Pennsylvania Board of Nursing

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Board of Nursing Pennsylvania is a part of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs,Pennsylvania Department of State. The Board constitute 13 members that represent various state, public and nursing professional fields and they include 1 the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs; three public representatives, six registered nurses, three of whom must possess Masters’ degrees in nursing; two licensed practical nurses and one licensed dietitian-nutritionist. It is also essential that the appointed nurse members must be engaged in nursing, consequently for the five-year period immediately preceding appointment PA Commonwealth.


The board members are appointed by the Governor, who also sees that the appointed members are not only from nursing professional field but constitutes diversified fields. The Governor also obtains the advice and consent of majority elected Senate members for Board appointments.

The Board has been authorized to establish rules and regulations for the nursing licensure, administering of licensing examination and practice of professional and practical nursing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The board also has the responsibility to examines licensure of all applicants to see that all the requirements for licensing have been met and that also includes passing of Licensing examination by the professional nursing and practical nursing  before issue of  the licenses to these nursing professionals.

The Board also establishes standards for RN education program standards for the approval and operation of these programs and every year Board prepares an annual list of all approved programs for distributions.

Further, the Board also prepares a list of schools and institutions that are approved by the board for the education of practical nurses (LPNs).  It is also the responsibility of the Board of Nursing Pennsylvania to regulate (CRNPs) and approves their education programs. The amended Professional Nursing Law, Act 99 of 2002, which became effective on 9/29/02, includes the licensing of dietitian-nutritionists.


The other PSBN Licensure Information and services are as follows:

  • Board Forms / Applications
  • Clinical Nurse Specialists
  • Dietitian-Nutritionist
  • Volunteer Licenses Exam Information
  • Renewal Information
  • Inactive Status Information
  • Board Endorsement Information
  • Board Approved Programs
  • Forms For Nursing Education Programs
  • Seeking Licensure in Another State/Country
  • Professional Health Monitoring Programs
  • Nurse Aides (PA Department of Health)

Contact information of Board of Nursing Pennsylvania

State Board of Nursing
P.O. Box 2649,
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
Phone – (717) 783-7142
Fax – (717) 783-0822
E-mail:  st-nurse@state.pa.us