New Jersey § 45:11-26

§ 45:11-26.

a. Qualifications of applicants. An applicant for a license to practice professional nursing shall submit to the

board evidence in such form as the board may prescribe that said applicant: (1) has

attained his or her eighteenth birthday; (2) is of good moral character, is not a

habitual user of drugs and has never been convicted or has not pleaded nolo contendere,

non vult contendere or non vult to an indictment, information or complaint alleging

a violation of any Federal or State law relating to narcotic drugs; (3) holds a diploma

from an accredited 4-year high school or the equivalent thereof as determined by the

New Jersey State Department of Education; (4) has completed a course of professional

nursing study in an accredited school of professional nursing as defined by the board

and holds a diploma therefrom. Notwithstanding anything herein contained, any person who possesses the educational

and school of professional nursing qualifications for registration required by the

law of this State at the time of his or her graduation from an accredited school of

professional nursing shall be deemed to possess the qualifications (3) and (4) prescribed

hereinabove in this subsection. Notwithstanding anything herein contained, any person who shall have qualifications

(1) and (2) and shall have graduated from a school of professional nursing, which

need not be an accredited school, shall be deemed to have qualifications (3) and (4)

upon complying with such reasonable requirements as to high school and school of nursing

studies and training as the board may prescribe; provided, however, that such person

shall make application in form prescribed by the board within 1 year from the effective

date of this act and shall satisfactorily complete such reasonable requirements and

successfully pass the examinations, which examinations shall be limited to subject

matters in the curriculum required by the board at the time of the applicant's graduation,

provided for in subsection b. hereof, within 2 years after the date of the filing

of such application. b. License. (1) By examination. The applicant shall be required to pass a written examination in such subjects as

the board may determine, which examination may be supplemented by an oral or practical

examination or both. Upon successfully passing such examinations the applicant shall be licensed by the

board to practice professional nursing. (2) By indorsement without examination. The board may issue a license to practice professional nursing without examination

to an applicant who has been duly licensed or registered as a registered or professional

nurse by examination or by original waiver under the laws of another State, territory

or possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or any foreign country,

if in the opinion of the board the applicant has the qualifications required by this

act for the licensing of professional nurses, or equivalent qualifications. c. Fees. An applicant for a license by examination shall pay to the board at the time of

application a fee of $25.00 and at the time of each application for re-examination

a fee of $20.00. An applicant for a license without examination shall pay to the board at the time

of application a fee of $15.00. d. Nurses registered under a previous law. Any person who on the effective date of this act holds a subsisting certificate

of registration as a registered nurse issued pursuant to the provisions of the act

repealed by section 22 of this act 1 shall be deemed to be licensed as a professional nurse under this act during the

calendar year in which this act shall take effect, and such person and any person

who heretofore held a certificate of registration under said act hereby repealed as

aforesaid shall be entitled to a renewal of such license as in the case of professional

nurses licensed originally under this act. e. Title and abbreviations used by licensee. Any person who holds a license to practice professional nursing under this act shall

during the effective period of such license be entitled to use the title “Registered

Nurse” and the abbreviation “R.N.” The effective period of a license or a renewal

thereof shall commence on the date of issuance and shall terminate at the end of the

calendar year in which it is issued, and shall not include any period of suspension

ordered by the board as hereinafter provided. 1

N.J.S.A. § 45:11-44.