Kentucky Board Of Nursing

What Kentucky Board Of Nursing does

The Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) is the Commonwealth of Kentucky's state regulatory agency for nursing practice, established under Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 314 and Kentucky Administrative Regulations Title 201, Chapter 20. KBN's mandate is public protection: it develops and enforces laws governing the safe practice of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, advanced practice registered nurses (CNP, CRNA, CNM, CNS), state registered nurse aides, certified medication aides, dialysis technicians, sexual assault nurse examiners, and licensed certified professional midwives. The agency maintains a credentialed population of 161,846 active licenses and credentials (as of July 13, 2026) and operates consumer protection programs including complaint intake, disciplinary action, mandatory reporting, and the Kentucky Alternative Recovery Effort (KARE) for impaired practitioners.

The agency's core operating technology is ORBS (Optimal Regulatory Board System), a cloud-based proprietary license management platform launched in March 2023, which handles applications, renewals, endorsements, reinstatements, and verification for every credential type it regulates. ORBS integrates with NCSBN systems (NCLEX, Nurse Licensure Compact), Credentia (MACE for medication aides), CE Broker (continuing education tracking), and Kentucky Online Gateway/KASPER for APRN controlled substance verification. KBN also operates the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry, including its abuse registry required for long-term care hiring compliance, and publishes the Nursing Workforce Projection Model — a workforce analytics dataset covering demographics, enrollment, graduates, and employment metrics.

KBN is funded entirely through licensure and credentialing fees rather than appropriations and does not pursue commercial revenue. Fee schedules are published and include a $125 RN/LPN examination application fee, a $200 NCLEX fee, a $165 endorsement application fee, a $135 online reinstatement fee, and subscription-style CMA renewals. The agency is staffed by 47 employees at its Louisville headquarters (312 Whittington Parkway, Suite 300), with services delivered through the ORBS portal, in-person appointments, Zoom appointments, phone/mail support, the quarterly KBN Connection newsletter, and a Document Library of Advisory Opinion Statements and scope-of-practice guidance. As a state government entity, KBN operates under the Commonwealth of Kentucky with no private ownership, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Kentucky Board Of Nursing

Legal name

Kentucky Board of Nursing

Website

https://kbn.ky.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kentucky Board of Nursing is a state regulatory agency under KRS Chapter 314 that licenses and regulates 161,846 nurses, APRNs, aides, and allied health professionals in Kentucky via its cloud-based ORBS platform, funded by credentialing fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nursing Licensure and Healthcare Regulation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare Licensing, Accreditation & Credentialing Boards (HLAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nursing & Allied Health Certification Prep (CNA, EMT/Paramedic, Radiology, Sonography, PT/OT) (EDANAIAB), Home Care Staffing & Nurse Registry Services (HLAFAEAK)

Keywords

• Nursing licensure services
• Healthcare credentialing
• License verification
• Nurse practice regulation
• Regulatory compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Licensure and Credentialing Fees: Government regulatory agency generating revenue through fees for nursing licensure, credentialing, examinations, and other regulatory services. Revenue supports agency operations and regulatory activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN) is a state regulatory agency that licenses, credentials, and regulates nurses, dialysis technicians, state registered nurse aides, certified medication aides, sexual assault nurse examiners, and licensed certified professional midwives practicing in Kentucky. Its core platform is ORBS (Optimal Regulatory Board System), a cloud-based license management system that enables online applications, renewals, endorsements, reinstatements, credential verifications, and exam registration for the NCLEX and MACE. The agency enforces the Nurse Practice Act (KRS Chapter 314), approves nursing education programs, and runs the KARE program for nurses with substance use disorders.

