Returning to Nursing in Vermont

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

Reinstatement and refresher requirements · Verified against the Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation · 2026-06-17

The Vermont RN reinstatement fee is from $100 (rises with months lapsed), plus any back renewal fees. 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: License expires at midnight on the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited. Late renewal may be available with additional fees.

What your lapse length means in Vermont

Lapsed	Status	Estimated cost
2 months lapsed	Reinstatement required	Reinstatement fee (Vermont: from $100 (rises with months lapsed)) plus back fees for missed renewal cycles. Total typically $300–$800.
1 year lapsed	Reinstatement required	Reinstatement fee (Vermont: from $100 (rises with months lapsed)) plus back fees for missed renewal cycles. Total typically $300–$800.
3 years lapsed	Reinstatement + likely refresher course	Reinstatement fee (Vermont: from $100 (rises with months lapsed)) + 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 Vermont.

Refresher course rules in Vermont

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

When a refresher applies: License expired more than 2 years: reinstatement is required, including a federal criminal background check. Expired 2 to 5 years: reinstated on proof of continuous practice elsewhere, or by meeting the standard renewal requirements if practice ceased. Expired 5 years or more with practice ceased: your preparation to return is assessed case by case, and in most circumstances a board approved nursing re entry program is a minimum prerequisite. Continuous practice in another state removes the requirement at any lapse length.
What it takes: A board approved RN re entry program consisting of a minimum of 120 hours of theory and a minimum of 120 hours of supervised clinical experience (Rule 5-18). After consultation with the board, the Director may also require re training, testing, or re application.
Re-examination: No automatic re examination is published. For lapses of 5 or more years the Director may require testing as part of the case by case assessment, but no NCLEX retake is mandated by rule.
CE catch-up: Reinstatement after a 2 to 5 year lapse with ceased practice means meeting the renewal requirements: 400 practice hours in the preceding 2 years or 960 hours in the preceding 5 years, or 20 hours of qualifying continuing education in the preceding 2 years, or a current nationally recognized certification (Rule 4-8).

APRN re entry runs under its own rules (5-19 through 5-23) with different hour tiers; Rule 4-10 also yields to the enhanced APRN requirements in Part 9.

Source: Vermont Board of Nursing administrative rules (May 2023), Rules 4-8, 4-10, 5-18, last checked 2026-06-11. Rules change; confirm with the board before enrolling in anything.

Steps to reinstate in Vermont

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: Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation or the online renewal portal.

Vermont reinstatement FAQ

How much does it cost to reinstate a lapsed RN license in Vermont?: The Vermont RN reinstatement fee is from $100 (rises with months lapsed), plus any back renewal fees the board assesses. A refresher course, where required, adds tuition on top (typically $500 to $2,500 nationally). Confirm the current total with the Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation before applying.
Do I need a refresher course to reinstate my Vermont nursing license?: License expired more than 2 years: reinstatement is required, including a federal criminal background check. Expired 2 to 5 years: reinstated on proof of continuous practice elsewhere, or by meeting the standard renewal requirements if practice ceased. Expired 5 years or more with practice ceased: your preparation to return is assessed case by case, and in most circumstances a board approved nursing re entry program is a minimum prerequisite. Continuous practice in another state removes the requirement at any lapse length. A board approved RN re entry program consisting of a minimum of 120 hours of theory and a minimum of 120 hours of supervised clinical experience (Rule 5-18). After consultation with the board, the Director may also require re training, testing, or re application.
Will I have to retake the NCLEX to get my Vermont license back?: No automatic re examination is published. For lapses of 5 or more years the Director may require testing as part of the case by case assessment, but no NCLEX retake is mandated by rule.
Is there a grace period after my Vermont license expires?: Vermont's published rule: License expires at midnight on the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited. Late renewal may be available with additional fees.. A grace or late window is not permission to practice; check your status with the board before working.
How long does Vermont 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 Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation publishes processing updates on its portal.

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Returning to Nursing in Vermont

Grace period: License expires at midnight on the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited. Late renewal may be available with additional fees.

