Section 4723.24 | License or certificate renewal; notice of change of address.
(A) Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, all active licenses and certificates issued under this chapter shall be renewed biennially according to a schedule established by the board of nursing. The board shall provide an application for renewal to every holder of an active license or certificate, except when the board is aware that an individual is ineligible for license or certificate renewal for any reason, including pending criminal charges in this state or another jurisdiction, failure to comply with a disciplinary order from the board or the terms of a consent agreement entered into with the board, failure to pay fines or fees owed to the board, or failure to provide on the board's request documentation of having completed the continuing nursing education requirements specified in division (C) of this section.
If the board provides a renewal application by mail, the application shall be addressed to the last known post-office address of the license or certificate holder and mailed before the date specified in the board's schedule. Failure of the license or certificate holder to receive an application for renewal from the board shall not excuse the holder from the requirements contained in this section, except as provided in section 5903.10 of the Revised Code.
The license or certificate holder shall complete the renewal form and return it to the board with the renewal fee required by section 4723.08 of the Revised Code on or before the date specified by the board. The license or certificate holder shall report any conviction, plea, or judicial finding regarding a criminal offense that constitutes grounds for the board to impose sanctions under section 4723.28 of the Revised Code since the holder last submitted an application to the board.
On receipt of the renewal application, the board shall verify whether the applicant meets the renewal requirements. If the applicant meets the requirements, the board shall renew the license or certificate for the following two-year period.
If a renewal application that meets the renewal requirements is submitted after the date specified in the board's schedule, but before expiration of the license or certificate, the board shall grant a renewal upon payment of the late renewal fee authorized under section 4723.08 of the Revised Code.
(B) Every license or certificate holder shall give written notice to the board of any change of name or address within thirty days of the change. The board shall require the holder to document a change of name in a manner acceptable to the board.
(C)(1) Except in the case of a first renewal after licensure by examination, to be eligible for renewal of an active license to practice nursing as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse, each individual who holds an active license shall, in each two-year period specified by the board, complete continuing nursing education as follows:
(a) For renewal of a license that was issued for a two-year renewal period, twenty-four hours of continuing nursing education;
(b) For renewal of a license that was issued for less than a two-year renewal period, the number of hours of continuing nursing education specified by the board in rules adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code;
(c) Of the hours of continuing nursing education completed in any renewal period, at least one hour of the education must be directly related to the statutes and rules pertaining to the practice of nursing in this state.
(2) The board shall adopt rules establishing the procedure for a license holder to certify to the board completion of the required continuing nursing education. The board may conduct a random sample of license holders and require that the license holders included in the sample submit satisfactory documentation of having completed the requirements for continuing nursing education. On the board's request, a license holder included in the sample shall submit the required documentation.
(3) An educational activity may be applied toward meeting the continuing nursing education requirement only if it is obtained through a program or course approved by the board or a person the board has authorized to approve continuing nursing education programs and courses.
(4) The continuing education required of a certified registered nurse anesthetist, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, or certified nurse practitioner to maintain certification by a national certifying organization shall be applied toward the continuing education requirements for renewal of a license to practice nursing as a registered nurse only if it is obtained through a program or course approved by the board or a person the board has authorized to approve continuing nursing education programs and courses.
(D) Except as otherwise provided in section 4723.28 of the Revised Code, an individual who holds an active license to practice nursing as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse and who does not intend to practice in Ohio may send to the board written notice to that effect on or before the renewal date, and the board shall classify the license as inactive. During the period that the license is classified as inactive, the holder may not engage in the practice of nursing in Ohio and is not required to pay the renewal fee.
The holder of an inactive license or an individual who has failed to renew the individual's license may have the license reactivated or reinstated upon doing the following, as applicable to the holder or individual:
(1) Applying to the board for license reactivation or reinstatement on forms provided by the board;
(2) Meeting the requirements for reactivating or reinstating licenses established in rules adopted under section 4723.07 of the Revised Code or, if the individual did not renew because of service in the armed forces of the United States or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the Ohio national guard or the national guard of any other state, as provided in section 5903.10 of the Revised Code;
(3) If the license has been inactive for at least five years from the date of application for reactivation or has lapsed for at least five years from the date of application for reinstatement, submitting a request to the bureau of criminal identification and investigation for a criminal records check and check of federal bureau of investigation records pursuant to section 4723.091 of the Revised Code.
Available Versions of this Section
- November 15, 2013 – House Bill 98 - 130th General Assembly [ View November 15, 2013 Version ]
- March 23, 2016 – House Bill 188 - 131st General Assembly [ View March 23, 2016 Version ]
- April 6, 2017 – House Bill 216 - 131st General Assembly [ View April 6, 2017 Version ]