Compact status
Not a Nurse Licensure Compact member
CA · Internationally educated nurses
California RN license requirements
A researched starting point for applying to California Board of Registered Nursing, including education review, English rules, identification requirements, background checks, and the NCLEX sequence.
Credential evaluation
California performs its own education review from source documents; the Board does not direct initial international exam applicants to substitute a third-party credential report.
English requirement
The reviewed BRN licensure-by-examination materials do not publish a separate English-proficiency test requirement. Non-English records require the Board’s certified English translation form.
SSN requirement
The initial application requires a U.S. SSN or ITIN; verify the current online instructions for any statutory exception.
Background check
All applicants submit fingerprints for California DOJ and FBI checks. Apply first, then use California Live Scan or the BRN hard-card procedure.
Education review
The Board requires all California prerequisites and nursing content, with theory and clinical practice delivered concurrently. International schools send official transcripts by mail plus the Breakdown of Educational Program; deficiencies must be completed before NCLEX eligibility.
Application sequence
How to apply in California
- 1
Create a BreEZe account and submit RN Initial Exam Application.
- 2
Have the school mail official transcripts and the completed international-program breakdown; arrange certified translations.
- 3
Submit international diploma/license verification and any requested program questionnaire.
- 4
Complete fingerprints after applying.
- 5
Register with Pearson VUE; the Board authorizes testing only after education approval.
Documents to prepare
- Official school transcript by mail
- Breakdown of Educational Program
- International Diploma Verification
- International License Verification
- General Nursing Program Overview Questionnaire if requested
- Certified translations
- Fingerprints
Verify before paying
- • California is not an NLC state.
- • Concurrency and prerequisite review is individualized; a license or NCLEX pass elsewhere does not cure a California education deficiency.
- • The ITIN/SSN statement should be rechecked against the current BreEZe application if the applicant has neither.
Apply through the official board
This guide helps you compare requirements; it is not the application. Check the current instructions from California Board of Registered Nursing before ordering reports or submitting documents.
Official sources reviewed
Research checked 2026-07-22. Requirements can change.
General educational information only. The state board is the authority on licensure eligibility; immigration authorization is a separate process.