Become a Nurse in Oregon – Licensure & Requirements

Education-level requirements above reflect current Oregon Administrative Rules: NP, CNS and CRNA licensure requires graduate-level APRN-preparatory nursing education (OAR 851-031-0042); RN and LPN licensure requires completion of an Approved Nursing Program (OAR 851-031-0006); Certified Nursing Assistant certification requires completion of a Board-approved nursing assistant training program and competency exam, not a nursing degree (OAR 851-062-0050).

Oregon Nursing Salaries

Nurse salaries above were retrieved from the Bureau of Labor Statistics – State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for Oregon (statewide), Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, Salem, and Eugene-Springfield, May 2025 annual mean wage (retrieved September 25, 2026).

There are many paths to become a nurse in Oregon. 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 Oregon, you’ll find information on acquiring and maintaining several types of Oregon 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 Oregon, please email us at info@nursinglicensemap.com!

Compact State Status

Oregon is not a Nursing Licensure Compact State. See the NCSBN Nurse Licensure Compact participating-jurisdictions map for the current list of member states; the Oregon State Board of Nursing's own APRN title statement separately confirms Oregon is currently not an NLC member.

Prescriptive Authority in Oregon

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Oregon who provide pharmacological management for clients must hold prescriptive authority (OAR 851-055-0070). To apply, APRNs must document at least 45 contact hours of pharmacology education plus role-specific clinical education in client management (OAR 851-031-0043): CRNAs need clinical education in pharmacotherapeutics congruent with their specialty role, NPs need clinical education in client management including pharmacotherapeutics, and CNSs need clinical education in client management comparable to nurse-practitioner-program requirements. APRNs who were educated before January 1, 2011 may instead show continuous APRN licensure in good standing elsewhere with full independent practice and prescriptive authority.

Nurse Practitioner in Oregon

Education: Graduate-level APRN-preparatory nursing education, confirmed by official transcript at application (OAR 851-031-0042).

Examination/Certification: National certification congruent with license type and population focus from an accredited certifying body, verified at initial licensure (OAR 851-031-0042) and, for NPs initially licensed after January 1, 2011, again at renewal (OAR 851-031-0048).

Fees: $250 initial license; $205 renewal; $75 initial prescriptive-authority application, if sought.

Additional Information: An active Oregon registered nurse license, a national criminal background check, and a one-hour pain-management education program are required for application (OAR 851-031-0042).

Renewal: NP licenses are valid for two years from issue date. Renewal requires RN-license verification and, for NPs initially licensed after January 1, 2011, current national-certification verification (OAR 851-031-0048). All licensees must also complete one hour of pain-management education every 36 months and two hours of cultural-competency education every other renewal cycle; practice-hour requirements were removed effective January 1, 2026 (OAR 851-031-0008).

Learn more on how to become a nurse practitioner.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Oregon

Education: Graduate-level nursing education with CNS theory and clinical concentration, confirmed by official transcript at application (OAR 851-031-0042).

Examination/Certification: National certification congruent with license type and population focus, verified at initial licensure for CNS applicants who hold one (OAR 851-031-0042). National certification is not required to obtain an initial Oregon CNS license.

Fees: $250 initial license; $175 renewal without prescriptive authority, $205 with prescriptive authority.

Additional Information: An active Oregon registered nurse license, a national criminal background check, and a one-hour pain-management education program are required for application (OAR 851-031-0042).

Renewal: CNS licenses are valid for two years from issue date and are renewed on the same cycle as other APRN licenses, with RN-license verification required (OAR 851-031-0048). Pain-management and cultural-competency education apply as described above; the former 960-hour practice requirement for renewal is no longer in effect as of January 1, 2026. Beginning January 1, 2028, CNS renewal applicants who do not hold current national certification must instead complete 75 hours of continuing education within the prior five years (OAR 851-031-0008).

Learn more on how to become a clinical nurse specialist.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in Oregon

Education: Master’s-level CRNA-preparatory nursing education, confirmed by official transcript at application (OAR 851-031-0042).

Examination: National Certification Examination (NCE), administered by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA).

Certification: NBCRNA certification, verified at initial licensure (OAR 851-031-0042) and again at renewal (OAR 851-031-0048).

Fees: $250 initial license; $155 renewal; $75 initial prescriptive-authority application and $50 prescriptive-authority renewal, if sought.

Additional Information: An active Oregon registered nurse license, a national criminal background check, and a one-hour pain-management education program are required for application (OAR 851-031-0042).

Renewal: CRNA licenses are valid for two years from issue date. Renewal requires RN-license verification and current NBCRNA certification verification, plus the pain-management and cultural-competency education described above (OAR 851-031-0048).

Learn more on how to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Registered Nurse (RN) in Oregon

Education: Completion of an Approved Registered Nurse Program (OAR 851-031-0006).

Examination: Passing the NCLEX-RN is required for Oregon licensure by examination (OAR 851-031-0006). The exam itself is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) for a separate $200 NCLEX registration fee, not an Oregon Board of Nursing fee.

Fees: $295 licensure by endorsement, $260 licensure by examination, $245 renewal, plus a $9 Oregon Nursing Advancement Fund surcharge on endorsement, examination and renewal applications and an $8 Workforce Data Analysis Fund surcharge at renewal.

Endorsement: RNs first licensed in another state can apply for licensure by endorsement by confirming graduation, passing the NCLEX-RN, completing pain-management education, and completing a national fingerprint-based background check; if the out-of-state license is not currently active, additional continuing education based on how long it has been expired is also required (OAR 851-031-0039).

Renewal: Renewal for RNs is every two years from the license issue date (OAR 851-031-0048). All licensees must complete one hour of pain-management education every 36 months and two hours of cultural-competency education every other renewal cycle; starting January 1, 2028, RN renewal applicants must also complete 20 hours of continuing education within the prior two years (OAR 851-031-0008).

Learn more on how to become a registered nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in Oregon

Education: Completion of an Approved Licensed Practical Nurse Program (OAR 851-031-0006).

Examination: Passing the NCLEX-PN is required for Oregon licensure by examination (OAR 851-031-0006). The exam itself is administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) for a separate $200 NCLEX registration fee, not an Oregon Board of Nursing fee.

Fees: $230 licensure by endorsement, $195 licensure by examination, $180 renewal, plus a $9 Oregon Nursing Advancement Fund surcharge on endorsement, examination and renewal applications and an $8 Workforce Data Analysis Fund surcharge at renewal.

Endorsement: LPNs first licensed in another state can apply for licensure by endorsement by confirming graduation, passing the NCLEX-PN, completing pain-management education, and completing a national fingerprint-based background check; if the out-of-state license is not currently active, additional continuing education based on how long it has been expired is also required (OAR 851-031-0039).

Renewal: Renewal for LPNs is every two years from the license issue date (OAR 851-031-0048). All licensees must complete one hour of pain-management education every 36 months and two hours of cultural-competency education every other renewal cycle; starting January 1, 2028, LPN renewal applicants must also complete 20 hours of continuing education within the prior two years (OAR 851-031-0008).

Learn more about how to become a licensed practical nurse.

Fee and licensure information for the above nursing careers was independently verified against the Oregon Board of Nursing's current administrative rules — OAR chapter 851, division 2 (fees), division 31 (license requirements), and division 55 (APRN scope and standards) — on September 25, 2026.