Virginia Nursing License Requirements

Do you want to get your registered nurse (RN) license in Virginia or move your nursing career to Virginia? The Virginia Board of Nursing (BON) issues new Virginia RN licenses by examination or endorsement. Find out which pathway you’re eligible for and how to get and keep your Virginia RN license.

Virginia’s BON is part of the state’s department of health professions. It regulates the state’s standards of licensure and practices for all nurses and some allied health professionals, such as nursing assistants and medication aides. It approves nursing education programs and enforces disciplinary actions when nurses do not follow the Nursing Practice Act.

Virginia requires you to complete a registered nursing program with at least 500 direct care client hours. You can fulfill this requirement with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited program.

An ADN can offer a faster and more cost-effective way into nursing than a bachelor’s degree. An ADN teaches you the fundamental nursing skills you need to care for specialty populations, like older adults, and practice nursing safely, ethically, and legally. You’ll learn how to take vital signs, update patient records, collaborate with other healthcare professionals, and give medication and treatment.

A BSN can prepare you for leadership positions and advanced study with a more comprehensive understanding of nursing practice. You’ll learn fundamental nursing skills and take courses in nursing informatics, leadership, and research and statistics. You’ll also learn more about specialties like mental health nursing, pediatrics, and labor and delivery. Many employers prefer to hire BSN-prepared nurses.

You’ll need to renew your Virginia nursing license every two years on the last day of your birth month. If you were born in an even-numbered year, then you must renew your license in even-numbered years. If you were born in an odd-numbered year, you must renew your license in odd-numbered years. To renew your license:

You can fulfill your required contact hours by teaching CEs, taking college or certification courses, completing an academic project or article, practicing nursing, attending conferences, workshops, seminars, and holding specialty certifications.

The Virginia Board of Nursing will process your completed application, which must include all required documents, within six weeks or 30 business days. If you’re applying for your license by examination, it will take 2-4 years to earn your degree and pass the NCLEX-RN.

To become an RN in Virginia, you must complete a nursing degree, apply with the Virginia Board of Nursing, pay an application fee, and pass a background check. To take the NCLEX, you’ll fill out a separate application with Pearson VUE and pay the $200 registration fee. If you apply for licensure by endorsement, you’ll need to verify your original nursing license.

Registered nurses in Virginia make an average of $81,860 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This annual salary comes out to about $39 per hour.

You’ll renew your nursing license in Virginia every two years on the last day of your birth month. To renew your nursing license, you’ll pay $140, submit an online renewal application, and complete up to 30 contact hours of continuing education.