North Carolina Board of Nursing

What North Carolina Board of Nursing does

The North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) is a North Carolina state government regulatory agency that licenses and regulates the practice of nursing throughout the state, operating under the North Carolina Nursing Practice Act (G.S. §90 Article 9A) and Administrative Code 21 NCAC 36. Its mission is to protect the public by regulating the practice of nursing, and it oversees approximately 220,000+ active licensees and listings spanning Registered Nurses (165,710), Licensed Practical Nurses (22,808), Nurse Practitioners (17,281), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (4,408), Nurse Aide IIs (9,661), Certified Nurse Midwives (587 across Independent Practice and Collaborating Provider), and Clinical Nurse Specialists (281).

NCBON's core technology platform consists of the Nurse Portal (portal.ncbon.com), which serves as the unified self-service interface for applications, renewals, reinstatements, endorsements, APRN approvals, multi-state license upgrades, and continuing competence submissions; the Program Director Portal (programs.ncbon.com) for nursing education program administration; and integrations with the NURSYS national licensure database, Pearson VUE for NCLEX examination delivery, and Live Scan digital fingerprint capture transmitted to the State Bureau of Investigation and FBI for criminal background checks. The agency participates in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) effective January 19, 2018, extending multistate practice privileges across more than 40 compact states.

The Board's revenue model is entirely fee-based and statutorily constrained: it collects per-application and per-renewal fees from licensees, including $100 RN/LPN renewals on two-year cycles, $150 endorsements, $180 reinstatements, $75 NCLEX examination applications plus $38 criminal background checks, and tiered APRN registration/approval/renewal fees. Additional revenue streams include Nurse Aide II listing fees ($24), Professional Corporation and PLLC fees ($50 initial, $25 renewal), variable data request fees (e.g., $475 for Registered Nurse dataset), and limited workshop fees. Operations are funded exclusively through these fees; there is no equity investment, no parent company, and no private investor involvement. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the self-service portals, with no resellers or third-party distribution partners.

Name

North Carolina Board of Nursing

Legal name

North Carolina Board of Nursing

Website

https://ncbon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The North Carolina Board of Nursing is a state government regulatory agency that licenses and regulates approximately 220,000 nursing professionals in North Carolina, including RNs, LPNs, APRNs, and Nurse Aide IIs, through its online Nurse Portal and program oversight activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Nursing Regulation and Licensing

NAICS

Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare Licensing, Accreditation & Credentialing Boards (HLAJACAC)

Keywords

• Nursing license regulation
• Professional license verification
• Nursing examination administration
• Continuing nursing education
• Nurse endorsement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensure and Renewal Fees: Per-application and per-renewal fees charged to Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses for two-year license cycles (e.g., $100 renewal, $180 reinstatement of lapsed license, $150 endorsement). Paid via credit/debit card (MasterCard or Visa) through the Nurse Portal.
2. Examination and Criminal Background Check Fees: Fees for initial and repeat NCLEX examination applications ($75.00), $38.00 criminal background check fee, plus $200.00 Pearson VUE registration fee remitted to the testing service. International applicants pay $113 combined application and CBC fee.
3. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Fees: Registration ($25.00), Approval to Practice ($100.00 non-volunteer / $20.00 volunteer), Renewal ($50.00 / $10.00), Reinstatement, Physician Maintenance, and CRNA Verification ($25.00) fees for Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Clinical Nurse Specialists.
4. Nurse Aide II Listing Fees: $24.00 Initial Listing fee and $24.00 Renewal fee (2-year cycle) for Nurse Aide II listings in North Carolina.
5. Professional Corporation / PLLC Fees: $50.00 initial registration and $25.00 annual renewal for Professional Corporations and Professional Limited Liability Companies established by Registered Nurses for providing nursing and related services.
6. Data and Verification Service Fees: Variable data request fees (e.g., Registered Nurses $475.00, LPNs $350.00, Nurse Aide II $300.00, APRN $250.00, additional customization $50.00); International License Verification $25.00; TruMerit/VisaScreen verification $15.00; returned check fee $35.00; medication aide instructor recognition $25.00.
7. Retired Nurse Status Fee: $30.00 fee for nurses who retire and request Retired Status designation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) is a state government regulatory agency that licenses and regulates the practice of nursing in North Carolina. It issues and renews licenses for Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, CRNA, Clinical Nurse Specialist), and Nurse Aides II through its centralized online Nurse Portal. It also approves pre-licensure nursing education programs, administers the NCLEX examination eligibility process, conducts disciplinary investigations, and issues primary-source license verification through NURSYS.

