How long from graduation to licensure?

[msmith]

Hi folks, just trying to get an idea of how long it will be before I can get my NP license. I graduated in late July, 2009. The ANCC recieved my packet on 8/21/09. I called them today and they told me it will be 6 to 8 weeks before I hear back from them. Does it really take that long? They verified that my information was received and at this point they don't need anything else from me. I'm trying to get a time frame because I'm interviewing for different NP jobs right now and would like to know about what time I would be an available NP with a license. I'm strictly referring to the ANCC, not the AANP as I believe the AANP does't take as long to test for.

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

Hi,

I graduated in mid-May of this year and sent in my ANCC app the day of graduation. It took exactly 4 weeks to get my authorization to test. I could have tested the next day, but I wasn't ready. I tested the second week of July. You get your results right away, and then you can go on-line the next day and request verification of your certification. I got that within a week, so I had my cert. # and then applied for state licensure.

Hope this helps.

[msmith]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, it helps to know that. I just got a letter today from ANCC letting me know that my application is under review. So, at least I know what's going on. I'm just frustrated with the job search. I didn't think it would be this hard to get an NP job. Hopefully I will hear back from one place this week.

[BChapp3182]

I would say it takes ANCC a month to authorize you to test, then a week to send the results to your state. After that, it's up to your state to issue a license. I live in FL and it's been a month so far, still no license in hand....

So if everything goes well (meaning your school sends your transcripts, all the applications are complete, you don't have to chase department heads for ANCC signatures, etc) and you don't take any time off after graduation you could probably be licensed within 2-3 months. It took my school 2-3 weeks after graduation to "confer" the degree to my transcript so factor that in.

So--

school 2-3 weeks to confer your degree onto a transcript

1 week for school to send this transcript (you have to request and pay for that as well--was not automatically done at my school-some classmates lost time b/c they thought school just did it automatically)

ANCC averages 4-6 weeks

1 week for ANCC to verify you passed to your state board

4+ weeks for your state board to issue license

What's that about 3 months? That's if all goes as planned and you don't take any time off after you graduate to relax.