Registered Nurse License (Connecticut)
New nurses in Connecticut get an RN license from the Department of Public Health by finishing an approved nursing program and passing the NCLEX-RN. The license renews every year, and Connecticut joined the Nurse Licensure Compact on Oct. 1, 2025, so eligible CT residents can convert to a multistate license at no cost.
Regulator: Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations · Last verified: October 18, 2026
Who can apply
- Complete a nursing program that meets Connecticut regulations (foreign trained applicants must complete the CGFNS International Certification Program)
- Register for the NCLEX-RN with Pearson VUE before submitting the CT application
- Submit the online application and fee; official nursing transcript sent directly to DPH
- Pass the NCLEX-RN
Exam
- Exam
- NCLEX-RN
- Format
- Computerized adaptive test administered by Pearson VUE for NCSBN
- Questions
- Data unavailable
- Time
- Maximum 5 hours
DPH declares the applicant eligible electronically after receiving the application and transcript; Pearson VUE then sends the Authorization to Test. See the NCLEX-RN item for exam fees.
Official fees
| Fee | Amount | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial application fee (licensure by examination) | $180 | Online applications only | Official page |
| Renewal fee | $110 | Annual | Official page |
| Reinstatement fee | $180 | Lapsed license | Official page |
| Convert to multistate (compact) license | $0 | No fee; CT must be primary state of residence and other compact criteria apply | Official page |
Only fees published by the issuer or regulator are listed. Blank amounts mean no official figure was available to verify.
Renewal and continuing education
- Cycle
- Annual; the license first expires in the birth month following issuance
- Requirement
- Renew online through eLicense. RNs actively practicing in CT must complete 2 contact hours on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression and grief, plus suicide prevention training, once every six years (first required for renewals after Jan. 1, 2022).
State rules
Connecticut implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact on Oct. 1, 2025. Converting to a multistate license requires CT primary residence, an unencumbered license, a passed NCLEX, and a state and federal fingerprint background check.
Related careers
| Occupation | National median wage |
|---|---|
| Registered nurses | $97,550 |
Sources
- CT DPH RN Licensure by Examination, accessed October 18, 2026
- CT DPH Registered Nurse Licensure, accessed October 18, 2026
- CT DPH RN Continuing Education, accessed October 18, 2026
- CT DPH Renew a Nursing License Online, accessed October 18, 2026
- CT DPH Convert CT License to Multistate License Compact, accessed October 18, 2026
Verification notes
The RN exam pages do not describe a temporary permit or a fingerprint background check for single state licensure by examination, so those are omitted (fingerprints are required only for the multistate conversion).
ConnectPrep is not affiliated with Connecticut Department of Public Health, Practitioner Licensing and Investigations. Credential names may be trademarks of their owners.