Leaving or returning to practice

​​Understanding your options

View the license status comparison table for an at-a-glance understanding of your licensing options. If you have questions, contact BCCNM Licensing Services at register@bccnm.ca​ or 604.742.6200 (1.866.88​0.7101 toll-free within Canada only).

​License status comparison chart

	Practising	Former licensee
2026-27 annual fee​	$​781.10​+ other fees	$0
Am I licensee of BCCNM?	Yes	No
Can I practise or volunteer as a nurse in B.C.?	Yes	No
Will I get communication from BCCNM?	Yes. You receive the licensee newsletter and any special bulletins.	No. You can subscribe to the licensee newsletter by emailing newsletter@bccnm.ca​.
Can I still call myself a nurse?	Yes. You can use:  Licensed practical nurse Practical nurse LPN Nurse Learn more​	No. You cannot use the title "licensed practical nurse," "nurse, "practical nurse," the abbreviation "LPN."
Can I be a member of a BCCNM committee?	Yes, if you are in good standing with the college (subject to specific committee composition requirements).	No​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

​​​Leaving practice

​Maintain your practising license

• If you are going on a short-term leave (i.e. within the licensing year, or a few months that straddles renewal cycles), you may wish to maintain your practising license.

Cancel/lapse and become a former licensee

• You may be eligible for a pro-rated refund on your practising license fees.
• As a former licensee you will no longer be a licensee of the college and cannot use a nursing title or call yourself a nurse. 
• See the licensee st​​atus comparison above for more information.​​
  

To cancel your license, sign in to​​​ your BCCNM account​.

*As of April 1, 2026, the non-practising class of licenses for nurses and midwives is discontinued. Read more»

If you are retiring, we thank you for your service and wish you all the best!​
​
​

Returning to practice

If you are a former BCCNM licensee, you must submit a reinstatement application to return to nursing practice. Please submit your reinstatement application at least eight weeks bef​ore your estimated return to work date.

1. Compl​ete your application and pay fee

You mu​​st sign in to your BCCNM account​ to apply for reinstatement. Select "Apply" to start your application.

• You may be asked to consent to a criminal record check (CRC) as an updated CRC is required for any leave from practice longer than 60 days. Please note: Criminal record check results take a minimum of two weeks to be processed and your application cannot be assessed until the results are received. Please ensure you submit your application at least a month before your return to work date to allow for delays.

• You will pay a reinstatement application fee​ when your application is submitted. Reinstatement fees are non-refundable, so ensure​ you are ready to proceed before you pay.

• The re​​gistration team will contact you if there are outstanding documents that BCCNM needs to proceed with your application.​

2. Prepare your documents

To avoid delays in proc​​essing your application, prepare the following documents before you start your application:

• Verification of license: Complete ver​​ification of license forms f​​or all jurisdiction(s) you are/were registered since you last held a practising license with us. This form must be received directly from that jurisdiction.

• Employment verification: Complete employment ve​rification form(s) for each of your nursing employers within the last five years. This form must be received directly from the employer.

3. BCCNM review

BCCNM Licensing Services will assess your application to determine whether you meet the requirements for reinstatement. The requirements for reinstatement include that you:

• Were in compliance with all Quality Assurance program requirements at the time you last held practising registration
• Meet the practice hours requirement
• Have maintained your knowledge, skills and abilities as an LPN, or have successfully completed an exam or upgrading of your knowledge, skills or abilities
• Have a satisfactory employment verification
• Are of good character, including passing the criminal record check​
• Are fit to practice, and
  
• Have paid any outstanding fines or fees
  

Note: If your licensed was cancelled or suspended following an inquiry or discipline committee decision or you have a criminal charge since you last held a practising licensed, you will be asked to provide additional information and evidence. Please contact the licensing team for more information.

4. Application approved/pay license fees

If you meet the requirements for reinstatement, your application will be approved and you will be asked to pay your practising license fee​.

5. Wait for confirmation of license from BCCNM

Once you have paid your license fees, we will send you an email confirming that you have been granted a practising license. Your updated status will also be listed on our nurse verification tool. You must not practise as a licensed practical nurse until you receive confirmation of your license.

Haven't received a confirmation email?
Your license will not be granted until your payment has been received. Before calling to check on the status of your application, please:

• Double-check that you submitted your application and that your payment went through
• Check your junk mail and spam folders​​
  
  ​
  ​
  ​
  ​
  ​
  ​
  

If you do not meet the practice hours requirement 

Practising LPNs are required to have practised a minimum of 1,125 hours in the preceding five years. ​If you do not mee​t the practice hours requirement, the pathway back to a practising license will take more time and requires additional evidence of your current competence to practice. ​Apply for reinstatement of your license as instructed above. When assessing your application, we will determine if you need to complete additional licensure requirements. They may include: ​

• Completing a competency assessment by the Inspire Global Assessments​​, and additional education or exams
  
• Completing one of BCCNM’s recognized​ practical nursing education programs
• Complete a supervised practice experience​ ​​

You may be eligible for funding from the Government of British Columbia to help offset the cost of these requirements. Visit www.nursingjobsbc.ca for details​. ​​​

Retaking the required exam​

The Deputy Registrar of Licensing may require you to take the current required exam for licensure—the REX-PN—after considering the length of time since you passed the required exam for your initial license and your practice experience.​​