Tips of License Renewal - Pennsylvania Department …

[Pages:1]February 2010

dos.state.pa.us

Tips of License Renewal

The purpose of the State Board of Nursing is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. One of the ways it fulfills its mission is to issue licenses and renew licenses of those persons with the appropriate credentials. You must have an active nursing license or a temporary practice permit to practice professional or practical nursing in Pennsylvania and an active dietitian-nutritionist license to hold yourself out as a licensed dietitian-nutritionist.

As a licensee of the board, it is your responsibility to ensure your license is current. It is a violation of both the Professional Nursing and Practical Nurse laws to practice nursing or hold yourself forth as a licensed dietitiannutritionist without a valid current license, and practicing nursing or dietetics-nutrition on an expired license could subject you to disciplinary action by the board and/or the imposition of civil monetary penalties. The nursing practice acts and board regulations provide for the biennial renewal of licenses and certifications. In order to maintain active licensure and engage in the practice of professional or practical nursing or hold oneself out as a licensed dietitiannutritionist, a licensee must renew his or her license every two years.

Licensed nurses and dietitian-nutritionists are very busy, mobile people, and it is very important that you notify the State Board of Nursing within 10 days of any change of name or address. If the board does not know your correct name and address, your renewal notification will not reach you. It is your individual responsibility to renew your license in a timely manner. Many employers perform a valuable service in reminding nurses and dietitian-nutritionists that it may be time to renew or that a license on file has expired; however, license renewal is the licensee's ultimate responsibility.

Some licensees of the board are also required to have continuing education prior to renewal. Failure to receive the notification of renewal will not relieve you of the responsibility of renewing your license by the expiration

date. The licensure renewal notice is sent to your address of record with the board in the months prior to the expiration date of your current license or certification. The actual licensure document the licensee receives will not be forwarded by the Postal Service under any circumstances.

If you haven't done so recently, please take a moment to update your information at . Please make sure you update your e-mail address in the application to ensure you continue to receive the board newsletters and other special notices.

Nursing licensees with expired licenses are presumed not to be practicing nursing. When you renew a license that has expired, you will be asked to sign an affidavit stating whether or not you have practiced nursing in Pennsylvania after the expiration of your license. A late fee of $5 per month will be assessed for renewals made after the expiration date of the license where practice occurred on the expired license. Should your nursing license be inactive for more than five years, you must fulfill the board's regulations for continued competence in order to return to practice; you may be required to retake the initial licensing examination. Practicing nursing on an expired license may also result in disciplinary action against the license and/or civil monetary penalties.

Nurses and dietitian-nutritionists are very important to the quality of care for the citizens of Pennsylvania. The commonwealth needs all the highly qualified nurses and dietitian-nutritionists we have to care for the citizens of Pennsylvania. We urge you to use the board Web site or regular mail to renew your license on time and avoid penalties and the inability to practice.

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State Board of Nursing

P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649

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PHMP

717-783-7142 (phone)

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