Why In today’s society do nurses still have to pay for our RN license renewals

Nurses General Nursing

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I find it astonishing that nurses still have to pay to renew our licenses at such high costs. I feel this is a failure of our Gov’t to still be charging nurses to hold a license that requires us to care for people. We have paid enough for our education, some of us have paid upwards of 100k to become a nurse! Especially now in the middle of a pandemic, yesterday in total I paid 300 to renew my license between the fee, ceu’s and fingerprints. Basically the Gov’t took back 300 from my stimulus so that I can work harder during a time that’s like they say “unprecedented.” To put my life at risk and be told, “sorry no PPE.” If at all It’s the employers that should be reimbursing us for our license fees. I know some companies do, but all should be required. This is ridiculous! Where exactly does all this money go? Again it’s another way for society to profit from the small people, although we still have to care for all rich or poor. Nursing doesn’t pay. Things definitely need to change. We are being taken advantage of. Our local congress people need to be made aware that this is wrong. How many of us nurses’ employers reimburse for license renewal and what are your thoughts/opinions on this matter?

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I don't mind paying for license renewals because this isn't something unique to nursing. Most professionals incur some minimal charges to maintain licensure, certifications, and memberships, as well as obtain continuing education hours. Some healthcare employers reimburse nurses for CEs up to a certain amount, but if you don't work for one of those, there are credible CE websites that only cost $50 for a one year membership. In my state, fingerprints are never renewed (no reason they'd need to be), and license renewal is only around $65 every other year. My husband pays hundreds of dollars each year (thankfully reimbursed by his employer) to renew his non-healthcare professional certifications, so the nursing fees seem small to me. The Board plays an important role in protecting the public, creating guidance for licensed nurses each year, and verifying that we who practice are qualified to do so. It seems reasonable to me that since I chose this profession, I, and not tax payers, am responsible for funding my ongoing licensure.

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

Since I was licensed after 1/1/13 in Florida I have to pay $43.25 this year to have my fingerprints retained in the Florida's Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. Or I could redo my prints for double that amount. That's a BS fee imo.

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In CA license renewal is $190 currently. Every renewal it goes up. I do mind paying. The board does not do anything for you or me.

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There are always costs to doing business, whether licensing, maintaining a vehicle, purchasing work clothes, etc. While not paid for outright by an employer, they may be considered in some way.

My previous jobs required no license, but despite that, I still made tens of thousands of dollars less, overall.

My standard answer when people think nurses should be put on a pedestal, and not required to pay for anything, is that I'll take it if someone wants to give it to me. I'm not expecting it, though.

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And it cost $69 for fingerprints and I have not included ceu's. Theres a business scam for everything.

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Specializes in Former NP now Internal medicine PGY-3.

One of the best business plans is to somehow make your product a requirement.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Licensure fees go into a State's coffers. It's income for the State. Plain & simple. That revenue offsets the state tax base. I cross-referenced NJ's Division of Consume Affairs under which our BON falls. There were 50, yes 50, different occupations listed. Personally, I don't know of any other profession where an employer pays for licensure/relicense.

And how would that work - just say, Wrongway Hospital paid for my license renewal this past January, and then I quit, or am fired. Then what??? Or I have 2 or more employers? How will that work?

Just looking up RNs renewing licenses q2yrs, I found that would bring in just under $2 million/year. That wasn't counting INITIAL licensure or anything for LPNs. So...

38 minutes ago, FacultyRN said:

It seems reasonable to me that since I chose this profession, I, and not tax payers, am responsible for funding my ongoing licensure.

And below is what a Board does. It is NOT there for your benefit.

38 minutes ago, FacultyRN said:

The Board plays an important role in protecting the public, creating guidance for licensed nurses each year, and verifying that we who practice are qualified to do so.

I admit, New Jersey is very costly, just like I believe Calif is. But I voluntarily chose the profession. It owed me nothing.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.
44 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

Licensure fees go into a State's coffers. It's income for the State. Plain & simple. That revenue offsets the state tax base. I cross-referenced NJ's Division of Consume Affairs under which our BON falls. There were 50, yes 50, different occupations listed. Personally, I don't know of any other profession where an employer pays for licensure/relicense.

And how would that work - just say, Wrongway Hospital paid for my license renewal this past January, and then I quit, or am fired. Then what??? Or I have 2 or more employers? How will that work?

Just looking up RNs renewing licenses q2yrs, I found that would bring in just under $2 million/year. That wasn't counting INITIAL licensure or anything for LPNs. So...

And below is what a Board does. It is NOT there for your benefit.

I admit, New Jersey is very costly, just like I believe Calif is. But I voluntarily chose the profession. It owed me nothing.

Plus, all those folks working at Boards do it not on volunteering basis. The Boards proper, surveyors, licensing per se, they all want their salaries plus State workers benefits. Those $$$ come from licensing fees. And at least sometimes these people do right things, either for public or for nurses. I just cannot deny it.

Even for bedside nursing, some employers pay licensing fees as an additional little perk (and more of them provide free CEUs). Also, free CEUs are widely available online. Medscape for Nurses is a good place to start. From Master's level, license fees paid by employer becomes almost a norm.

Re. "upwards of 100k" paid for nursing education, nobody is forced to apply to Posh Queen's School of Nursing with lazy river on campus and singing mannequins in lab to study "Phylisophy: applications for nursing" and "Theory of death and dying". There are community colleges and state universities which charge less for the same or less of fluff.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Also, I'm reminded that some license costs may be tax-deductible for the nurse.

After a quick review, I am surprised at some of the costs that get rolled into renewal fees - that's where costs go up.

1 hour ago, Tegridy said:

One of the best business plans is to somehow make your product a requirement.

Yup, like fingerprinting. Costly.

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I went to community college for my undergrad program. And I applied for their nursing program but I did not get accepted. Not everyone lives in a big city with community colleges that have large nursing programs that can accommodate demand. So maybe I could have eventually found a lower cost alternative, although my school definitely was not posche, and I was the first person in my family to go to college so it was not like I had a guide to navigate these decisions for me when I was 19. I'm sure there are many others like me, but thank you for your input nonetheless.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

Indiana is $50 q2yrs, no CEUs, no prints. We have it easy.

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