Product overview

North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) operates a regulatory platform centered on the Nurse Portal (portal.ncbon.com) — a single unified web portal that serves as the gateway to all licensure services. The platform's core modules include the Nurse Portal for licensees/applicants, the Program Director Portal (programs.ncbon.com) for nursing education programs, and the public verification service integrated with the national NURSYS database and Pearson VUE for NCLEX administration. Services span RN/LPN renewal/reinstatement/examination/endorsement, advanced practice roles (Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, CRNA, Clinical Nurse Specialist), Nurse Aide II listing, Refresher Courses, Professional Corporations/PLLCs, and Criminal Background Check / Live Scan. Supporting the regulatory operations are publications (NCBON Bulletin, Education Communiqué), the Continuing Competence compliance program, Just Culture | SPEET framework for nursing education, and continuing education workshops/webinars. Live licensure statistics include 165,710 Registered Nurses, 22,808 Licensed Practical Nurses, 9,661 Nurse Aide II, 17,281 Nurse Practitioners, 4,408 CRNAs, 328 Certified Nurse Midwives (Independent Practice), 259 CNMs (Collaborating Provider), and 281 Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nurse Portal: Online portal for licensees to apply, renew, reinstate, and manage their North Carolina nursing licenses and listings (portal.ncbon.com).
• Program Director Portal
• NC Nursecast

Products and services

• Nurse Portal Online portal (portal.ncbon.com) for nurse licensees and applicants to apply, renew, reinstate, manage profiles, and check application status. Serves as the primary self-service interface for all RN/LPN renewal, reinstatement, examination, endorsement, Nurse Practitioner applications, Nurse Aide II listings, and name/address change transactions.
• Program Director Portal Password-protected online portal (programs.ncbon.com) for nursing education program directors and Nurse Aide II instructors to verify program completion and submit required student data electronically to the Board. Access is limited to officially designated persons at Board-approved programs.
• RN/LPN Licensure by Examination Service Initial examination application service for NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN candidates seeking first-time licensure in North Carolina. Coordinates with Pearson VUE for test scheduling under the National Council Licensure Examination prepared by NCSBN.
• RN/LPN Licensure by Endorsement Service Reciprocity licensure service for nurses already licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction who wish to practice in North Carolina. Includes a Temporary License option valid for up to six months while the permanent license is processed.
• RN/LPN Renewal Service Biennial online license renewal application for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses in North Carolina. Licenses are valid for two years and renewed by the last day of the licensee's birth month.
• RN/LPN Reinstatement Service Service to reinstate lapsed or inactive North Carolina RN/LPN nursing licenses. Includes a fingerprint-based SBI/FBI criminal history check, continuing competence verification, and Board-approved Refresher Course requirements for licenses lapsed five or more years.
• Multi-State License Upgrade Service Service for existing NC RN/LPN single-state licensees to upgrade to multistate privileges under the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact. Requires meeting NLC Uniform Licensure Requirements, submission of proof of NC residency, and a current active background check on file.
• Nurse Practitioner Registration & Approval to Practice Three-step APRN application process: one-time Registration, Initial Approval to Practice with a collaborating or supervising physician, and annual Renewal. Jointly administered by NCBON and the NC Medical Board.
• Certified Nurse Midwife Approval Service Certified Nurse Midwife approval service offering both Independent Practice approval (requiring 24 months and 4,000 hours of CNM practice) and approval with a Collaborating Provider. Requires American Midwifery Certification Board primary source verification.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Recognition Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist recognition and verification process. Requires current NBCRNA certification and an active North Carolina RN license.
• Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Clinical Nurse Specialist recognition service requiring a Master's or higher degree in Nursing (or related Master's) and current National Certification as CNS. Initial recognition is granted for 3-27 months to align with the RN birth month renewal cycle.
• Nurse Aide II Listing Service Listing application service for Nurse Aide II, including initial listing, biennial listing renewal, and employment verification by a supervising RN. Listings expired in excess of 24 months require completion of an entire Nurse Aide II Program for renewal eligibility.
• Criminal Background Check / Live Scan Service Required fingerprint-based State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) criminal history check for applicants seeking Licensure by Examination, Endorsement, or Reinstatement. Live Scan available within North Carolina; fingerprint cards mailed to out-of-state applicants.
• Professional Corporations & PLLCs Registration Registration service for Registered Nurses to form Nursing Professional Corporations (PC) or Professional Limited Liability Companies (PLLC) for providing nursing and related services, governed by North Carolina General Statutes and Administrative Code.
• RN Refresher Course Program Board-approved Refresher Course for RNs whose license has been inactive, retired or lapsed for 5+ years. Minimum 240 hours of instruction, with at least 120 hours of clinical learning experiences.
• LPN Refresher Course Program Board-approved Refresher Course for LPNs whose license has been inactive, retired or lapsed for 5+ years. Minimum 180 hours of instruction, with at least 90 hours of clinical learning experiences.
• Nurse Practitioner Refresher Course Required Refresher Course for Nurse Practitioners who have not had an active approval to practice for greater than two years. Individually planned, self-directed course of study with required components based on years out of active clinical NP practice.
• License Verification Service Public license verification service covering Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Nurse Aide II, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, CRNA, and CNS. Supports single license verification, Bulk Licensure Notifications via Nursys e-Notify, and external license verification.
• International Educated Applicants Service Application service for internationally educated nurse applicants. Requires documentation of education via approved agencies (IEE or TruMerit), English proficiency examination, valid Social Security Number, and satisfactory Criminal Background Check.
• Nurse Licensure Compact Service Information and administration service for the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), including the January 2, 2024 60-Day Residency Rule and the 11 uniform licensure requirements for multi-state licensure eligibility.
• Continuing Competence Workshops & Webinars Live and recorded continuing nursing education presentations including the Nurse Leader Regulatory Orientation workshop, Continuing Competence courses, Joint Regulatory Webinar on IV Hydration and IV Therapy, and Legal Scope of Practice training.
• Approved Nursing Programs Registry Registry of NCBON-approved pre-licensure nursing education programs covering BSN, Associate Degree in Nursing, and Licensed Practical Nurse programs. Sets standards for program curriculum and clinical experience.
• Military Practical Nursing Endorsement & Examination Service Career transition service supporting military personnel and veterans. Identifies four approved military practical nursing programs that meet NC educational requirements for examination or endorsement as LPN.