Product overview

The Kentucky Board of Nursing operates as a regulatory agency providing a unified platform of credential management and public protection services. The core offering is the cloud-based ORBS (Optimal Regulatory Board System) through the Nurse Portal, which enables license applications, renewals, and verifications for all regulated nursing professions. The product portfolio includes RN and LPN licensure (via NCLEX examination or endorsement), APRN licensure with prescriptive authority options, and specialized credentials for SRNA, CMA (two tiers: CMA I and CMA II), Dialysis Technicians, SANE (adult/adolescent and pediatric), and Licensed Certified Professional Midwives. Supporting modules include the KARE substance use disorder monitoring program, Nursing Workforce Projection Model for data analytics, approved education program oversight, CE Broker continuing education tracking, criminal background check services, and consumer protection complaint filing systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nurse Portal / ORBS (Optimal Regulatory Board System) Cloud-based license management system providing online license applications, renewals, verifications, and credential management for all nursing professions regulated by KBN. Available 24/7 online through the Nurse Portal.
• License Verification Portal Online validation tool allowing verification of license or credential status for nurses and other professionals issued by KBN.
• Registered Nurse (RN) Licensure Licensure by examination (NCLEX) or endorsement for registered nurses practicing in Kentucky, including multistate compact license options through the Nurse Licensure Compact.
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensure Licensure by examination or endorsement for licensed practical nurses working under supervision in Kentucky, including multistate compact license options.
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Licensure Licensure for APRNs including Certified Nurse Practitioner, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Certified Nurse Midwife, and Clinical Nurse Specialist with prescriptive authority options (CAPA-NS and CAPA-CS).
• State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA) Registry Registry maintenance for state registered nurse aides including certification, renewal, reinstatement, reciprocity, and abuse registry tracking.
• Certified Medication Aide (CMA) Credential Two-tier credentialing system (CMA I and CMA II) for medication aides working in long-term care facilities, administered through Kentucky Online License System. CMA I handles oral and topical medications; CMA II adds insulin via preloaded pen.
• Dialysis Technician Credential Initial, renewal, and reinstatement credentialing for dialysis technicians performing dialysis care under direct on-site supervision in Kentucky.
• Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Credential Forensic examination credentials for adults/adolescents (SANE A/A) and pediatrics (SANE P/A) trained in evidence collection and legal testimony.
• Licensed Certified Professional Midwife (LCPM) Licensure Licensure for certified professional midwives certified by the North American Registry of Midwives providing care during low-risk pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum period.
• Kentucky Alternative Recovery Effort (KARE) Monitoring and recovery program assisting nurses whose abilities are compromised by a Substance Use Disorder, including compliance monitoring and approved evaluator services.
• Criminal Background Checks State and Federal Criminal Background Checks processing service with KBN Service Code 27GKJR for license applications.

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles9 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CE BrokercoreTechnology or IntegrationCE Broker is the official continuing education tracking and reporting tool utilized by KBN. All nurses receive a free Basic Account to electronically report, upload, and track their continuing education documents.
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)coreTechnology or IntegrationKBN utilizes NCSBN systems for the NCLEX examination, Nurse Licensure Compact coordination, and issues NCSBN ID identifiers for nurses. The Nurse Licensure Compact enables multistate licensing privileges.
• Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCTCS is the sole provider of State Registered Nurse Aide testing in Kentucky. KCTCS provides the Board with test scores and information about individuals who complete SRNA courses and pass competency exams. KCTCS also administers the Nursing Incentive Scholarship Fund.
• Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHFS regulates healthcare facilities and services in Kentucky. KBN works with CHFS on SRNA regulations, healthcare facility licensing, and substance use disorder resources. CHFS Office of Inspector General oversees nurse aide abuse registry compliance for long-term care facilities.
• Kentucky Office of the Attorney GeneralminorOthersOpen records requests from Commonwealth residents may be submitted using forms provided on the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Board of Registered Nursing: Largest U.S. state nursing board, performing identical functions (RN/LPN/APRN licensure, discipline, education program approval) under California-specific statutes.
• Texas Board of Nursing: State regulatory body for nursing licensure in Texas, operating a similar scope of practice oversight, NCLEX administration, and licensee discipline as KBN.
• Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing: State regulatory board governing nursing practice in Pennsylvania, with comparable scope across licensure, discipline, and education program approval.
• Illinois Board of Nursing: Illinois nursing regulatory body with comparable responsibility for nurse licensure, advanced practice oversight, and public protection functions.
• New York State Board for Nursing: State-level nursing licensing authority with similar mandate for RN/LPN licensure, scope-of-practice guidance, and education program oversight.
• Ohio Board of Nursing: Regional state nursing board performing the same core regulatory function in Ohio — comparable in scale and structure to KBN.
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN): National organization that coordinates state nursing boards, administers the NCLEX, and operates the Nurse Licensure Compact — directly comparable as the coordinating body for the same regulatory function KBN performs at the state level.
• Florida Board of Nursing: Florida's nursing regulatory agency with comparable functions in licensure, compact coordination, education approval, and discipline.
• North Carolina Board of Nursing: North Carolina's nursing regulatory body, operating with a similar mandate and approximately comparable licensee scale to KBN.
• Virginia Board of Nursing: State nursing regulatory board in Virginia performing equivalent licensure, renewal, and discipline functions for nursing professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BoardNursing
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kentucky-Board-of-Nursing-122729194450947
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kentucky-board-of-nursing
• Instagraminstagram.com/kyboardofnursing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Board Of Nursing