Georgia Nursing Licensing Guide

Everything CNAs, LPNs & RNs Need to Know

Whether you’re entering healthcare for the first time, moving to Georgia from another state, or picking up per-diem shifts across multiple facilities, understanding how Georgia handles nursing credentials matters. This guide covers CNA, LPN, and RN requirements in one place, including endorsement, renewal, the Nurse Licensure Compact, background checks, and what travel nurses and staffing agencies need to verify before a placement.

Healthcare professionals assisting in a healthcare setting

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CNA

Georgia Nurse Aide Registry ·
DCH · Alliant Health Solutions

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LPN

Georgia Board of Nursing ·
GOALS portal · NCLEX-PN

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RN

Georgia Board of Nursing ·
GOALS portal · NCLEX-RN · NLC compact

Who regulates nursing credentials in Georgia?

Georgia splits healthcare credential oversight between two separate systems depending on the role. Understanding which system applies to you is the first step to getting (and keeping) the right credential.

Compact scenario	What it means in practice
Georgia RN/LPN with multistate license	Can work in all 43+ NLC compact states, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Texas, Indiana, Ohio, and most of the Southeast, without additional applications.
Compact nurse coming to Georgia (travel or per-diem)	Can work in Georgia immediately using their home-state multistate license, no Georgia license application required for temporary assignment.
Nurse permanently moving to Georgia from a compact state	Must apply for Georgia licensure within 60 days of establishing Georgia as primary state of residence (PSOR).
Nurse moving to Georgia from a non-compact state	Must apply for Georgia licensure by endorsement; does not need to retake NCLEX.
CNAs	The NLC does not cover CNAs, CNA credentials require Georgia-specific reciprocity, not compact transfer.

For travel nurses and staffing agencies: a nurse whose home state is a compact state (Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, etc.) can work in Georgia immediately on their multistate license for temporary assignments. If the assignment becomes a permanent position and Georgia becomes their primary state of residence, they must apply for Georgia licensure within 60 days.

How to transfer a nursing license to Georgia

RN and LPN endorsement

If you hold an active, unencumbered RN or LPN license in another state and are moving to Georgia, you apply by endorsement through the GOALS portal. You don’t retake NCLEX, but you do need to meet Georgia’s recent practice or education requirement.

Step	Detail
1. Apply in GOALS portal	Select “Licensure by Endorsement, RN” or “LPN” at sos.ga.gov; pay $75 application fee.
2. Nursys verification	Both current and original licenses must be verified directly through Nursys (nursys.com), not self-reported.
3. Official transcripts	Sent directly from your nursing school to the Georgia Board, not from you.
4. Background check	Register with GAPS/Idemia for fingerprinting on the same day as GOALS submission, do not wait.
5. Practice / education requirement	Must document one of: graduation within past 4 years, 500+ licensed practice hours in past 4 years (employer-verified), or Board-approved reentry program.
6. Monitor GOALS status	Track your application in the GOALS portal; processing typically takes 4–8 weeks once all documents are received.

CNA reciprocity

CNAs certified in another state can transfer to the Georgia registry through reciprocity, no new training program required if your certification is active and in good standing.

Step	Detail
1. Verify active out-of-state CNA status	Your current certification must be active and unencumbered in the originating state.
2. Contact Alliant Health Solutions	Non-standard eligibility applicants, including out-of-state CNAs, must contact Alliant to establish eligibility before scheduling through Credentia.
3. Home state verification	Your home state registry must verify your status directly to Georgia, allow 2–4 weeks for this step depending on state responsiveness.
4. Background check	Georgia requires its own background check; clearance from your home state doesn’t transfer.
5. Georgia registry listing	Once eligibility and verification are confirmed, your name is added to the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry. Verify at nurseaide.allianthealth.org before starting work.

Out-of-state CNA applicants cannot go directly through Credentia (the exam administrator) to schedule testing or complete endorsement, they must contact Alliant Health Solutions first to establish eligibility. Skipping this step means wasted time and fees.

Can you work in Georgia while your license is processing?

Yes. Georgia joined the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) on July 1, 2020. Georgia RNs and LPNs whose primary state of residence is Georgia and who meet Uniform Licensure Requirements can hold a multistate license, one license valid in all 43+ active compact jurisdictions.

