CPNP-PC Eligibility Requirements

CPNP exam candidates must:

1. Possess and document a current, active RN license issued by a US state or territory. We will also consider applications from individuals holding active, current RN licenses from Canada.

2. Document completion of a Master's, Post-Master's, or Doctorate from a graduate Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The PNCB also follows policies published in the National Task Force Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs* (2008).

3. Review the eligibility pathways described below and select the pathway appropriate for you. All of the PNCB's PNP exams (Primary Care and Acute Care) have been reviewed by the Advanced Practice Advisory Panel of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and have met the NCSBN's Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) criteria for certification programs.

If you completed a graduate program that included both PNP clinical tracks (Primary Care and Acute Care), then you are eligible to sit for both the Acute Care and Primary Care PNP exams.

Pathway I - For PNPs Who Graduated in the Past 24 Months

If you graduated within the past 24 months from a Master's, Post-Master's or Doctorate PNCB-recognized PNP Program, see our Pathway I webpage for full details on applying and submitting your supporting documentation.

Pathway II - For PNPs Who Graduated Over 24 Months Ago

If you graduated more than 24 months ago from a Master's, Post-Master's or Doctorate PNCB-recognized PNP Program, see our Pathway II webpage for full details on applying and submitting your supporting documentation. To determine the start date for the 24-month timeframe, use the date your Master's, Post-Master's or Doctorate degree was conferred on your official final transcript.

*For more details about the National Task Force Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Programs and implications for PNP education, read the NP Organizations' Letter to Accrediting Organizations.