Nurse License Renewal–ARD and Expungement Timing

Pursuant to § 21.29, the annual Nursing license expiration and renewal occurs on (1) April 30 in the even-numbered years, (2) October 31 in the even-numbered years, (3) April 30 in the odd-numbered years, and (4) October 31 in the odd-numbered years. Upon receipt of the notice of the renewal, and the time period within which the application need be completed, the applicant for license renewal may complete and submit an application online or may mail a completed application form to the Board’s administrative office. When applying for licensure renewal, a professional nurse shall, among other things, disclose any discipline imposed by a state licensing board on any nursing or allied health profession license or certificate in the previous biennial period and any criminal charges pending or criminal conviction, plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or admission into a probation without verdict or accelerated rehabilitative disposition during the previous biennial period. If the charges were expunged, then no reporting is required. Timing of any ARD admission, completion of ARD and expungement of the ARD criminal record in conjunction with filing the renewal application is important. There are time lags when submitting any renewal application if the applicant must report being involved in the criminal justice system. Attaching court documents of ARD completion and expungement orders are important. Speeding up a criminal case to get in and out of ARD before renewal is important. If the criminal case is not over at the time of renewal, it must be reported. If it ends after renewal, and you ARD is entered and completed prior to renewal, with an expungement possible, but not granted, it must be reported. It is very important to file an expungement application just prior to completion of the ARD so that court dates may be coordinated just after ending ARD and having an expungement granted. We have experience filing the petitions very quickly with the appropriate averments addressing licensing complications. While answering honestly and forthrightly in any renewal application is primary, there are always ways to minimize the impact of any criminal matter on a licensee’s future with ARD and expungements.