Certification Requirements for Nurse Practitioner

You must be certified and registered as a nurse practitioner (NP) by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in order to practice as an NP in New York.

NYSED certifies NPs to practice in the following specialty practice areas: Acute Care, Adult Health, College Health, Community Health, Family Health, Gerontology, Holistic Care, Neonatology, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Oncology, Pediatrics, Palliative Care, Perinatology, Psychiatry, School Health, and Women's Health.

To become certified and registered by NYSED as an NP, you must:

• be currently registered and licensed as a registered professional nurse (RN) in New York State;
• be of good moral character;
• meet education and experience requirements acceptable to NYSED; and
• apply for nurse practitioner certification with NYSED.

You may download NP application forms and instructions for completing the forms from this website. You must mail these forms by regular mail to the NYSED at the address indicated on the form. When you apply for NP certification with NYSED, it is your responsibility to have all required documents and information sent to NYSED.

You are allowed to be certified as an NP in more than one specialty practice area. However, you must file a separate application and pay an additional fee to NYSED for each NP specialty practice area in which you seek certification. In addition, you must also meet the professional study, experience and other criteria applicable to each NP specialty practice area in which you seek certification.

After you have met all requirements for NP certification in a specialty area, NYSED will issue you an NP certificate and a registration certificate.

• Your NP certification is valid for life, unless it is revoked, annulled or suspended by the New York State Board of Regents.
• Your NP registration certificate will authorize you to practice as a NP for 3 years. You must renew your NP registration and your RN registration with NYSED in order to continue practicing as a nurse practitioner. You are not legally allowed to provide nurse practitioner services while your NP or your RN registration is expired.

Laws that govern NP certification include Education Law §6910 and 8 NYCRR Part 64.

You should also read the general licensing information applicable for all professions.

The fee for certification and initial registration to practice as a nurse practitioner (NP) in each specialty practice area is $85. ($50 certificate application fee plus a $35 fee for initial registration.)

Fees are subject to change. The fee due is the one in law when your application is received (unless fees are increased retroactively). You will be billed for the difference if fees have been increased.

• Do not send cash.
• If you apply for licensure electronically using the online Application for Licensure, you will be required to pay by credit card.
• Other payments must be made by personal check or money order payable to the New York State Education Department. Your cancelled check is your receipt.
• Mail any required forms and fees to the indicated address on the form.

NOTE: Payment submitted from outside the United States should be made by check or draft on a United States bank and in United States currency; payments submitted in any other form will not be accepted and will be returned.

Individuals who withdraw their licensure application any time prior to a determination may be entitled to a partial refund.

• For the procedure to withdraw your application, contact the Nurse Practitioner unit at opunit4@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 280 or by fax at 518-474-3398.
• The State Education Department is not responsible for any fees paid to an outside testing or credentials verification agency.

If you withdraw your application, obtain a refund, and then decide to seek New York State certification at a later date, you will be considered a new applicant, and you will be required to pay the certification and registration fees and meet the certification requirements in place at the time of reapplication.

To satisfy the education and experience requirements for NP certification, you must complete coursework on laws governing prescriptions and recordkeeping and you must meet the criteria in one of the paragraphs (A, B or C) below.

1. You graduated from a New York State Education Department (NYSED) registered NP education program or an NP program that is equivalent to an NYSED registered NP education program, as determined by NYSED.
   
   OR
    

2. You are currently NP certified by an acceptable national certifying organization. NYSED accepts most NP certifications from the organizations described below.

3. American Academy of Nurse Practitioner Certification Board (AANPCB)
   Phone 512-637-0500
   Web www.aanpcert.org

   American Association of Critical Care Nurses
   Phone: 800-809-2273
   Web www.aacn.org

   American Nurses Credentialing Center
   Web nursingworld.org/ancc/

   National Certification Corporation
   Phone 312-951-0207
   Web www.nccwebsite.org

   Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation
   Phone 412-859-6104
   Web www.oncc.org

   Pediatric Nursing Certification Board
   Phone 301-330-2921
   Web www.pncb.org

   Note: If you were initially NP certified before January 1, 2011 and did not pass an acceptable certification examination after January 1, 2011, you must demonstrate that you completed at least 3 semester hours of acceptable graduate level pharmacotherapy coursework.

