Become a Nurse in Indiana – Licensure & Requirements

In Indiana, Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Nurse Specialists practice under a Registered Nurse (or Compact RN) license; APRN Prescriptive Authority (or APRN – Compact RN) is a separate credential required only to prescribe, and is not itself a license to practice as an NP, CNS or CRNA. Qualifying for APRN Prescriptive Authority requires completion of a graduate-level nursing program — or, for those who hold a bachelor's degree, current national certification. Certified Nurse Midwife licensure is a separate license requiring graduation from a nationally accredited school of midwifery and current AMCB certification. Source: Indiana State Board of Nursing, Nursing Licensing Information, current as of September 2026.

Indiana Nursing Salaries

^{The annual mean wage estimates above are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Indiana, May 2025 reference period.}

There are many paths to becoming a nurse in Indiana. The path you take will mostly depend upon the type of nurse you’d like to become and your current or prospective level of education. The higher your level of education, the more opportunities you’ll have to choose where and how you pursue your career in nursing.

In addition to nursing salaries in Indiana, you’ll find information on acquiring and maintaining several types of Indiana nursing licensure. We’re constantly making updates, but with the speed of change in the healthcare sphere it’s difficult to stay current. If you have any comments or suggestions for our information on nursing in Indiana, please email us at info@nursinglicensemap.com!

Compact State Status

Indiana is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, as confirmed by the Nurse Licensure Compact Commission's current list of participating states and the Indiana State Board of Nursing, current as of September 2026.

Prescriptive Authority in Indiana

According to the Indiana State Board of Nursing, advanced practice registered nurses may apply for an APRN Prescriptive Authority (or APRN – Compact RN) license to prescribe in Indiana under a written collaborative practice agreement with an Indiana-licensed practitioner, as required by 848 IAC 5-1-1 (current as of September 2026). A nurse who will prescribe controlled substances must also hold a separate Controlled Substance Registration (CSR) through the Indiana Controlled Substance Registration program (current as of September 2026); the APRN Prescriptive Authority application fee is $50, and the CSR application fee is a separate $60.

Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN) in Indiana

APRNs in Indiana include nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and certified registered nurse anesthetists.

Education:Graduate degree in nursing, or a bachelor's degree in nursing together with national certification and completion of a graduate-level pharmacology course. If that pharmacology course was completed more than five years before applying, applicants must also complete at least 30 contact hours of continuing education in the two years immediately before application — including at least 8 hours in pharmacology, from an approved sponsor — and submit a letter documenting qualifying prescriptive experience in the five years immediately before application, or, if there is no prior prescriptive experience, a medication-safety reference from the applicant's most recent employer or supervisor. This initial-application requirement is separate from the ongoing renewal CE requirement described below.

Examination: Varies for Different Certifications

Fees:

• $50 Application Fee (APRN Prescriptive Authority)
• $60 Application Fee (CSR-Prescriptive Authority, for prescribing controlled substances)

These fees are set by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

Certification Required: Varies for different nursing careers.

An active Indiana registered nurse license is required for application, per the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026). APRNs must maintain a written collaborative practice agreement with an Indiana-licensed practitioner to prescribe.

Renewal:Advanced practice nurses must renew their registered nurse (RN) license — or Compact RN license for APRN – Compact RN — before renewing their APRN Prescriptive Authority or APRN – Compact RN license. The APRN Prescriptive Authority/APRN – Compact RN renewal fee is $10, separate from the RN renewal fee. Renewal generally requires at least 30 hours of continuing education units (CEUs), at least eight of which must be in pharmacology; a newly granted prescriptive authority license needs no continuing education if granted less than 12 months before the renewal's expiration, or at least 15 CEU hours (including four in pharmacology) if granted at least 12 but less than 24 months before expiration. Proof of completed CEUs is required at renewal only for that newly-granted-license exception; all APRNs must retain their CEU certificates in case of an audit.

These renewal requirements are set by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

Learn more on how to become an advanced practice registered nurse.

Registered Nurse (RN) in Indiana

Completion of an Approved Registered Nurse Program, per the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

Examination: NCLEX-RN

Fees:

• $50 Application Fee
• $200 Examination Fee

The $50 Indiana application fee is set by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026); the $200 examination fee matches the current NCLEX registration fee published by NCSBN.

Individuals licensed as a registered nurse in another state may apply for licensure through endorsement, subject to board approval. A $50 application fee is required, per the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

RN licenses expire October 31 of odd-numbered years. The license renewal cycle opens no later than 90 days prior to expiration. Fee for renewal is $50 ($100 if renewing after expiration, subject to the board's three-year renewal window). There are no CEU requirements. These renewal terms are set by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

Learn more on how to become a registered nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Indiana

Completion of an Approved Licensed Practical Nurse Program, per the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

Examination: NCLEX-PN

Fees:

• $50 Application Fee
• $200 Examination Fee

The $50 Indiana application fee is set by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026); the $200 examination fee matches the current NCLEX registration fee published by NCSBN.

Individuals licensed as a licensed practical nurse in another state may apply for licensure through endorsement, subject to board approval. A $50 application fee is required, per the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

LPN licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years. The license renewal cycle opens no later than 90 days prior to expiration. Fee for renewal is $50 ($100 if renewing after expiration, subject to the board's three-year renewal window). There are no CEU requirements. These renewal terms are set by the Indiana State Board of Nursing (current as of September 2026).

Learn more on how to become a licensed practical nurse.

The nursing career information above reflects Indiana State Board of Nursing requirements current as of September 2026.