The Arkansas Board of Nursing (officially the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, or ASBN) licenses and regulates RNs, LPNs, psychiatric technician nurses, and advanced practice nurses across the state. It handles licensing by exam and by endorsement through the Arkansas Nurse Portal, with biennial renewal tied to the last day of your birth month.
Key Takeaways
- 49,202 active RN licenses in Arkansas as of January 2026, per NCSBN, about 0.83% of the national total.
- $100 to apply by exam, $125 by endorsement, $100 to renew. Most domestic applicants also pay $200 for the national licensing exam and $36.25 for the background check.
- Arkansas has been a Nurse Licensure Compact state since July 1, 2000, and moved to the enhanced compact on January 19, 2018. Qualifying nurses can hold one multistate license.
- Renewal is biennial and tied to your birth month. A first license can run anywhere from 3 to 27 months before the first renewal, depending on when your birthday falls.
- 15 practice-focused contact hours is one of three ways to meet continuing competency. A national certification or a graded nursing course also counts.
The Verdict: Arkansas runs one of the more straightforward nursing boards in the South. Fees are low, the Nurse Portal does the whole job online, and the state has been in the compact for over two decades. The friction points are predictable: the birth-month renewal clock catches people off guard, the criminal background check lives in a separate system from the application, and out-of-state endorsement files stall when a previous board is slow to return verification. In our experience helping nurses license across all 50 states, those three items cause most Arkansas delays.
Arkansas Board of Nursing contacts
The Arkansas Board of Nursing operates from the University Tower Building in Little Rock and runs nearly all of its business online through the Arkansas Nurse Portal. Phone lines are open on weekdays. Use the details below to reach the office or verify a license.
| Agency | Arkansas State Board of Nursing (ASBN) |
| Address | University Tower Building, 1123 S. University Ave., Suite 800, Little Rock, AR 72204-1619 |
| Phone | (501) 686-2700 |
| Fax | (501) 686-2714 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST |
| Website | healthy.arkansas.gov (Board of Nursing pages) |
| Nurse Portal | arsbn.boardsofnursing.org |
The board does not mail a traditional paper license. Once you are licensed, your status shows in the ASBN Registry Search, and a one-time blue plastic card arrives by mail in about two months. That card is not primary source verification, so employers should confirm your license through Nursys instead.
Pro tip: Treat the Nurse Portal message center as your main line to the board for anything involving a document. Out-of-state applicants who need an ink fingerprint card request it there, and most follow-up questions get routed through the same channel.
What the Arkansas Board of Nursing does
The Arkansas Board of Nursing sets nursing standards, approves nursing schools, issues and renews licenses, and disciplines nurses who break the Nurse Practice Act. The Arkansas Legislature created it in 1913, and it now oversees more than 71,000 licenses across every nursing category.
The board’s authority comes from the Arkansas Nurse Practice Act and its rules. Those documents define who can call themselves a nurse, what each license type may do, and the grounds for discipline. Practicing on an expired or lapsed license counts as illegal practice under the Act, with penalties attached.
Arkansas licenses several categories: registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), licensed psychiatric technician nurses (LPTNs), and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). The older Registered Nurse Practitioner (RNP) credential still exists for nurses who hold it, but the board no longer issues new RNP licenses.
If you want the wider picture of how these agencies fit together, our explainer on what state nursing and medical boards actually do covers the structure in plain terms.
By the numbers: Arkansas counts 49,202 active RN licenses, about 0.83% of the national pool of roughly 5.9 million. That is the smallest active RN base among its immediate neighbors, which tracks with the state’s population.
How to get licensed: exam and endorsement
New graduates license by examination after passing the NCLEX, while nurses already licensed elsewhere license by endorsement. Both routes start with a Nurse Portal account, a fee, and a state and federal criminal background check. Arkansas offers single-state and multistate compact licenses.
By examination. After you finish an approved nursing program, you apply through the Arkansas Nurse Portal, register separately with Pearson VUE for the NCLEX, and clear a background check. The board suggests applying about 60 days before graduation so nothing holds up your exam authorization. An official transcript has to reach the ASBN office before your results post and your license issues.
By endorsement. If you already hold a license in another state, you apply for licensure by endorsement. You create a Nurse Portal account, submit the application with the $125 fee, and have your current license verified. If your original state participates in Nursys, you order that verification electronically. If it does not, you mail the ASBN Verification Form to that state’s board and wait for it to come back.
Checklist: A clean Arkansas endorsement file usually includes:
- Completed endorsement application in the Nurse Portal
- Proof of Arkansas as your primary state of residence, if you want a multistate license
- License verification through Nursys, or a mailed verification form
- A cleared state and federal criminal background check
- Active-practice or refresher documentation if you have been out of practice over five years
There is a catch worth knowing. The criminal background check runs through a separate system from the main application, and checks from other agencies are not accepted unless they are already on file with the board within the last 12 months. Out-of-state residents request an ink-based fingerprint card through the portal message center. From the endorsement files we process, the slowest step is almost always a prior board that does not use Nursys.
Real scenario: An RN moving from Memphis to Little Rock holds an active Tennessee multistate license. Because both Tennessee and Arkansas are compact states, she can practice in Arkansas on that multistate license once Arkansas becomes her primary residence. She still updates her primary state of residence at her next renewal so her home state matches where she lives.
We help nurses assemble exactly these files. If you would rather hand it off, our nursing license application support team handles the portal, verification, and background check from start to finish.
Arkansas Board of Nursing fees in 2026
Arkansas keeps nursing fees low. Expect $100 to apply by exam, $125 by endorsement, and $100 to renew every two years. A temporary permit costs $30, and the state and federal background check runs $36.25. The NCLEX itself is $200, paid to Pearson VUE.
