District of Columbia Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements
Official regulator records behind the requirements, fees, and renewal cycle for this license.
Provides basic patient care under supervision. Requires NCLEX-PN exam.
What the District of Columbia data shows for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)s
District of Columbia's path to licensed practical nurse (lpn) licensure runs through 1,286 hours of approved instruction and a passing score on NCLEX-PN, plus a criminal history screening before applicants younger than 18 can be licensed. District of Columbia folds the credential into its broader occupational licensing statute, which classifies the training track as "Diploma or Associate Degree".
The initial price tag is $147, and renewal costs $107 every 2 years. Maintaining the license requires 24 hours of continuing education per 2-year cycle, an ongoing cost applicants often underestimate when budgeting the career.
Reciprocity for this profession works like this: NLC Compact: 41 states allow multistate practice.
Licensing Ease Score
A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.
Licensing Requirements in District of Columbia
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Frequently Asked Questions
What license do I need for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in District of Columbia? ▼
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Related Guides
What to do with this licensed practical nurse (lpn) license
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in District of Columbia, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a licensed practical nurse (lpn)-wide, 50-state comparison.
- See how District of Columbia's licensed practical nurse (lpn) requirements compare to every other state before relocating. Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in every state
- Confirm whether your out-of-state licensed practical nurse (lpn) license transfers under an interstate compact before starting a new application. Reciprocity guide
- See how District of Columbia's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. District of Columbia overview
Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the District of Columbia licensing board before making career decisions.
Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.