Role	Limited practice while pending?	Conditions
RN (new grad)	Graduate Nurse (GN) temporary permit available	Must have graduated from a Board-approved program since Dec. 1, 2019; submitted all required documentation; received ATT; must practice under direct supervision only.
LPN (new grad)	No, Georgia does not issue temporary LPN permits pending NCLEX	Must wait for active license after passing NCLEX-PN; cannot practice as LPN before license is issued.
RN/LPN (endorsement)	Generally no	Practice is not permitted until the Board issues the Georgia license. Compact nurses from other states may practice on their home-state multistate license for temporary assignments only.
CNA (reciprocity)	No, must appear on registry first	CNA must be listed as active on the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry before working in patient care.

For staffing agencies: verify the nurse’s active license status directly through the Georgia Secretary of State’s verification tool or Nursys before any placement, not through self-reported documentation. For CNAs, verify at nurseaide.allianthealth.org. The Graduate Nurse (GN) permit is verifiable at the same sos.ga.gov portal.

Georgia license renewal, role by role

Role	Renewal Cycle	Key Deadline	CE / Competency Requirement
CNA	Every 24 months	Tied to work-hour completion within the 24-month window	Must complete qualifying nursing-related work (paid) during every 24-month period; no formal CE requirement; LTC facilities require 12 hrs/year in-service.
LPN	Every 2 years	March 31 of odd-numbered years (2025, 2027, 2029…)	20 contact hours of CE (Board-approved), OR national certification, OR accredited academic program, OR 500 verified practice hours, OR Board-approved reentry program.
RN	Every 2 years	Individual expiration date (check your license)	30 contact hours of CE (Board-approved), OR national certification, OR accredited academic program, OR 500 verified practice hours, OR Board-approved reentry program.

Late renewal and reinstatement

Credential	Late Renewal Window	After the Window
LPN	April 1–30 of expiration year; practice not permitted after March 31 until renewed.	After April 30: full reinstatement required; $90 reinstatement fee; additional documentation may be needed.
RN	Varies; Board provides a late renewal period; do not practice on expired license.	Reinstatement through GOALS portal; $90 fee; additional documentation depending on lapse duration.
CNA	CNA status becomes inactive if work-hour requirement is not met, not a hard expiration date.	Inactive CNAs must retake and pass both knowledge and skills exams to reinstate; Georgia does not offer a refresher course alternative.

Background checks and fingerprinting in Georgia

Credential	Fingerprint Vendor	Key Details
RN / LPN	GAPS / Idemia (contracted by Georgia Bureau of Investigation)	Register with GAPS/Idemia on the same day as GOALS application submission — not before, not after. Results reviewed by GA DCH Office of Inspector General. Cost: $50–$100.
CNA	State and federal background check; managed through Alliant Health Solutions process	Required for initial certification and reciprocity. Certain convictions affect eligibility — review Georgia DCH barrier crime list before enrolling in training.

Healthcare background checks in Georgia look at more than criminal history. They include state criminal records, FBI records, the OIG exclusion list (which bars practice at Medicare/Medicaid-funded facilities), state abuse and neglect registries, and prior licensing history. The OIG exclusion list is checked independently, being on it can prevent employment even in non-clinical roles at covered facilities.

A criminal history doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but barrier crimes (abuse, neglect of a vulnerable adult, healthcare fraud, sex offenses, certain violent felonies) create permanent or long-term barriers. Check the barrier crime list on the Georgia DCH or Board of Nursing website before enrolling in any program. Texas BON, Florida AHCA, and Ohio OBN offer pre-application eligibility reviews, Georgia’s equivalent is to contact the relevant board directly before applying.

What happens if your Georgia credential expires?

Credential	What “expired” means	Path to reinstatement
RN license	Expired on expiration date, practice immediately prohibited; no grace period after the late renewal window closes.	GOALS portal reinstatement; $90 fee; CE documentation; additional Board review if lapse exceeds 2 years; refresher course may be required for long lapses (5+ years).
LPN license	Expires March 31 of odd years; late renewal April 1–30; after April 30, expired.	Same as RN reinstatement path; $90 fee; CE documentation; contact Board for specific requirements based on lapse duration.
CNA registry status	Becomes “inactive” when work-hour requirement isn’t met in 24-month cycle, not necessarily tied to a specific date.	Retake and pass both NNAAP knowledge and skills exams through Credentia; Georgia does not allow refresher course as an alternative to retesting.

