StateLicensed

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements in Arkansas

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$300
Exam
NCLEX-PN
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN), Arkansas Department of Health

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No ASBN source reviewed states a minimum age for LPN licensure, so left null. Arkansas law (ACA §17-87-312 and §17-3-102) requires every first-time license applicant to undergo a State and Federal (FBI) criminal background check, submitted via electronic Live Scan for Arkansas residents or a pre-stamped fingerprint card for out-of-state residents; certain listed convictions disqualify an applicant absent a waiver. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. Arkansas requires graduation from an ASBN-approved practical nursing education program (Nurse Practice Act, ASBN Rules Chapter 6, Standards for Nursing Education Programs); applicants submit an Affidavit of Graduation from the program director. No specific clock-hour minimum for LPN programs (as distinct from the psychiatric-technician-nurse program's stated 650 theory / 1,080 clinical hours) could be located in the publicly accessible portion of Chapter 6, so left null rather than guessed. [1]

  3. 3

    NCLEX-PN

    Pass the NCLEX-PN (fee: $200). Computerized adaptive test (CAT) delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. National exam-registration fee paid directly to Pearson VUE, separate from ASBN's own $100 licensure-by-examination fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN), Arkansas Department of Health with the $100 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN), Arkansas Department of Health issues your Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for Arkansas.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $100
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $90
NCLEX-PN [2] $200
Licensure by endorsement [3] $125
NCLEX-PN registration (Pearson VUE, national) [3] $200

Per ASBN's fee schedule: License/Certification By Examination is $100 (no separate license-issuance fee beyond this); Renewal is $90; Endorsement (out-of-state applicants) is $125; Temporary Permit $30; Reinstatement $100. Background-check/fingerprinting costs are paid separately at the applicant's expense through ASBN's Live Scan / criminal-background-check system (amount not published as a fixed figure on this page).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 15 continuing education hours required per cycle.

ASBN uses a staggered biennial birth-month renewal system (license expires the last day of the licensee's birth month); the very first license term can run from 3 to 27 months depending on birth date, and CE is not required at that first renewal. On all subsequent renewals, 15 contact hours of continuing education are required within the 2-year renewal period (or an equivalent national certification/recertification earned during the period).

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available. Participates in: Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).

Arkansas implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact on Jan. 19, 2018, per the compact commission's official implementation-date table (NurseCompact.com / NCSBN NLC_Map.pdf). Arkansas also offers licensure by endorsement ($125 fee) for LPNs licensed in another state.

20 state-approved training providers in Arkansas — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $100
  • $200
Total$300

Frequently asked questions

What license does Arkansas issue to practical nurses?

Arkansas issues the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) license through the Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN).

Is Arkansas part of the Nurse Licensure Compact?

Yes. Arkansas implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact on January 19, 2018, so a multistate compact license from another NLC state is valid to practice in Arkansas.

How much does it cost to apply for an Arkansas LPN license by examination?

$100 for the ASBN application, plus the separate $200 national NCLEX-PN registration fee paid to Pearson VUE. Licensure by endorsement instead costs $125.

When do Arkansas LPN licenses renew?

ASBN uses a staggered biennial birth-month system — the license expires on the last day of the nurse's birth month, renewing every 2 years thereafter, for a $90 fee. 15 continuing-education hours are required per renewal cycle (waived on the very first renewal).

Does Arkansas require a background check for LPN licensure?

Yes. Arkansas law requires every first-time applicant to complete a State and Federal (FBI) criminal background check before licensure.

Sources

  1. [1] healthy.arkansas.gov/boards-commissions/boards/nursing-arkansas-state-board/examination/lpn-initial-by-exam/ — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] nclex.com/fees-payment.page — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] healthy.arkansas.gov/boards-commissions/boards/nursing-arkansas-state-board/fees/ — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] healthy.arkansas.gov/boards-commissions/boards/nursing-arkansas-state-board/renewal-of-arkansas-license/ — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] nursecompact.com — accessed 2026-07-10