Compact status
Nurse Licensure Compact member
CO · Internationally educated nurses
Colorado RN license requirements
A researched starting point for applying to Colorado State Board of Nursing, including education review, English rules, identification requirements, background checks, and the NCLEX sequence.
Credential evaluation
The precise currently accepted international credential-report providers/report types are supplied in the online application and Board rules; the public pages reviewed did not expose a stable complete list.
English requirement
International graduates must satisfy the NLC English standard for multistate eligibility when education was not taught in English or English is not the applicant’s native language. Confirm Colorado’s accepted test/score path in the current application.
SSN requirement
A valid U.S. SSN is required for multistate licensure. The reviewed public Board pages did not clearly state whether Colorado can issue a single-state license without one.
Background check
All Colorado nursing-license applicants, including foreign applicants outside the U.S., must submit fingerprints to CBI for state and federal checks; prior fingerprint results cannot be reused.
Education review
International education must be approved by its home-country authority and independently verified for multistate eligibility; Colorado reviews equivalence in the application process.
Application sequence
How to apply in Colorado
- 1
Apply online through Colorado DPO.
- 2
Follow the international-education instructions in the current application and send the required review directly.
- 3
Submit fingerprints specifically for the Colorado application.
- 4
Register with Pearson VUE.
- 5
Test after Board eligibility and ATT.
Documents to prepare
- International credential evaluation specified by the current application
- English evidence if required
- CBI/FBI fingerprint submission
- Identity and legal-name documents
Verify before paying
- • Provider, English-score, and SSN-alternative details were not stated on a stable Board page located during this review; do not infer them from another compact state.
- • Multistate authority depends on Colorado being the nurse’s primary state of residence and all uniform requirements being met.
Apply through the official board
This guide helps you compare requirements; it is not the application. Check the current instructions from Colorado State Board of 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.