Quantifiable outcome

• Licenses and regulates over 220,000 nursing professionals across six credential categories (RN, LPN, NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS) plus 9,661 Nurse Aide II listings
• +1 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship/essential, core and minor.

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)flagship/essentialStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCBON is a member Board of NCSBN and uses the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN examinations prepared by NCSBN. NCSBN contracted with Pearson VUE for test delivery. NCSBN also provides the Nursys national licensure database, e-Notify service and the Nurse Licensure Compact administrative framework.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson VUE administers the NCLEX examination for the NCBON under contract with NCSBN. Candidates register and pay $200 directly to Pearson VUE; the Authorization to Test (ATT) is issued by Pearson VUE upon NCBON eligibility. Quick Results service is available within 2 business days.
• US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Floridaflagship/essentialOthersNCBON cooperates with the FBI, NCSBN and other nursing regulatory bodies on Operation Nightingale to identify North Carolina applicants and licensees who may have obtained fraudulent nursing diplomas or transcripts from identified Florida-based programs. Phase II indictments were announced September 15, 2025.
• Nursys (NCSBN national licensure database)coreTechnology or IntegrationNursys serves as the national repository of licensure and disciplinary data for state boards of nursing. NCBON publishes its licensure data into Nursys, and e-Notify uses Nursys data to provide free automated license expiration and discipline notifications to nurses and institutions with API access.
• Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact AdministratorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) was implemented on January 19, 2018. A new rule effective January 2, 2024 requires multistate licensees to apply for a multistate license in a new primary state of residence within 60 days of relocation.
• International Education Evaluations, Inc. (IEE)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved education evaluation agency for internationally educated nurse applicants. Located at 7900 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd., Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28227; phone (704) 772-0109. Transcripts must be sent directly to IEE, not to NCBON.
• TruMerit, Inc.minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved credentials evaluation and English proficiency certification agency (formerly CGFNS). Located at 3600 Market St., Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19104-2651. Accepts the CES Professional Report or TruMerit/VisaScreen Certificate in lieu of separate English proficiency testing.
• North Carolina Medical Boardflagship/essentialStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint regulatory authority over Nurse Practitioner Approval to Practice under 21 NCAC 32M (NC Medical Board) and 21 NCAC 36 (NCBON). Initial Approval to Practice and Reinstatement applications are reviewed and approved jointly by both Boards.
• North Carolina Board of PharmacyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presented the Joint Regulatory Webinar on IV Hydration and IV Therapy (1.8 CNE) recorded September 4, 2025, addressing legal scope of practice, sterile compounding, and APRN responsibilities.
• Lenoir Community College (Kinston, NC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved provider of the Registered Nurse Refresher Course; approval expires November 2026; phone (252) 527-6223.
• North Carolina AHEC ProgramminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved provider of the Registered Nurse Refresher Course at various locations throughout North Carolina; approval expires April 2030.
• South Piedmont Community College (Monroe, NC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproved provider of the Licensed Practical Nurse Refresher Course; approval expires June 2028; offers online independent didactic review with community-based clinical preceptorship; phone (704) 290-5826.
• U.S. Military Practical Nursing ProgramsminorOthersGraduates of four approved military programs (Army Practical Nursing 68WM6, Army MOS 68C, Air Force 7GAL, Medical Corpsman to Practical Nurse via Joliet Junior College) meet North Carolina requirements to take NCLEX-PN and be considered for LPN licensure.
