Reactivating a Lapsed Pennsylvania Nursing License
When a Lapse Becomes a Reactivation
Many nurses step away from practice for family, health or another career, and let a Pennsylvania license lapse or go inactive. Coming back after a short break is usually a matter of renewal. After five years or more, the State Board of Nursing treats it differently: the nurse must show continued competency before the license is reactivated.
The rule is the same in substance for registered nurses (49 Pa. Code § 21.30a) and licensed practical nurses (49 Pa. Code § 21.156a). It applies whether the license lapsed or was placed on inactive status.
The Board's Three Paths
After a lapse or inactive period of 5 years or longer, a nurse may reactivate by doing one of the following.
- Passing the initial licensing examination approved by the Board, and paying the examination fee.
- Completing a Board-approved reactivation program, which requires passing a nursing achievement examination.
- Showing a current license in another jurisdiction and at least 3,600 hours of practice as a registered or practical nurse there within the last 5 years.
Before You Apply
- Find out the license's exact status and the date it lapsed or went inactive, from the Department of State's license lookup or the Board.
- Decide which of the three paths fits your history, and gather the proof it needs.
- Do not practice in Pennsylvania until the license is active again.
- Answer every question on the application completely, including questions about criminal matters, discipline in other states and impairment. An incomplete answer can turn a routine reactivation into a disciplinary case.
- If there is anything in your history you are unsure how to answer, get advice before you submit.
Questions Nurses Ask
My license lapsed more than 5 years ago. Can I just renew it?
No. Under the Board's continued competency rule, an RN or LPN whose license has lapsed, or has been inactive, for 5 years or longer reactivates it by passing the licensing examination, completing a Board-approved reactivation program that includes a nursing achievement examination, or showing a current license and at least 3,600 hours of nursing practice in another jurisdiction within the last 5 years.
I have been practicing in another state. Does that help?
It can. The third path in the rule is for a nurse who holds a current license elsewhere and has practiced at least 3,600 hours as a registered or practical nurse in another jurisdiction within the last 5 years. Gather proof of those hours before you apply.
Can I work while the reactivation is pending?
Do not practice in Pennsylvania until the Board has reactivated the license. Practicing on a lapsed license is a separate problem that the Board can act on, and it is far easier to avoid than to explain.
What if my license was suspended, not lapsed?
A different rule applies. A nurse whose license was suspended for 5 years or longer must first comply with the suspension order, and then reactivates by passing the licensing examination or completing a Board-approved reactivation program. See our page on getting a license back.
How We Can Help
Mimm Law, LLC helps Pennsylvania nurses work out the right path back, prepare a complete reactivation application, and deal with any history the application asks about. If you hold or held a Pennsylvania RN or LPN license, call (215) 692-2062 or use the contact page.
Pennsylvania nursing license defense · Getting a suspended or revoked license back · Continuing education audits
Meet Your Attorney
Steven A. Mimm, Esq.
Founder, Mimm Law, LLC. Admitted in Pennsylvania (2008) and New Jersey (2022).
From 2014 to 2022, Attorney Steven A. Mimm served as a prosecuting attorney bringing disciplinary actions on behalf of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs before Pennsylvania's licensing boards. That experience informs how the firm evaluates evidence, negotiates with the Commonwealth and prepares cases for hearing. Where a licensee also faces criminal charges, the firm handles the licensing matter and coordinates with the licensee's criminal defense counsel.
Last reviewed October 2026. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.