   OR

4. You are currently licensed/certified as an NP in another state, U.S. territory, or other jurisdiction that has standards similar to New York State requirements for NP certification.

Required Coursework on Laws Governing Prescriptions and Record Keeping

If you graduated from an NYSED registered NP education program, you completed this coursework as part of your studies.

If you did not graduate from an in-state NYSED registered NP education program, you must complete coursework on New York State and Federal Laws Governing Prescriptions and Record Keeping. The following organizations offer this coursework online:

The Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State
Phone 518-348-0719
Web www.thenpa.org

The New York State Nurses Association
Phone 518-782-9400 Ext. 377
Web www.elearnonline.net

After the New York State Education Department certifies and registers you as a nurse practitioner (NP), you must take additional steps to practice as an NP and to prescribe medications.  Information on NP practice and prescribing is available on this web site.

NOTE: Read all instructions carefully! You must ensure that all required application forms and records are complete and sent to the New York State Education Department (NYSED). You are responsible for asking organizations to send written verification of your education or other credentials directly to NYSED. Please be advised that NYSED will not review your application for an NP certificate until you are licensed and registered as an RN in New York State.

IMPORTANT: You must be licensed as an RN in New York State - or - you must apply for a New York State RN license BEFORE you apply for a New York State NP Certificate.

If you are NOT licensed as an RN in New York State, you can learn more about applying for a New York RN license and registration here.

NYSED will not review your application for an NP certificate until you are licensed and registered as an RN in New York State. If you are licensed as an RN in New York State, but not currently registered, you can renew your RN registration here.

Choose a pathway for applying for a New York State NP certificate:

These instructions apply to applicants for an NP certificate who:

1. are licensed and registered as an RN in New York State and,
2. graduated from a NP education program registered (approved) by NYSED as qualifying for an NP certificate.

• STEP 1: SUBMIT Online NP Form 1 - Application for Certification.
  You must pay the $85 license and first registration fee by credit card.
  If you started filling out Online NP Form 1 within the past 30 days, you can continue filling it out by using this link. You will need your Application ID, social security number, and date of birth to access your application. If you already completed Online NP Form 1 and want to upload additional documentation to your application use this link. You will need your Application ID, and date of birth to access your application.
   
• STEP 2: HAVE YOUR SCHOOL (COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY) VERIFY YOUR NP EDUCATION.
  Complete Section I of NP Form 2 - Certification of Professional Education and send the entire form to your school. Section II must be filled out by your school and signed by the registrar. The school must send the completed from (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at DPLSEDUC@nysed.gov or by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.

These instructions apply to applicants for an NP certificate who:

1. are licensed and registered as an RN in New York State (or who have applied for an RN license in New York State) and,
2. are currently NP certified as described below:

• STEP 1: SUBMIT Online NP Form 1 - Application for Certification.
  You must pay the $85 license and first registration fee by credit card.
  If you started filling out Online NP Form 1 within the past 30 days, you can continue filling it out by using this link. You will need your Application ID, social security number, and date of birth to access your application. If you already completed Online NP Form 1 and want to upload additional documentation to your application use this link. You will need your Application ID, and date of birth to access your application.
   
• STEP 2: HAVE THE NATIONAL CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION VERIFY YOUR NP CERTIFICATION.
  Complete Section I of NP Form 3 - Verification of National Nurse Practitioner Examination and send the entire form to the national certifying organization that issued your NP certification.  The organization must complete Section II and return the entire form (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at DPLSVERIF@nysed.gov  by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.
   