Do not work in a patient care role on an expired or inactive credential in Georgia. Practicing without active licensure or registry status is a regulatory violation that can result in disciplinary action, including formal Board proceedings. Employers and agencies are required to verify active status before each placement, self-reported active status is not sufficient.

Where CNAs, LPNs, and RNs work in Georgia

Setting	CNA	LPN	RN
Hospitals (Emory, Wellstar, Piedmont, Grady, Children’s)	PCT / CNA roles	Limited (specialty units)	Primary setting
Skilled nursing / long-term care	Primary setting	Strong demand	Strong demand
Assisted living communities	Yes	Yes	Yes
Home health agencies	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rehabilitation facilities	Yes	Yes	Yes
Outpatient clinics / surgery centers	Limited	Common	Common
Hospice	Yes	Yes	Yes
Correctional healthcare	Some facilities	Growing	Growing
Schools / public health	Limited	Limited	Yes

Georgia nursing career ladder

CNA 85 hrs · 6–8 wks · $16.77/hr avg

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LPN 12–18 months · NCLEX-PN · $22.77/hr avg

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RN (ADN) ~2 years · NCLEX-RN · $43.63/hr avg

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RN-to-BSN 12–24 months online · often tuition reimbursed

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NP / CRNA / CNM MSN/DNP · $90k–$178k+/yr

Each step on the ladder broadens your scope of practice, increases your earning potential, and expands the settings where you can work. Major Georgia health systems, Emory, Wellstar, Piedmont, Grady, offer tuition reimbursement programs for staff at each stage of this progression. The CNA experience you build early on is genuinely valued in nursing school applications and by clinical hiring managers.

Georgia licensing resources

Go deeper, pick your role

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Georgia CNA Certification Guide

85-hour training, NNAAP exam, Alliant registry, reciprocity from other states, renewal work-hour requirements, and CNA-to-LPN pathway

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Georgia LPN Licensing Requirements

Approved practical nursing programs, NCLEX-PN, GOALS application, March 31 renewal deadline, 20-hour CE requirement, endorsement, compact status

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Georgia RN Licensing Requirements

ADN vs BSN pathways, NCLEX-RN, GOALS application, 30-hour CE (plus 4 alternative competency options), GN permit, endorsement, NLC multistate license

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Georgia Certified Medication Aide (CMA) Requirements

CNA prerequisite, Alliant-approved training, 80% exam score, $25 registry fee, nursing home and ALC scope, what CMAs can and cannot administer

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Georgia part of the Nurse Licensure Compact?

Yes. Georgia joined the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact in 2020. Eligible Georgia RNs and LPNs can hold a multistate license, allowing them to practice in other compact states without obtaining separate nursing licenses.

How do I transfer my nursing license to Georgia?

If you hold an RN or LPN license from another state, you can apply for Georgia licensure by endorsement. You’ll generally submit an application, verify your existing license, complete required background checks, and meet Georgia requirements.

How do I renew my Georgia nursing license?

Georgia RNs and LPNs must renew their licenses through the Georgia Board of Nursing according to the state’s renewal schedule. Renewal generally involves completing required continuing education, meeting practice requirements, paying fees, and submitting the renewal application.

Can I work in Georgia with an out-of-state nursing license?

If you hold a valid multistate RN or LPN license from another compact state and meet compact requirements, you can generally practice in Georgia without obtaining a separate Georgia license for temporary assignments.

How do I transfer my CNA certification to Georgia?

CNAs moving to Georgia generally apply for reciprocity through the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry. You’ll need an active out-of-state certification, verification of your registry status, and any required documentation or background checks.

How long does Georgia nursing license endorsement take?

Processing times vary depending on application completeness, license verification, background checks, and documentation. Submit all required materials promptly and monitor your application through the Georgia licensing system to avoid unnecessary processing delays.

Licensing Information Disclaimer: Licensing requirements, fees, examination details, renewal standards, and Nurse Licensure Compact participation may change over time. While we strive to keep this information current and accurate, MyShyft does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information provided. Always verify licensing requirements directly with the Illinois Board of Nursing before making educational, licensing, employment, or relocation decisions. Reliance on information contained on this page is at the reader’s own risk.