Steps to become an APRN in Utah

utah nursing

1Get your Graduate Degree in Utah
2Earn your National Certification in Utah
3Apply for your License in Utah
4Renewing your License in Utah

The Utah Board of Nursing, through the State of Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), (phone: 801-530-6628, doplweb@utah.gov), is responsible for the licensing and regulation of advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) in these categories:

  • Nurse Practitioner (NP)
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Specialist
  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, without prescriptive practice (APRN-CRNA)
  • Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

To be approved to work as an APRN, you must have a valid, unencumbered Utah RN license.

Utah Job Statistics

  • As of May 2020, NPs in Utah earn an average of $113,550 per year.
  • NPs in Utah earn about 58% more than the state’s median household income.
  • RNs working in Utah make $70,370 on average, annually.
  • 2020 NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates for nursing school graduates in Utah: 88.7%
  • Approximately 23,690 RNs and 1,610 NPs are licensed in Utah.
  • If you are applying for licensure as a new graduate, you must complete the application for Licensure by Examination.
  • If you are currently licensed in another state, you must complete the application for Licensure by Endorsement.*
  • If you are a foreign-educated nurse, you must submit to a credential evaluation through an approved evaluator (found at the end of the application) along with your application for Licensure by Endorsement.

*Nurse Licensure Compact

Utah is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. The Compact offers practice privileges for registered nurses in all compact states (Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina). If you have declared your primary state of residence to be in one of the Compact states and your RN license is in good standing, you do not need to apply for additional licensure in Utah.

The APRN Compact, which was proposed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in 2000, has not been implemented to date and no date has been set for implementation. However, three states – Utah, Iowa, and Texas – have passed laws that will facilitate easy implementation of the APRN Compact. Once implemented, the APRN Nurse Compact will operate in a similar fashion as the Nurse Licensure Compact.


Step 1. Get your Graduate Degree

To work toward APRN licensure in Utah, you must hold a master’s degree in nursing or a related health field from a college or university that is accredited or pre-accredited by a regional or national professional accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

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Your graduate degree was earned out of state, it must be granted through an advanced nursing education program approved by the Board of Education in the state where the institution is located, and accredited by either the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Course Requirements

The APRN license in Utah includes prescriptive authority given that you meet course requirements and ongoing continuing education requirements (with the exception of APRN-CRNAs, who are not granted prescriptive authority).

You must complete graduate-level coursework in the areas of:

  • Advanced health assessment
  • Pharmacotherapeutics
  • Diagnosis and Treatment

If you fail to meet the guidelines set forth for prescriptive authority, the Board may grant you the title of APRN-Without Prescriptive Authority.

APRN-CRNA Education Requirements

To achieve a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist without Prescriptive Practice (APRN-CRNA) license, you must complete a nurse anesthetist program that includes coursework in patient assessment, diagnosis and treatment, and pharmacotherapeutics from a graduate program approved by the Board or the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Specialists Clinical Experience Requirements

As an aspiring APRN-psychiatric mental health nurse specialist, you must complete clinical practice in psychiatric and mental health nursing, including psychotherapy, after completing your graduate degree program. Clinical practice requirements include:

  • A minimum of 4,000 hours of psychiatric mental health nursing education and clinical practice, including mental health therapy
  • Of the 4,000 hours, 1,000 hours will be credited upon completion of clinical experience in an approved education program inclusive of a preceptorship regardless of the duration of that preceptorship
  • The remaining 3,000 hours must include a minimum of 1,000 hours of mental health therapy. One of every 20 hours of mental health therapy services you provide must be under the direct supervision of an APRN specializing in psychiatric mental health nursing
  • At least 2,000 total hours of clinical practice must be under the supervision of an APRN specializing in psychiatric mental health nursing

APRN Intern License

The DOPL may issue an APRN intern license if you meet all of the qualification for an APRN, with the exception of passing the required national certification examination. You may qualify for an APRN intern license if you:

  • Are a graduate from an approved nursing education program within a year of applying for the APRN intern license
  • Are able to submit evidence to the DOPL that you are able to secure employment upon issuance of the APRN intern license and the employment is under the supervision of an APRN or physician
  • Have met all qualifications for APRN licensure, with the exception of the completion of coursework in patient assessment or pharmacotherapeutics

Your APRN intern license expires when the DOPL receives notification that you have either passed or failed your examination, or after 180 days, whichever comes first.

