programs approved by another board of nursing. New fingerprints are required if yours are more than 5 years old.
Re-examination: Re examination is an explicit published option: in lieu of the refresher program you may retake and pass the NCLEX, registered through the board and Pearson VUE. It is an alternative, never a mandate, and no jurisprudence exam is published.
CE catch-up: No separate reinstatement CE is published; a late renewal must meet the normal renewal requirements of 30 hours of CE per cycle plus the one time 4 hour bioterrorism course, with a 100 dollar late fee on top of the 100 dollar renewal fee and no grace period.

Source: Nevada State Board of Nursing, refresher or NCLEX instructions, last checked 2026-06-11. Rules change; confirm with the board before enrolling in anything.

Steps to reinstate in Nevada

1Stop practicing immediately if you haven't already.

2Pull your CE records together: every certificate, every approved provider.

3Submit the reinstatement application through the board portal.

4Pay reinstatement fee + any back renewal fees.

5Expect a fingerprint background check (most states require one at reinstatement).

6Plan for 2–8 weeks of processing before you can return to work.

Nevada reinstatement FAQ

How much does it cost to reinstate a lapsed RN license in Nevada?

The Nevada State Board of Nursing does not publish a flat reinstatement fee; the cost is set per application and may include back renewal fees. A refresher course, where required, adds tuition on top. Confirm the current total with the board before applying.

Do I need a refresher course to reinstate my Nevada nursing license?

Nevada treats a lapsed license as a late renewal rather than a separate reinstatement track, and the trigger is inactivity rather than lapse length: if you have not practiced nursing or passed the NCLEX within the 5 years before submitting the renewal application, you must complete a board approved refresher program or retake and pass the NCLEX before renewal. The rule does not restrict the practice to Nevada, so nursing practice under another state's license satisfies it. The refresher program includes both theory and clinical experience; the board publishes no minimum hour count. After completing the theory portion you submit the renewal application and theory certificate, and the board issues a temporary license, valid up to 6 months, used only to complete the clinical portion. The board accepts refresher programs approved by another board of nursing. New fingerprints are required if yours are more than 5 years old.

Will I have to retake the NCLEX to get my Nevada license back?

Re examination is an explicit published option: in lieu of the refresher program you may retake and pass the NCLEX, registered through the board and Pearson VUE. It is an alternative, never a mandate, and no jurisprudence exam is published.

Is there a grace period after my Nevada license expires?

Nevada's published rule: No grace period. A $100 late fee is assessed for renewals submitted after the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited.. A grace or late window is not permission to practice; check your status with the board before working.

How long does Nevada license reinstatement take?

Short lapses usually process in 2 to 8 weeks once the application is complete. If a refresher course is involved, plan around the course length, often 3 to 9 months end to end. The Nevada State Board of Nursing publishes processing updates on its portal.

Returning to Nursing in Nevada

What your lapse length means in Nevada

Refresher course rules in Nevada

Steps to reinstate in Nevada

Nevada reinstatement FAQ

Related guides

More for Nevada nurses

Never let it lapse again

Track your path back to active practice, free

Returning to Nursing in Nevada

What your lapse length means in Nevada

Refresher course rules in Nevada

Steps to reinstate in Nevada

Nevada reinstatement FAQ

Related guides

More for Nevada nurses

Never let it lapse again

Track your path back to active practice, free