Fees are the same for RNs and LPNs on the core applications, though a few sources list the LPN renewal slightly lower. International exam applicants pay $200 rather than $100. Letting a license lapse is the expensive path: reinstatement adds a late penalty on top of the renewal fee, so renewing on time is always cheaper.
| Item | Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| Exam application (RN/LPN) | $100 |
| Endorsement application | $125 |
| Biennial renewal | $100 |
| Temporary permit | $30 |
| State and federal background check | $36.25 |
| NCLEX (Pearson VUE) | $200 |
Watch out: All ASBN fees are nonrefundable, and the board only accepts Visa, Mastercard, or Discover. Confirm the current amount on the official fee page before you pay, because fees change and a few categories carry extra charges.
Renewing your Arkansas nursing license
Arkansas nursing licenses renew every two years, and the expiration date falls on the last day of your birth month in either an odd or even year. The renewal link opens in your Nurse Portal account 60 days before expiration, and the whole process is online.
Because the system is staggered by birth date, your first license can be valid anywhere from 3 to 27 months before that first renewal. After that, it settles into a clean two-year cycle. The board sends reminders, but the legal responsibility to renew on time sits with you.
To renew, log into the Nurse Portal, confirm your personal and employment details, attest to your continuing competency, and pay the $100 fee. If you use the contact-hour option, you no longer list each course; you simply affirm that you completed the requirement. Hold onto your certificates for at least four years in case you are selected for audit.
Continuing competency. Arkansas gives you three ways to satisfy the requirement for each cycle, and you only need one:
- 15 practice-focused contact hours from an ASBN-recognized provider in the 24 months before renewal
- A national certification or recertification earned during the renewal period
- An academic nursing course, or related field, completed with a grade of C or better
Renewing on time is the single cheapest thing you can do for your license. Reinstatement always costs more than a renewal fee.
If you have already let things slide, there is a post-expiration renewal path, plus a separate reactivation route for nurses who have been inactive more than five years, which can require a refresher course or recent practice hours. For the broader rhythm of license cycles across professions, our rundown of common license renewal questions is a useful companion read.
The Nurse Licensure Compact and Arkansas
Arkansas has been a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state since July 1, 2000, and adopted the enhanced compact on January 19, 2018. A multistate license lets an Arkansas-based RN or LPN practice in every other NLC state without a second license.
The compact works like a driver’s license for nursing. If Arkansas is your primary state of residence and you meet the uniform eligibility standards, you can hold one multistate license and practice physically, electronically, or by phone across all member states. Nurses who held an Arkansas multistate license before the enhanced compact took effect were grandfathered in.
A few limits matter. APRNs are not covered by the NLC, so an advanced practice nurse needs an Arkansas APRN license or a multistate privilege plus separate APRN authority. And the multistate privilege follows your primary residence, so moving your home state changes which board governs your license.
For a side-by-side feel of how another compact state runs its process, see how Georgia runs its nursing board.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arkansas Board of Nursing the same as the ASBN?
Yes. The Arkansas State Board of Nursing, abbreviated ASBN, is the official agency that people often call the Arkansas Board of Nursing. It sits under the Arkansas Department of Health and runs its services at healthy.arkansas.gov and the Arkansas Nurse Portal.
How long does an Arkansas nursing license take to process?
The board does not promise a fixed timeline. Exam applicants are told to apply about 60 days before graduation, and endorsement files move fastest when your prior license verifies through Nursys. The slowest step is usually waiting on a non-Nursys state to mail back a verification form.
Is Arkansas a compact nursing state?
Yes. Arkansas has participated in the Nurse Licensure Compact since July 1, 2000, and joined the enhanced compact on January 19, 2018. If Arkansas is your primary residence, you may qualify for a multistate license.
When does my Arkansas nursing license expire?
On the last day of your birth month, every two years, in either an odd or even year depending on your assigned cycle. Your renewal link appears in the Nurse Portal 60 days before that date.
How much does it cost to renew an Arkansas RN license?
The renewal fee is $100, paid online by credit card through the Nurse Portal. Reinstating a lapsed license costs more, because a late penalty is added on top of the renewal fee.
Can I work in Arkansas while I wait for my license?
Often yes, on a temporary permit. New graduates can get a 90-day permit while awaiting NCLEX results, and qualified endorsement applicants can request one too. The permit fee is $30, and you must be registered with Pearson VUE with clear background checks.
Our team handles Arkansas RN and LPN applications end to end: Nurse Portal setup, Nursys verification, and the state and federal background check before your file reaches the ASBN. We work with RNs, LPNs, and APRNs across all 50 states.
This article provides general guidance only. Nursing licensing requirements change frequently and vary by state. Always verify current requirements with the official Arkansas State Board of Nursing at healthy.arkansas.gov before submitting your application. Last fact-checked: June 3, 2026.
Written by Medicallicensing Team · Reviewed by David Ivaniuk, CEO Medicallicensing · Last updated: June 3, 2026 · Last fact-checked: June 3, 2026
About the reviewer
David Ivaniuk is the CEO of Medicallicensing, a licensing services firm that has helped physicians, PAs, nurses, and other healthcare professionals navigate state licensing, DEA registration, and payer enrollment across all 50 U.S. states.
References
- Arkansas State Board of Nursing. “Licensing, Renewal, Fees, and Compact.” Arkansas Department of Health. Accessed June 3, 2026. Link.
- NCSBN. “Number of Active RN Licenses by State.” National Nursing Database. Accessed June 3, 2026. Link.
- Arkansas State Board of Nursing. “ASBN Compact.” Arkansas Department of Health. Accessed June 3, 2026. Link.
- NCSBN. “License Verification (Nursys.com).” Accessed June 3, 2026. Link.
