When it comes to becoming a registered nurse (RN), the road to success can be a little bumpy. A majority of the states within the U.S. require individual licenses. Even more daunting, many states have different requirements and licensure timeframes. It can be a bit of a mess.
To become a licensed registered nurse in Georgia, there are a number of hoops to jump through. Once the process is completed, however, RNs will find that they can practice their trade in a number of different states — a unique feature of getting licensed in a compact nursing state.
According to nurse.org, compact nursing states are states that have agreed to allow nurses to utilize a singular compact nursing license to practice in all 39 participating states. The agreement is a result of the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC).
All the states in the Southeast, including Georgia, participate in the NLC. While the NLC does help streamline the licensing process across state lines, initially becoming licensed in your home state still requires a laundry list of steps.
According to the Georgia Secretary of State website, to apply for Registered Nurse (RN) licensure, applicants must first have graduated from an approved nursing education program. Licensed RNs will then have to file with the Georgia Board of Nursing to renew their licenses every two years.
A checklist of necessary steps to take before submitting an application for licensure within the state of Georgia can be found below, as provided by the Georgia Secretary of State website:
- Completed, signed and notarized application with fee. You can download the application here. This application can be submitted by mail or online
- Official college transcripts
- Graduate from a Board Approved Nursing Program
- Nontraditional Educational Background Requirement
- Paid Testing Service
- NCLEX Eligible
- Background Consent Form
- Background Check
- Arrests, disciplinary action, and/or sanctions (if applicable)
- Court documents — Letter of Explanation Enrolled in Alternative to Discipline
- Secure & Verifiable Document
- Affidavit of Citizenship or Immigration Documents
- Any other additional information requested by the Board
“It is recommended that you register both with Pearson Vue and GAPS/Gemalto 48 hours before submitting your licensure application for most efficient application processing,” the website said.
There will also be a non-refundable application fee of $40.
Applications are generally processed within 20 business days, as they are individually evaluated by the Georgia Board of Nursing. For more information on the application process within the state of Georgia, visit sos.ga.gov.
