License expiration date - how does your state handle it?

[ixchel]

In 2012, I got a CNA license that expires the month of my birth on the 28th this year. So, essentially it lasts just over 2 years. Now that I've just gotten my RN license, I was expecting it to go the same way. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that, no, it expires in a few months. I just dug up the legislation related to this, and essentially, they cannot license you for longer than two years at a time. Because Maryland seems to think it would make our lives easier to expire during evenly numbered years if we were born in an evenly number year, I have a brand new nursing license that I need to pay $150 to renew in two months.

Anyway, I'm curious to hear how other states determine initial license expiration vs. renewals.

[elkpark]

Nearly every state has a system for nursing licenses in which the licenses are good for two years and the specific expiration date is linked to your birthday (my NC license expires on the last day of my birth month; my PA license expires on the last day of the month after my birth month). Since people get initial licensure all year 'round, your first license ends up being for some weird amount of time.

My birthday is in September. Years ago, I moved to another state for grad school. I knew in advance I was going, so I applied for licensure in that state early in the Spring (like, early March, as soon as I got my acceptance and knew I was going). However, it took the state until August to actually, finally issue me the blasted license (I was already living up there, and unable to work as an RN during the summer, as I had expected, because NO LICENSE!), and, when I finally got it, guess what??? It expired at the end of September, the following month. I had to immediately turn around and pay big bucks to renew. We've all been there -- it's just one of the annoying little things about being in a licensed occupation/profession.

[loriangel14, RN]

I am in Canada and ours run out December 31st. You renew online and you get no hard copy.After the end of December you pay a late fee. After February your license gets suspended.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

In Ohio, it's all in August and those who renew are based upon whether you're an LPN or RN. I forget which one gets the odds and which one gets the even years.