Compact status
Nurse Licensure Compact member
TX · Internationally educated nurses
Texas RN license requirements
A researched starting point for applying to Texas Board of Nursing, including education review, English rules, identification requirements, background checks, and the NCLEX sequence.
Credential evaluation
Order an original CES Full Education course-by-course report, issued within one year, from a Texas-approved provider: TruMerit, ERES, Josef Silny & Associates, or The Evaluation Company (current list July 1, 2026). It must go directly to TBON.
English requirement
Required when the nursing program was not conducted in English. Current accepted options include TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, MET and OET Nursing with Board-published scores; OET remote testing is excluded. Use the live page because TOEFL scoring changed January 21, 2026.
SSN requirement
Texas requests SSN information in the Nurse Portal; a valid U.S. SSN is required for multistate status. The reviewed exam page does not publish a complete no-SSN single-state route.
Background check
Complete Texas/FBI fingerprint submission as directed by the Board and pass the Nursing Jurisprudence Examination.
Education review
CES must establish education comparability. A first-time international Texas exam applicant must have practiced within the preceding four years or be within four years of graduation; otherwise a new initial nursing program—not a refresher—is required.
Application sequence
How to apply in Texas
- 1
In the Texas Nurse Portal select 'NCLEX Application – International Graduates (Including Puerto Rico)'.
- 2
Complete the Nursing Jurisprudence Exam and fingerprints.
- 3
Arrange direct CES, ELP, and verification from every licensing jurisdiction.
- 4
Register with Pearson VUE; TBON approves eligibility and ATT.
Documents to prepare
- CES Full Education report
- English score
- Verification from every country/state/province/territory of licensure
- Fingerprint result
- Practice statement if requested
Verify before paying
- • CES, ELP and license verification documents are time-limited/direct-source; applicant copies are rejected.
- • Check TBON's non-approved international schools list before paying for an evaluation.
- • Texas must be primary residence for a Texas multistate license.
Apply through the official board
This guide helps you compare requirements; it is not the application. Check the current instructions from Texas 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.