If you are an applicant specializing in psychiatric mental health, you may be issued an APRN intern license if you have completed all licensure requirements, with the exception of the national certification examination and the completion of your required clinical practice hours. The APRN intern license for specialization in psychiatric mental health expires when you have either passed or failed the examination, or after one year (the license may be extended in one-year increments for up to five years), whichever comes first.


Step 2. Earn your National Certification

After you complete your graduate education, you are then eligible to take an exam to become nationally certified in your general area of specialty:

  • Nurse Practitioner (NP)
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Specialist
  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, without prescriptive practice (APRN-CRNA)
  • Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

To obtain an APRN license, you must pass a national certification examination that is consistent with your specialty. The following certifying bodies for APRNs are recognized by the Utah Board of Nursing:


Step 3. Apply for your License

To apply for APRN licensure or APRN-CRNA without Prescriptive Practice licensure in Utah, you must complete the Application for Licensure Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or APRN-CRNA without Prescriptive Practice.

APRN License Application

In addition to your completed application for APRN licensure, you must also submit the following supporting documents:

  • Three application fingerprint cards (Form FD-258 included in the application packet) for BCI (Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification) and FBI (Federal Bureau of Identification) background checks (Note: You may also obtain electronic fingerprinting at the DOPL office at 160 East 300 South in Salt Lake City)
  • Official transcripts documenting your graduate degree, as well as supporting documentation showing the completion of coursework in advanced health assessment, diagnosis and treatment, and pharmacotherapeutics

(Note: The transcripts must be sent directly from your school to the DOPL in a sealed envelope and bearing your school’s stamp or seal on the envelope flap)

  • Official documentation of your approved certification exam (unless you are applying for an intern license)
  • Request for Verification of License form (to be filled out if you are currently licensed in another state), found at the end of the application

(Note: The state in which you are currently licensed must complete the form and mail or fax it to the DOPL)

  • Verification of Supervised Experience form (found at the end of the application) (applicable to psychiatric mental health nurses only)
  • Post-Master’s Clinical Plan form (for psychiatric mental health nurses only)

Mail the completed application for APRN license and supporting documents, along with a $140 non-refundable processing fee made payable to “DOPL” (fee includes a $100 application fee, a $20 surcharge for BCI fingerprint file search, and a $20 surcharge for an FBI fingerprint file search) to: Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 East 300 South, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741.

APRN Intern License Application

If you are applying for an APRN Intern License, in addition to completing the application you must also complete and submit the following:

  • APRN Intern License Request form (found at the end of the application)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse: Post-Master’s Clinical Plan form if you are applying as an APRN Intern specializing in mental health nursing (form found at the end of the application)
  • Once you have completed your supervised practice requirement, you must complete the Verification of Supervised Experience form (found at the end of the application) and submit it so the DOPL

An additional fee of $35 must be submitted to the DOPL when applying for an APRN Intern License (total fees for an APRN license and an APRN intern license are $175).

Utah Controlled Substance License

If you are also applying for a Controlled Substance License (CS) in Utah, you must complete all standard licensing requirements described above, as well as a take-home Utah Controlled Substances Law and Rules examination (found on pages 13 and 14 of the application packet, or here if you are not filing your CS with your primary license.

An addition fee of $100 must be submitted to the DOPL when applying for a Utah Controlled Substance license. Total fees for an APRN license and a Utah Controlled Substance license are $240. Total fees for an APRN license, an APRN intern license and a Utah Controlled Substance license are $275.

Note: As an APRN intern, you will not be able to prescribe controlled substances. However, you may apply for the Controlled Substance license now so that it will be issued once you have obtained a full APRN license.

