StateLicensed

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements in Oregon

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$395
Exam
NCLEX-PN
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. All applicants for a new license type must provide fingerprints for a state and federal criminal history record check after submitting their application (Oregon contracts with Fieldprint Inc. for digital fingerprint collection). No codified minimum age requirement was found on the Board's application-process pages. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. Applicants must complete an OSBN-approved practical nursing education program (or provide license verification/transcripts from an equivalent out-of-state program for endorsement). No single codified total clock-hour minimum was found on the Board's own application-process pages. [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 OSBN's own licensure fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN). [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) issues your Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for Oregon.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] None specified
License fee [3] $195
Renewal fee [3] $180
NCLEX-PN [2] $200
LPN License by Endorsement (instead of by examination) [3] $230
Delinquent renewal fee [3] $100
Surcharge to Support the Workforce Data Analysis Fund (at renewal) [3] $4
Surcharge to Support the Oregon Nursing Advancement Fund (examination, endorsement, or renewal application) [3] $9

Per OSBN's official OAR 851-002-0010 fee schedule (as amended effective 2026-01-01 under 2025 HB 3044): LPN Licensure by Examination is $195 and LPN License by Endorsement is $230 (no separate application line item beyond these combined fees); LPN License Renewal is $180. Small per-application surcharges ($4 Workforce Data Analysis Fund at renewal, $9 Nursing Advancement Fund on exam/endorsement/renewal applications) apply on top of the base fees.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Biennial renewal. As of Jan. 1, 2026, Oregon dropped its prior practice-hours renewal requirement in favor of two fixed continuing-education mandates for LPNs (and RNs/APRNs): 1 hour of pain management education within the preceding 36 months, and 2 hours of cultural competency education within the preceding 48 months — there is currently no single flat total CE-hour count, so ceHours is left null rather than conflating it with these two targeted requirements. A new 20-hours-per-2-years general CE requirement (in addition to the pain management and cultural competency mandates) takes effect Jan. 1, 2028.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Oregon is NOT a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, per NCSBN's official NLC jurisdiction map (Oregon appears in neither the enacted-states table nor the map's colored member/pending categories). LPNs licensed in another state must apply for Oregon licensure by endorsement ($230 fee), which requires an active or prior LPN/RN license elsewhere, verification of required continuing education, and 1 hour of Oregon Pain Management Commission training completed within the prior 36 months.

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

Cost calculator

  • $195
  • $200
Total$395

Frequently asked questions

What agency licenses LPNs in Oregon?

The Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN), which processes applications, endorsements, and renewals through its online Nurse Portal.

How much does it cost to get an LPN license in Oregon?

$195 for licensure by examination, or $230 for licensure by endorsement, plus small surcharges ($4 Workforce Data Analysis Fund, $9 Nursing Advancement Fund) — separate from the $200 national NCLEX-PN registration fee paid to Pearson VUE.

How often do Oregon LPNs renew their license, and what continuing education is required?

Every 2 years, for a $180 fee. As of Jan. 1, 2026, renewal requires 1 hour of pain management education (within the prior 36 months) and 2 hours of cultural competency education (within the prior 48 months); a broader 20-hour CE requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2028.

Is Oregon a Nurse Licensure Compact state?

No. Oregon is not an NLC member, so an LPN license issued elsewhere is not automatically valid to practice in Oregon — out-of-state LPNs must apply for Oregon licensure by endorsement.

Does Oregon require a background check for LPN licensure?

Yes. All new applicants must submit fingerprints (through the state's contracted vendor, Fieldprint Inc.) for a state and federal criminal history record check after their application is submitted.

Sources

  1. [1] oregon.gov/osbn/Documents/Resource_LPNRNEndorseAppDirections.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] nclex.com/fees-payment.page — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] oregon.gov/osbn/Documents/Notice_Div2_RuleHearing10-25-25.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] oregon.gov/osbn/Documents/Resource_Renewal-CE_Fact_Sheet12-31-25.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] ncsbn.org/public-files/NLC_Map.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10