What your lapse length means in Vermont

Lapsed	Status	Estimated cost
2 months lapsed	Reinstatement required	Reinstatement fee (Vermont: from $100 (rises with months lapsed)) plus back fees for missed renewal cycles. Total typically $300–$800.
1 year lapsed	Reinstatement required	Reinstatement fee (Vermont: from $100 (rises with months lapsed)) plus back fees for missed renewal cycles. Total typically $300–$800.
3 years lapsed	Reinstatement + likely refresher course	Reinstatement fee (Vermont: from $100 (rises with months lapsed)) + 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 Vermont.

Refresher course rules in Vermont

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

When a refresher applies: License expired more than 2 years: reinstatement is required, including a federal criminal background check. Expired 2 to 5 years: reinstated on proof of continuous practice elsewhere, or by meeting the standard renewal requirements if practice ceased. Expired 5 years or more with practice ceased: your preparation to return is assessed case by case, and in most circumstances a board approved nursing re entry program is a minimum prerequisite. Continuous practice in another state removes the requirement at any lapse length.
What it takes: A board approved RN re entry program consisting of a minimum of 120 hours of theory and a minimum of 120 hours of supervised clinical experience (Rule 5-18). After consultation with the board, the Director may also require re training, testing, or re application.
Re-examination: No automatic re examination is published. For lapses of 5 or more years the Director may require testing as part of the case by case assessment, but no NCLEX retake is mandated by rule.
CE catch-up: Reinstatement after a 2 to 5 year lapse with ceased practice means meeting the renewal requirements: 400 practice hours in the preceding 2 years or 960 hours in the preceding 5 years, or 20 hours of qualifying continuing education in the preceding 2 years, or a current nationally recognized certification (Rule 4-8).

APRN re entry runs under its own rules (5-19 through 5-23) with different hour tiers; Rule 4-10 also yields to the enhanced APRN requirements in Part 9.

Source: Vermont Board of Nursing administrative rules (May 2023), Rules 4-8, 4-10, 5-18, last checked 2026-06-11. Rules change; confirm with the board before enrolling in anything.

Steps to reinstate in Vermont

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.

Vermont reinstatement FAQ

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

The Vermont RN reinstatement fee is from $100 (rises with months lapsed), plus any back renewal fees the board assesses. A refresher course, where required, adds tuition on top (typically $500 to $2,500 nationally). Confirm the current total with the Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation before applying.

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

License expired more than 2 years: reinstatement is required, including a federal criminal background check. Expired 2 to 5 years: reinstated on proof of continuous practice elsewhere, or by meeting the standard renewal requirements if practice ceased. Expired 5 years or more with practice ceased: your preparation to return is assessed case by case, and in most circumstances a board approved nursing re entry program is a minimum prerequisite. Continuous practice in another state removes the requirement at any lapse length. A board approved RN re entry program consisting of a minimum of 120 hours of theory and a minimum of 120 hours of supervised clinical experience (Rule 5-18). After consultation with the board, the Director may also require re training, testing, or re application.

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

No automatic re examination is published. For lapses of 5 or more years the Director may require testing as part of the case by case assessment, but no NCLEX retake is mandated by rule.

Is there a grace period after my Vermont license expires?

Vermont's published rule: License expires at midnight on the expiration date. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited. Late renewal may be available with additional fees.. A grace or late window is not permission to practice; check your status with the board before working.

How long does Vermont 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 Vermont Board of Nursing, Office of Professional Regulation publishes processing updates on its portal.

Returning to Nursing in Vermont

What your lapse length means in Vermont

Refresher course rules in Vermont

Steps to reinstate in Vermont

Vermont reinstatement FAQ

Related guides

More for Vermont nurses

Never let it lapse again

Track your path back to active practice, free

Returning to Nursing in Vermont

What your lapse length means in Vermont

Refresher course rules in Vermont

Steps to reinstate in Vermont

Vermont reinstatement FAQ

Related guides

More for Vermont nurses

Never let it lapse again

Track your path back to active practice, free