APRN-CRNA without Prescriptive Practice

If you are applying for an APRN-CRNA without Prescriptive Practice license, complete the Application for Licensure Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) or APRN-CRNA without Prescriptive Practice and submit the following information:

  • Three application fingerprint cards (Form FD-258 included in the application packet) for BCI (Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification) and FBI (Federal Bureau of Identification) background checks (Note: You may also obtain electronic fingerprinting at the DOPL office at 160 East 300 South in Salt Lake City)
  • Official school transcripts or certificate of completion from an accredited nurse anesthetist program

(Note: The transcripts must be sent directly from your school to the DOPL in a sealed envelope and bearing your school’s stamp or seal on the envelope flap)

(Note: The state in which you are currently licensed must complete the form and mail or fax it to the DOPL)

  • Utah Controlled Substance Law and Rules Examination (found on pages 13 and 14 of the application or here if you are not filing your CS with your primary license)

(Note: In order to practice as an APRN-CRNA in Utah, you must hold a controlled substance license)

Mail the completed application for APRN-CRNA license and supporting documents, along with a $240 non-refundable processing fee made payable to “DOPL” (includes a $100 application fee for APRN-CRNA license, a $100 fee for a controlled substance license, a $20 surcharge for BCI fingerprint file search and a $20 surcharge for an FBI fingerprint file search) to: Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 East 300 South, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741.

Certified Nurse Midwife

To apply for certified nurse midwife licensure, complete the Application for Licensure Certified Nurse Midwife and submit the following documents:

  • Official transcripts or a certificate of completion from an accredited Nurse-Midwife program.
  • School transcripts showing a graduate degree specializing in midwifery

(Note: The transcripts must be sent directly from your school to the DOPL in a sealed envelope and bearing your school’s stamp or seal on the envelope flap)

  • Official documentation of your approved certification exam from the American College of Nurse Midwives-Certification Council Examination (unless you are applying for an intern license)
  • Request for Verification of License form (to be filled out if you are currently licensed in another state) (found at the end of the application)

(Note: The state in which you are currently licensed must complete the form and mail or fax it to the DOPL)

Submit the completed application and all required documents, along with a check or money order for $100 made payable to “DOPL” to: Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 East 300 South, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741.

CNM Intern License

If you are applying for a CNM intern license, in addition to the above requirements, you must:

  • Complete the CNM Intern License Request form, found at the end of the application
  • Submit an additional fee of $35 for an intern license (the total fees for a CNM Intern License are $135)

CNM Controlled Substance License

If you are applying for a Utah Controlled Substance License, in addition to the above requirements, you must:

  • Complete and submit the Utah Controlled Substances Law and Rules Examination (found on pages 12 and 13 of the application)
  • Submit an additional fee of $100 for a controlled substance license (the total fees for a CNM license and Utah Controlled Substance License are $200 and the total fees for a CNM license, a CNM Intern license and a Utah Controlled Substance license are $235)

Note: As CNM intern, you will not be able to prescribe controlled substances. However, you may apply for the Controlled Substance license now so that it will be issued once you have obtained a full CNM license.


Step 4. Renew your License

All APRN, APRN-CRNA and CNM licenses, as well as controlled substance licenses, expire on January 31 of every EVEN year. You will receive notice of your license expiration approximately two months ahead of time.

All licenses for APRNs in Utah can be renewed online here and licenses for CNMs can be renewed here using your renewal ID number and a credit card or debit card. You can then immediately print out a confirmation of renewal that can be used as a valid license certificate until you receive your license certificate in the mail. The license certificate usually takes about two weeks to arrive.

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You can also fill out a paper application for renewal and send it, along with a check or money order for the renewal fee made payable to “DOPL” to: Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 East 300 South, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741.

License Renewal Forms

Reinstatement Fees

If you fail to renew your license on time, and are within 30 days of the license expiration date, you must submit the renewal fee plus an additional $20 for each license you are reinstating.

If your license is more than 30 days past its expiration date, but within two years of the expiration date, you must submit the renewal fee plus an additional $50 for each license you are reinstating.

