New York Laws
Article 139 - Nursing
6905 - Requirements for a License as a Registered Professional Nurse.

(1) Application: file an application with the department;
(2) Education: have received an education, and a diploma or degree in
professional nursing, in accordance with the commissioner's regulations,
and in order to continue to maintain registration as a registered
professional nurse in New York state, have attained a baccalaureate
degree or higher in nursing within ten years of initial licensure in
accordance with the commissioner's regulations. The department, in its
discretion, may issue a conditional registration to a licensee who fails
to complete the baccalaureate degree but who agrees to meet the
additional requirement within one year. The fee for such a conditional
registration shall be the same as, and in addition to, the fee for the
triennial registration. The duration of such conditional registration
shall be for one year and may be extended, with the payment of a fee,
for no more than one additional year, unless the applicant can show good
cause for non-compliance acceptable to the department. The department,
in its discretion, may issue a temporary educational exemption to a
licensee who is unable to complete the baccalaureate degree due to a
lack of access to educational programs. Licensees seeking a temporary
educational exemption shall provide evidence of applying on at least two
occasions to a baccalaureate degree program or programs and subsequently
being denied access to such program or programs on at least two
occasions due to there being a limited number of seats. Such denials
shall also be corroborated by the higher education institution or
institutions that the licensee applied to. Temporary educational
exemptions issued pursuant to this subdivision shall be for a single two
year period. Licensees shall only be eligible for either a conditional
registration or a temporary educational exemption. The fee for such a
temporary educational exemption shall be the same as, and in addition
to, the fee for the triennial registration. Any licensee who is notified
of the denial of a registration for failure to complete the additional
educational requirements and who practices as a registered professional
nurse without such registration may be subject to disciplinary
proceedings pursuant to section sixty-five hundred ten of this title;
(3) Experience: meet no requirement as to experience;
(4) Examination: pass an examination satisfactory to the board and in
accordance with the commissioner's regulations;
(5) Age: be at least eighteen years of age;
(6) Citizenship: meet no requirement as to United States citizenship;
(7) Character: be of good moral character as determined by the
department; and
(8) Fees: pay a fee of one hundred fifteen dollars to the department
for admission to a department conducted examination and for an initial
license, a fee of forty-five dollars for each reexamination, a fee of
seventy dollars for an initial license for persons not requiring
admission to a department conducted examination, and a fee of fifty
dollars for each triennial registration period.