how long till' I get my license!?

Nurses New Nurse

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Hello everyone,

So here's my question that I'm hoping someone has an answer to. I just recently passed my nclex this month and was wondering how long it takes for my license status to change from "pending" to "active" online, and to receive my paper license in the mail? I am currently registered in NJ and though I have nothing against NJ, I understand that the our beloved BON moves at a rather glacial pace. I took my nclex-RN first week of sept and found out a couple days later that I had passed. My friend took her exam a couple of days after I did and already received her license no. I have a feeling it is due to the fact that I completed my finger prints/criminal background check on the late side. I fingerprinted a couple days before the exam, while she had hers completed mid-june. Could this be the reason as to why I have not received my license no. yet? Anyone from NJ have any suggestions? :nurse:

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Different BONs vary. I was able to get my license number over the phone from my BON within three days after the test...it took the website about a week to to be updated and about two weeks for a paper license.

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I'm still waiting for my license from BON in NJ, it's been 7 weeks and 2 days since I took the Nclex. The waiting is an agony since my employer took me off the schedule as a CNA when they knew that I did passed the Nclex RN exam already, so I am jobless for a month now and will still be searching for a job as an RN when I got my license..please pray for me..

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Specializes in LTC, Med-surg.

NJ Board of Nursing is a load of crap. They take too long on everything. Took me 4 weeks to get ATT, going to take me 4-6 weeks to get license #. I tested NCLEX-RN and passed on July 16th. What. the. hell.

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Specializes in Progressive Care.

I read the subject of your thread and clicked on it because I knew you had to be referring to NJ! Talking about getting my license in NJ is like reliving my worst nightmare. There is a place you can log in online to see your checklist which shows what's still needed for your application. Then just keep calling them. Every time I called I got a different person and apparently nobody there knows what they're doing, but if you keep calling and take down the name of the person you spoke to, you may eventually be able to get the ball rolling. If everything is checked off except for board approval, it means that everything is done and you're just waiting for them to post your license number. This is the point where some people drive down there.

With me calling several times a week, it took a few weeks for my license number to post. Your actual license comes a month or two later, but all you need is the license number. Of course had taken me months to get my ATT too. Application to license was about 4 months. Half of my PA nursing friends were already employed by the time I was licensed.

They'll go on about how busy they are and how their "process" is different than other states like PA where your number posts the day after NCLEX. Well when are they going to realize that their "process" is terrible and they should change it?? I've known nurses to have job offers taken back because it took NJ too long to get them the license # they needed it for orientation!

Once when I called, the guy said, "Everybody thinks that just because they pass NCLEX, this means they can get a nursing license, but this couldn't be further from the truth." ...Really?!

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Most take the NCLEX before they are fingerprinted/background check completed. I know at least one who passed the NCLEX but was subsequently denied licensing due to information on the federal background check (pesky felony). The denial came after the board committee did application review. Passing the NCLEX is one step in the licensing process, in many states it's the last step. Not NJ

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