Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements in Louisiana
- Training hours
- —
- Upfront cost
- $200
- Exam
- NCLEX-PN
- Renewal cycle
- Every 1 year
- Issuing board
- Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Successful completion of an LSBPNE-approved practical nursing program (or an RN education program approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing)., pass a criminal background check. No statewide minimum age for LPN licensure is published on LSBPNE's own pages — left null rather than guessed. Applicants must be of good moral character and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. A Louisiana State Police and FBI criminal background check is required for all applicants (single or multi-state); LSBPNE may use criminal convictions as a basis for denial, weighing factors under La. R.S. 37:2950. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete training at a state-approved program. Louisiana requires graduation from an LSBPNE-approved practical nursing program (or an RN program approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing) under Louisiana Administrative Code Title 46, Part XLVII, Chapter 17, and the curriculum must meet LSBPNE approval as to content and number of clock hours completed. LSBPNE's site was unreachable to automated fetches (connection timeout, not a bot-block 403) and its 'Curriculum Requirements' PDF was not available via a Wayback Machine snapshot in this session, so a total program clock-hour figure could not be confirmed on an official page and is left null rather than guessed. (A commonly-cited but non-official secondary source states 700 didactic + 800 clinical hours; not used here because it isn't LSBPNE's own page.) LSBPNE's approved curriculum does separately require a minimum of 30 didactic hours of IV therapy instruction plus IV clinical experience, per the endorsement-page curriculum note. [1]
- 3
NCLEX-PN
Pass the NCLEX-PN (fee: $200). Applicants register with Pearson VUE directly and pay the $200 fee by credit/debit/prepaid card, separate from any LSBPNE application fee. An applicant may attempt the NCLEX-PN up to 4 times within 2 years of being made eligible, but no later than 3 years after completing the nursing program, or must re-enter and complete the program again. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE). [3]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) issues your Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for Louisiana.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | None specified |
| License fee [3] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [3] | $61.08 |
| NCLEX-PN [2] | $200 |
| Licensure by Endorsement (plus 1.8% state charge) [3] | $185 |
| Multistate/Compact Conversion Application (plus 1.8% state charge) [3] | $50 |
The annual renewal total is $61.08 (confirmed on LSBPNE's own License Renewal page, retrieved via Wayback snapshot). LSBPNE's site returned a connection timeout to automated fetches (not a 403), and the specific dollar figure for the LPN Initial Exam application fee via the Nurse Portal could not be confirmed on an accessible official or Wayback-archived page in this session, so application and license are left null rather than guessed. Endorsement ($185 + 1.8% state charge) and multistate conversion ($50 + 1.8% state charge) fees were confirmed on LSBPNE's own pages.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 1 year.
Louisiana LPN licenses renew annually, not biennially. The active renewal window runs November 1 through January 31 each year; a license not renewed by midnight January 31 becomes 'Inactive - Lapsed' and requires reinstatement (total cost $162.88) instead of the standard $61.08 renewal. Louisiana does not require continuing education hours as a condition of LPN renewal — verified via LSBPNE's own License Renewal page, which lists only the renewal cost and deadlines with no CE requirement — so ceHours is left null (not simply unpublished).
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available. Participates in: Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
Louisiana is a current Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) member (member since July 1, 2019, per LSBPNE's own NLC page), confirmed on the official NCSBN/nursecompact.com compact map, which lists Louisiana as 'Enacted NLC.' LPNs licensed in another state may apply for licensure by Endorsement ($185 + 1.8% state charge); applicants must also demonstrate IV therapy training/competency equivalent to Louisiana's 30-didactic-hour curriculum requirement. Louisiana also offers a separate endorsement pathway under the 2024 'Welcome Home Act' for LPNs who already live in Louisiana and hold a valid out-of-state license in good standing for at least one year; a Welcome Home Act license is valid only in Louisiana, not for compact multistate practice. If an applicant has ever held a Louisiana LPN license, they must reinstate rather than apply for endorsement.
18 state-approved training providers in Louisiana — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $200
Frequently asked questions
Which agency licenses LPNs in Louisiana?
The Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) — a separate board from the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN), which licenses RNs and APRNs.
Who administers the LPN licensing exam in Louisiana?
The NCLEX-PN, administered by Pearson VUE, for a $200 fee paid directly to Pearson VUE. Louisiana allows up to 4 attempts within 2 years of eligibility, and no later than 3 years after completing the nursing program.
How often do Louisiana LPNs renew their license, and does it require continuing education?
Annually, during a November 1 - January 31 renewal window, for a total cost of $61.08. Louisiana does not require continuing education hours for LPN renewal, but LPNs must document their most recent employer and last date of practice.
Does Louisiana participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes. Louisiana has been an enhanced NLC member since July 1, 2019, for both RNs and LPNs, so a Louisiana multistate license is valid to practice in other compact states.
What happens if I don't renew my Louisiana LPN license by January 31?
The license becomes 'Inactive - Lapsed,' and reinstating it costs $162.88 (versus the standard $61.08 renewal), so LSBPNE strongly advises renewing early in the open renewal period.
Sources
- [1] lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/licensure-by-examination/ — accessed 2026-07-10
- [2] nclex.com/fees-payment.page — accessed 2026-07-10
- [3] lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/license-renewal/ — accessed 2026-07-10
- [4] lsbpne.la.gov/licensure/licensure-by-endorsement/ — accessed 2026-07-10