  • ALERT! If you were initially NP certified before January 1, 2011, you must demonstrate that you passed an acceptable NP certification examination offered by the National Certifying Organization after January 1, 2011.  If you have not, you must complete at least 3 semester hours of  graduate level pharmacotherapy coursework.  If you completed this coursework, fill out, sign, and date Section I of NP Form 2C - Verification of Pharmacotherapeutics Course.  Send the entire form to the school where you completed pharmacotherapy coursework.  Section II must be filled out by your school and signed by the registrar.  The school must send the entire completed form (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at OPUNIT4@nysed.gov or by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.
• STEP 3: COMPLETE COURSEWORK ON LAWS GOVERNING PRESCRIPTIONS AND RECORD KEEPING
  You must complete coursework on New York State and federal laws governing prescriptions and record keeping. The following organizations offer this coursework online:

  The Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State
  Phone 518-348-0719
  Web www.thenpa.org

  The New York State Nurses Association
  Phone 518-782-9400 ext. 377
  Web  www.elearnonline.net

  After you have completed the coursework, fill out Section 1 of NP Form 2B - Verification of Instruction in New York State and Federal Laws Related to Prescriptions and Record Keeping. Be sure to sign and date item 8.  Send the entire form to the organization where you completed the instruction.  The organization must complete Section II and send the entire form (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at  DPLSEduc@nysed.gov or by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.

These instructions apply to applicants for an NP certificate who are licensed and registered as an RN in New York State (or who have applied for an RN license in New York State) – and- meet criteria in one or both of the paragraphs (1 or 2) below.

1. Currently hold an unencumbered NP license or certification issued by a state, U.S. territory, or another country with licensure standards that are substantially equivalent to New York State requirements for NP certification.
   
   - OR -
    
2. graduated from an NP program in another state or U.S. territory that is equivalent to a New York State registered NP education program.

• STEP 1: SUBMIT Online NP Form 1 - Application for Certification.
  You must pay the $85 license and first registration fee by credit card.
  If you started filling out Online NP Form 1 within the past 30 days, you can continue filling it out by using this link. You will need your Application ID, social security number, and date of birth to access your application. If you already completed Online NP Form 1 and want to upload additional documentation to your application use this link. You will need your Application ID, and date of birth to access your application.
   
• STEP 2: HAVE YOUR SCHOOL (COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY) VERIFY YOUR NP EDUCATION.
  Complete Section I of NP Form 2 - Certification of Professional Education and send the entire form to your school.  Section II must be filled out by your school and signed by the registrar.  The school must send the completed from (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at DPLSEDUC@nysed.gov  or by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.   You must also arrange to have your official transcript submitted to NYSED.
   
• STEP 3: HAVE THE NATIONAL CERTIFYING ORGANIZATION VERIFY YOUR NP CERTIFICATION.
  You must demonstrate that you completed acceptable graduate level pharmacotherapy coursework. Complete Section I of  NP Form 2C  - Verification of Pharmacotherapeutics Course  and sign and date item 8.  Send the entire form to the school (college or university) where you completed the pharmacotherapy coursework.   Section II must be filled out by your school and signed by the registrar.  The school must return the entire form (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at DPLSEDUC@nysed.gov  by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.
   
• STEP 4: HAVE YOUR NP LICENSE(S) VERIFIED (if applicable)
  If you have been licensed or certified as an NP in another state or a U.S. Territory, you must arrange to have information verifying your license/certification provided to the New York State Education Department.   Fill out NP Form 3 - Verification of Other Professional Licensure /Certification and send it to the licensing authority that granted your license.  The licensing authority will verify your license on Nurse Form 3 and then send it to the New York State Education Department and return the entire form directly to NYSED by regular mail at the address at the end of the form or send a scanned copy of it by EMAIL at DPLSEduc@nysed.gov.
   
• STEP 5: COMPLETE COURSEWORK ON LAWS GOVERNING PRESCRIPTIONS AND RECORD KEEPING
  You must complete coursework on New York State and federal laws governing prescriptions and record keeping. The following organizations offer this coursework online:

  The Nurse Practitioner Association of New York State
  Phone 518-348-0719
  Web www.thenpa.org

  The New York State Nurses Association
  Phone 518-782-9400 ext. 377
  Web  www.elearnonline.net

  After you have completed the coursework, fill out Section 1 of NP Form 2B - Verification of Instruction in New York State and Federal Laws Related to Prescriptions and Record Keeping. Be sure to sign and date item 8.  Send the entire form to the organization where you completed the instruction.  The organization must complete Section II and send the entire form (or a scanned copy of it) directly to NYSED by EMAIL at  DPLSEduc@nysed.gov or by regular mail at the address at the end of the form.