StateLicensed

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements in Oklahoma

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$285
Exam
NCLEX-PN
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, pass a criminal background check. Minimum age is 18. State law (59 O.S. § 567.18.B.) requires a fingerprint-based background check (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and FBI Criminal History Record Information databases) for every licensure applicant, completed after the application is submitted via instructions delivered to the applicant's Nurse Portal Message Center. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. Applicants must be graduates of a state Board-approved program of practical nursing whose theory and clinical experience covers care of the adult, care of children, maternal-newborn nursing, and psychiatric-mental health nursing. The Board's own endorsement instructions do not publish a single codified total clock-hour minimum for that curriculum. [1]

  3. 3

    NCLEX-PN

    Pass the NCLEX-PN (fee: $200). Computer adaptive test administered at Pearson VUE test centers. National Pearson VUE registration fee, uniform across all U.S. jurisdictions; separate from the Oklahoma Board of Nursing's own licensure fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN) with the $85 application fee. [1]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN) issues your Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for Oklahoma.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [1] $85
License fee [1] None specified
Renewal fee [1] None specified
NCLEX-PN [2] $200
Temporary license (optional add-on) [1] $10

OBN's official single-state endorsement application (Form RS-04) confirms an $85 application fee (with an optional +$10 for a temporary license), which the Board's application instructions indicate is the same fee for initial licensure by examination and by endorsement — no separate license-issuance line item is published. A biennial renewal fee is charged, but this record could not confirm the current dollar amount on an official OBN page or form (only on non-official aggregator sites, which are excluded per this project's sourcing rules), so it is left null rather than guessed.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.

LPN licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month in odd-numbered years (a 2-year cycle). Per OBN Policy/Guideline P-23 (citing OAC §485:10-7-3), licensees must meet one — not a combination — of five continuing-qualifications options within the 2 years before expiration: at least 520 hours of employment requiring the license, 24 contact hours of continuing education, current specialty certification, a Board-approved refresher course, or 6 academic semester credit hours of nursing coursework.

Reciprocity

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

Oklahoma has been an NLC member since the compact's original Jan. 19, 2018 implementation date, per NCSBN's official NLC jurisdiction map. LPNs originally educated and licensed in another NCSBN member-board jurisdiction may apply for Oklahoma licensure by single-state endorsement ($85 fee) if they don't want or qualify for a multistate compact license; endorsement applicants must also show continuing qualifications for practice within the past 5 years (refresher course, NCLEX pass, 105 contact/6 semester hours of coursework, 520 work hours, 24 CE hours, or specialty certification).

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

Cost calculator

  • $85
  • $200
Total$285

Frequently asked questions

What agency licenses LPNs in Oklahoma?

The Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN), which processes applications, endorsements, and renewals through the ORBS Nurse Portal.

What is the minimum age to become an LPN in Oklahoma?

18 years old, per the Board's licensure requirements.

How much does it cost to apply for an Oklahoma LPN license?

$85 for a single-state license (the same fee applies to initial licensure by examination and by endorsement), plus an optional $10 if requesting a temporary license — separate from the $200 national NCLEX-PN registration fee paid to Pearson VUE.

How often do Oklahoma LPNs renew their license?

Every 2 years; LPN licenses expire on the licensee's birth month in odd-numbered years. Renewal requires meeting one of five continuing-qualifications options, most commonly 24 contact hours of continuing education.

Is Oklahoma a Nurse Licensure Compact state?

Yes. Oklahoma has been an NLC member since the compact's original Jan. 19, 2018 implementation date, so an Oklahoma multistate license is valid to practice in other NLC member states.

Sources

  1. [1] oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/nursing/documents/endorseused07.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] nclex.com/fees-payment.page — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/nursing/documents/cqlicenserenewal.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] ncsbn.org/public-files/NLC_Map.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10