• NC Division of Health Service Regulation - Nurse Aide I RegistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNurse Aide II listing with NCBON requires current Nurse Aide I listing on the DHSR registry with no substantiated findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property. RN supervisors must verify employment for Nurse Aide II renewals.
• North Carolina Secretary of StateminorOthersCo-regulator of RN-owned Professional Corporations and Professional Limited Liability Companies. NCBON issues the Certificate of Registration that must then be filed with the Secretary of State under § 55B and § 57D.
• NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and local NC Sheriff officescoreOthersNC applicants complete fingerprint-based Live Scan at NC Sheriff offices, which transmits digital prints electronically to SBI and FBI for the criminal history check required by the Nursing Practice Act. Out-of-state applicants use fingerprint cards mailed to the Board.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Texas Board of Nursing: Another large state board of nursing with a comparable regulatory scope (RN/LPN/APRN licensure, NCLEX eligibility, compact participation) and a similarly sizable licensee base. Directly comparable in mission, fee structure, and statutory authority within its respective state.
• Virginia Board of Nursing: A neighboring eNLC compact state board of nursing with comparable APRN oversight and licensing workflows. Directly comparable in regulatory scope and provides cross-border compact reciprocity context for NCBON.
• Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing: A large state nursing regulatory body overseeing RN/LPN licensure and APRN approval with its own portal infrastructure. Directly comparable in mission, scope, and fee-based operating model.
• California Board of Registered Nursing: The largest U.S. state board of nursing by licensee volume, regulating hundreds of thousands of RNs and advanced practice nurses. Operates a similar Nurse Portal-driven licensing infrastructure and is a structural peer for NCBON's regulatory franchise.
• New York State Board of Nursing: New York's state nursing regulatory body operating under the Office of the Professions. Comparable in scope of RN/LPN licensure and discipline authority, though operating under a different statutory framework and outside the eNLC compact.
• Florida Board of Nursing: Florida's state nursing regulatory agency and the originating jurisdiction of the fraudulent diploma programs under investigation in Operation Nightingale. Directly comparable in core licensing and discipline functions and a primary coordination counterpart in NCBON's fraud-investigation work.

Broad incumbents

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN): The national umbrella organization for U.S. state boards of nursing, of which NCBON is a member board. NCSBN owns the NCLEX exam, operates the NURSYS national database, and administers the Nurse Licensure Compact framework that NCBON participates in. Most directly comparable as the central coordinating body for state nursing regulation.

Others

• North Carolina Board of Pharmacy: NCBON's regulatory peer for pharmacy and controlled substances matters affecting nursing practice. The two boards jointly delivered the September 4, 2025 IV Hydration and IV Therapy webinar covering APRN scope and sterile compounding rules.
• North Carolina Medical Board: NCBON's joint regulator for APRN Approval to Practice under 21 NCAC 32M and 21 NCAC 36. While not a direct licensing peer, the NC Medical Board is the most operationally intertwined counterpart given shared authority over Nurse Practitioners, CRNAs, and CNMs.
• Nursys (NCSBN national licensure database): The national primary-source-equivalent licensure database operated by NCSBN that NCBON feeds into and relies upon for multistate verification, e-Notify enrollment, and disciplinary notifications. Functions as NCBON's national data backbone rather than a competing licensing entity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NCNursingBoard
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCNursingBoard
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncnursingboard
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncnursingboard

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Board of Nursing