How to get your RN license in Wyoming

Wyoming licenses registered nurses through the Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN). Everything below comes from the board's licensing and renewal pages and its fee rule (Wyo. Code R. 054-5-4), checked October 18, 2026. Fees change, so confirm in the Nurse Portal before you pay.

Study aid, not legal advice. Your state board of nursing has the final word on your license, and its rules and fees change. Built by an RN. Headed In LLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), Pearson VUE or any board of nursing; their names appear here only to point you to the real thing. NCLEX and NCLEX-RN are registered trademarks of NCSBN.

Wyoming at a glance

BoardWyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN)
ExamNCLEX-RN, registered with Pearson VUE: $200 to Pearson VUE ($350 for registrations completed on or after February 1, 2027)
Board fee$130 for RN licensure by exam plus $60 for the DCI background check (fee rule 054-5-4); card only, plus a 2.4% processing fee
Background checkTwo fingerprint cards with your application for a Wyoming DCI background check; DCI takes about 15 to 30 days
Nurse Licensure CompactCompact state: multistate license if you live here
RenewalEvery even-numbered year, October 1 to December 31 (licenses issued in 2026 also renew in 2026); $90
Continuing educationNo mandatory CE; meet one competency in two years: 400 RN hours, 40 CE hours, passing the NCLEX, a refresher course, or an advanced nursing degree
Authorization to TestAbout 45 to 60 days for the whole process once the board has your complete application
Practice for the NCLEX freeThe NCLEX shut-off simulator: real practice questions under the exam's published stopping rules, 85 to 150 questions. No sign-up.

Wyoming, step by step

Wyoming State Board of Nursing (WSBN)

  1. Which application: apply by exam if this is your first license or you are not actively licensed elsewhere. Apply online in the Nurse Portal; paper applications are no longer accepted, and only credit or debit cards are taken (2.4% processing fee). The board's fee rule sets RN licensure by examination at $130, the DCI background check at $60 and a temporary permit at $25. The board has a printable RN/LPN checklist and a video walkthrough.
  2. Transcripts: your school sends them directly to the board, by mail or email to [email protected].
  3. Background check: send two fingerprint cards with your application, by mail or in person; most local law enforcement can roll them. The Division of Criminal Investigation usually takes 15 to 30 days after the board receives them. Disclose any record except traffic violations: Wyoming has no automatic disqualifiers and reviews each case, with a personal statement for each offense.
  4. Timeline: the whole process takes about 45 to 60 days from when the board has your complete application.
  5. NCLEX-RN: register with Pearson VUE. Multistate applicants submit new fingerprint cards for a current background check.
  6. Renewal: every license renews in even-numbered years, October 1 to December 31, including licenses first issued that same year. The board's renewal page lists the RN fee as $90 (the fee rule on file shows $110; the renewal application has the amount due). Wyoming has no mandatory CE; meet one competency in the past two years: 400 hours working as an RN, 40 CE hours, passing the NCLEX, a refresher course, or a nursing degree beyond your basic education. Upload proof with the renewal.

Sources: Wyoming State Board of Nursing licensing and renewal, and the fee rule Wyo. Code R. 054-5-4 on Cornell LII. Checked October 18, 2026.

The compact: multistate or single-state?

Wyoming is a Nurse Licensure Compact state. If Wyoming is your primary state of residence and you meet the compact's uniform licensure requirements (they include a fingerprint-based state and federal background check), the board issues a multistate license that also lets you practice in every other compact state. If you live in another state, or do not meet those requirements, you get a single-state license good in Wyoming only. Move your primary residence to another compact state and you must apply there for a new multistate license within 60 days.

Compact status from NCSBN, nursecompact.com, checked October 18, 2026.

The national steps, briefly

  1. An approved RN program

    An associate degree, bachelor's degree, diploma or entry-level master's program approved by a board of nursing, with an NCLEX program code. Your school confirms you graduated.

  2. Apply to the board

    The license comes from the state board, not the exam. Apply, pay the board fee and do the background check the board asks for.

  3. Register with Pearson VUE

    The NCLEX-RN registration fee is $200 to Pearson VUE ($350 for registrations completed on or after February 1, 2027), non-refundable. Your registration stays open 365 days while the board decides your eligibility.

  4. Get your Authorization to Test and sit the exam

    When the board makes you eligible, Pearson emails your Authorization to Test (ATT). Test within its dates: they cannot be extended. The NCLEX-RN runs 85 to 150 questions in up to five hours, and it stops when the computer is 95% sure you are above or below the passing standard.

The full national walk-through and every state: How to get your RN license. NCLEX facts from NCSBN, NCLEX fees and registration.

Practice for the NCLEX freeThe NCLEX shut-off simulator: real practice questions under the exam's published stopping rules, 85 to 150 questions. No sign-up.

Official pages