North Carolina Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements
State-board requirements, fees, and renewal cycle drawn from official regulator records.
Provides basic patient care under supervision. Requires NCLEX-PN exam.
What the North Carolina data shows for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)s
To practice as a licensed practical nurse (lpn) in North Carolina, the state licensing board requires 1,223 documented education or training hours, a passing score on NCLEX-PN. A criminal history background check is also part of the application. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. The regulation sits under North Carolina's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Diploma or Associate Degree".
Upfront cost is $131, with renewal running $95 on a 2-year cycle. The license also carries an ongoing 24-hour continuing-education requirement per 2-year cycle that adds to the true cost of staying licensed.
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 North Carolina
Frequently Asked Questions
What license do I need for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in North Carolina? ▼
How do I get certified as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in North Carolina? ▼
Can I transfer my Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) license to North Carolina from another state? ▼
Does North Carolina require a background check for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) licensing? ▼
What are the continuing education requirements for Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in North Carolina? ▼
Related Guides
What to do with this licensed practical nurse (lpn) license
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in North Carolina, with a documented reciprocity path, is one requirement row in a licensed practical nurse (lpn)-wide, 50-state comparison.
- See how North Carolina'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 North Carolina's overall licensing burden compares to other states, not just this one profession. North Carolina overview
Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the North Carolina 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.