Tracking Nurses – What You Need to Know
Each state has a different process for investigating and disciplining nurses and for making licensing information available to the public. We compiled the chart below to show which states allow you to verify a nurse’s license for free online, which provide Web access to disciplinary documents, and which participate in a publicly available national database.
Key States highlighted in green provide both free online license verification and free disciplinary documents online.
Find an error? Send us a note.
Related Stories
- Inept Nurses Free to Work in New Locales
- Temp Firms a Magnet for Unfit Nurses
- Dangerous Caregivers Missing from Federal Database
Reporting Network
Want to be notified when we publish data and reporting tools? Sign up here.
| State Name | License lookup page | Free online license lookup? | Free disciplinary documents online? | Participates in national database (Nursys.com)? | How to request records | Lists of disciplined nurses online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Contact the Legal Department at the Alabama Board at (800) 656-5318. | Lists of disciplined nurses |
| Alaska | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact license@alaska.gov. | Recent disciplinary actions |
| Arizona | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | The board is in the process of putting disciplinary documents online. They are available on each nurse's license verification page. If you need additional information, contact (602) 771-7875. | Lists of disciplined nurses since 2003 |
| Arkansas | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Arkansas offers limited free online verification of nurses' licenses. Additional details are available for a fee. A telephone license verification system can be reached at (501) 682-2200. | Lists of disciplined nurses since 2007 |
| California | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | No | Disciplinary documents can be accessed on each nurse's license verification page. | ProPublica's list of California nurses disciplined from 2002 to September 2009 A list of recently disciplined nurses |
| Colorado | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents can be accessed on a central discipline site, searching by last name or license number. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 2005 |
| Connecticut | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | No | Documents can be viewed by searching for a disciplined nurse's license number in the pulldown list. | A list of recently disciplined nurses |
| Delaware | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact (302) 744-4500 or email customerservice.dpr@state.de.us. | A list of all disciplined nurses |
| District of Columbia | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents can be accessed on each nurse's license verification page and through a central discipline site | Lists of recently disciplined nurses |
| Florida | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents can often be accessed on each nurse's license verification page. If records are missing, they can be requested from the Central Records unit. You may also contact the unit by telephone at (850) 245-4121. | Disciplinary reports home page |
| Georgia | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | No | Some documents are available when searching on a nurse's name. If you need to request additional information, contact (478) 207-2440. | Lists of recent nursing board actions |
| Hawaii | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Contact the Office of Administrative Hearings at (808) 586-2828 or (808) 586-3097 (fax) or oah@dcca.hawaii.gov. | List of monthly disciplinary actions (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Idaho | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Users must fill out an online form to get disciplinary documents mailed to them. If you need to request additional information, contact (208) 334-3110. | A list of nurses disciplined since 1996 |
| Illinois | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Fax a letter seeking disciplinary documents to the Illinois Division of Professional Regulation at (217) 557-8073. Include your contact information, including e-mail address, as well as the license number, full name and city of the person about whom you are requesting records. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 1999 (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Indiana | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents cannot be found on each nurse's license verification page. Users can fully access them on a central litigation documents page. An advanced search may be needed to search by name. | Disciplinary reports home page (NOTE: Be sure to select the "nursing board.") |
| Iowa | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | You must know a nurse's license number to verify a license on Iowa's website. Disciplinary documents can be accessed from a central disciplinary documents page. | A list of recently sanctioned nurses |
| Kansas | License lookup page | No | Yes | No | The state charges a fee to verify each license but disciplinary records can be accessed from a central discipline page. | A list of disciplined nurses |
| Kentucky | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact the board's Consumer Protection Branch at (502) 429-3300. | A list of disciplined nurses |
| Louisiana | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | The board charges a fee for disciplinary documents. | Disciplinary actions listed in the board's quarterly newsletter, the Examiner |
| Maine | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact (207) 287-1133. | A list of recently disciplined nurses |
| Maryland | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Send a written request to Bonnie Kuchta at the Maryland Board of Nursing, 4140 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215-2254. Her phone number is (410) 585-1953 and fax is (410) 358-1499. | Lists of recently disciplined nurses |
| Massachusetts | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact michael.e.bearse@state.ma.us. | A list of disciplined nurses since January 2006 |
| Michigan | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | You may fax a request for additional information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) at (517) 241-1212 or contact Mary E. Hess at BHP-FOIAINFO@michigan.gov. | Minutes of disciplinary subcommittee meetings |