If your license has expired more than two years ago, you must submit a new application and pay the associated fees, provided you meet all of the requirements for licensure.

Continuing Education Requirements for Renewal

If you were licensed prior to July 1, 1992, you must complete 30 hours of approved continuing education and submit evidence of 400 hours of practice to be approved for renewal during each two-year cycle.

As APRN licensed after 1992, you only need complete continuing education required to maintain your national certification. Contact your national certifying agency for more information.

Inactive License

If you wish to make your license for APRN, APRN-CRNA or CNM inactive, you can do so by filling out the Inactive License for APRN, APRN-CRNA and CNM application. You must staple the license and all wallet copies of the license you want to make inactive to the application and submit a $50 application processing fee made payable to “DOPL” in the form of a check or money order.

The inactive license application, along with the associated fees, must be mailed to: Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 East 300 South, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741.

Activating an Inactive License

If you want to activate an APRN, APRN-CRNA or CNM license that has been inactive for less than five years, apply for reinstatement, and pay all reinstatement fees, along with a $50 activation fee.

If your license has been inactive for more than five years, you must provide documentation of one of the following:

  • An active license in another state or jurisdiction
  • Evidence of passing the required licensure examination no more than six months prior to applying for reactivation. Note: CNMs can complete an approved refresher program in lieu of the examination.

You must apply for reinstatement, and pay all reinstatement fees, along with a $50 activation fee.

The reinstatement application, along with the associated fees paid in the form of a check or money order, must be mailed to: Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, 160 East 300 South, P.O. Box 146741, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741.

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Associations in Utah

There are a number of professional organizations that support APRNs in Utah:


Utah Nurse Practitioner Salary

NPs in Utah make over six figures. The average salary for this role is $113,550 per year, while those at the top 10 percent are making $158,890 or better on an annual basis. Either income makes for a very comfortable living in this state.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area
70
97450
Logan
30
112590
Ogden-Clearfield
170
127040
Provo-Orem
270
103290
Salt Lake City
880
116880
St. George
160
105240

Registered Nurse Salary

RNs in Utah make a comparable salary to the state’s median household, earning an average of$70,370 per year. Those who have made it to the top of the ladder bring in a good bit more, more than $92,160 annually.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Central Utah nonmetropolitan area
640
67800
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area
1030
65040
Logan
710
67030
Ogden-Clearfield
3600
68270
Provo-Orem
3680
67680
Salt Lake City
12670
72650
St. George
1420
68690

Nursing Instructors and Teachers Salary

Nursing instructors in Utah earn a respectable living. On average, they make $81,640 a year in UT.

Area Name
Employment
Annual median wage
Ogden-Clearfield
60
61710
Salt Lake City
240
81550

Nurse Administrator Salary

(Includes Nurse Managers, Directors, and Chief Nursing Officers)

Imagine yourself in a management role? In Utah, nurse administrators earn an average of$107,660 per year. Growing in this role pays off very well: The top 10 percent nurse admins report earnings at or above $183,610 annually.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Central Utah nonmetropolitan area
110
95640
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area
150
91580
Logan
100
105310
Ogden-Clearfield
570
94000
Provo-Orem
650
98380
Salt Lake City
2290
116900
St. George
190
96020

Nurse Midwives Salary

Midwives are some of the best-paid nurses in Utah, bringing in an average of$133,680 per year. Top-earners in this role edge toward $200,000, making at or better than $180,740 annually.

Area Name
Employment
Annual mean wage
Salt Lake City
NA
143570

Utah Nurse Anesthetist Salary

Considering a career as a nurse anesthetist? In Utah, anesthetists earn an average salary of $127,130 annually. That rate only goes up with experience. The top 10 percent report making $188,650 or more per year.


2020 US Bureau of Labor Statistics job market trends and salary figures for 1)
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives; 2) Medical and Health Services Managers (Nurse Administrators); 3) Registered Nurses; and 4) Postsecondary Nursing Instructors and Teachers reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. 2019 US Census Bureau figures for state median household income provided for comparison. Data Accessed December 2021.

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