| Minnesota | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Verifying a nurse's license requires free registration as a "public user." Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. | A list of recently disciplined nurses |
| Mississippi | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | To verify a license online, you need a nurse's last name and either his/her license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Disciplinary documents can be requested by clicking "more information" on a nurse's license verification page. The board charges $20 for copies of each disciplinary order. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 1998 |
| Missouri | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact the board at nursing@pr.mo.gov. | Disciplinary actions listed in the board's quarterly newsletter |
| Montana | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. | Disciplinary actions listed in the board's quarterly newsletter |
| Nebraska | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. | Disciplinary actions listed in the board's periodic newsletter |
| Nevada | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Contact the board at (888) 590-6726 or nursingboard@nsbn.state.nv.us. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 2003 |
| New Hampshire | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. Questions can be directed to call Susan Goodness at the Board office, (603) 271-2323. | Disciplinary actions listed in the board's periodic newsletter |
| New Jersey | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact the board at (973) 504-6430. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 2004 |
| New Mexico | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Contact the board at (505) 841-8340. | A list of disciplined nurses (NOTE: See links on bottom left of home page.) |
| New York | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Contact the state Office of the Professions' Public Information Unit at dplsdsu@mail.nysed.gov or call (518) 474-3817 ext. 330 for a copy of the official disciplinary record. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 1994 (NOTE: It is searchable by last name or month of discipline. Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| North Carolina | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents (since November 2006) are available on each nurse's license verification page. For public documents prior to November 2006, call (919) 782-3211 ext. 283 or 240. | Lists of disciplinary actions |
| North Dakota | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | To verify a license online, you need a nurse's license number or Social Security number. Contract the board at (701) 328-9777 or by fax at (701) 328-9785 for additional information on discipline. | Disciplinary actions included in the board's meeting minutes |
| Ohio | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are often available on each nurse's license verification page. If a document isn't available, contact the board at (614) 466-3947. | Lists of disciplined nurses since 2006 |
| Oklahoma | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Contact the board at (405) 962-1800. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 2006 |
| Oregon | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | E-mail osbn.records@state.or.us or send a faxed request for records to Rebecca Nyberg at 971-673-0684. | Lists of nurses disciplined in the past year |
| Pennsylvania | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | E-mail the board at ra-prothonotary@state.pa.us. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 2005 (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Rhode Island | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Some disciplinary documents are available on a central discipline page. If a document isn’t available, contact the board at (401) 222-5700. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 1982 |
| South Carolina | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page and on a central discipline page. | A list of disciplined nurses 1987 |
| South Dakota | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents since 2003 are available on a central discipline page. | A list of disciplinary actions since 2003 |
| Tennessee | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. Contact the board at (615) 532-5166. | Lists of nurses disciplined since 2004 (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Texas | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available online for cases handled since mid 2007 through a central discipline page. Other documents can be requested by writing to the board at Texas Board of Nursing, Enforcement Division, 333 Guadalupe 3-460, Austin, TX 78701-3944. | A list of the most-recent disciplinary actions Historical actions |
| Utah | License lookup page | Yes | No | Yes | Records are available for a fee. | Lists of disciplinary actions since 1999 (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Vermont | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on a central discipline page. | A list of disciplined nurses (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Virginia | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. | A list of disciplinary actions taken in the last 90 days; Customize a discipline search |
| Washington | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | No | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page. | News releases about health provider discipline |
| West Virginia | License lookup page | Yes | No | No | Contact the board at (304) 558-3596 or rnboard@state.wv.us. | Lists of registered nurses disciplined since fiscal 2004 |
| Wisconsin | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents are available on each nurse's license verification page and on a central discipline page. | Lists of disciplined nurses since 1998 (NOTE: Nurses are included with other professionals regulated by the state.) |
| Wyoming | License lookup page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Disciplinary documents since 2000 are available on a central discipline page. | Disciplinary actions listed in the board's quarterly newsletter |