1. A. Applicants for licensure by examination shall be required to pass the national licensing examination for registered nurses. An applicant who successfully passes the examination and submits a completed application may be issued by the board a license to practice as a registered nurse.
2. B. The board shall issue an expedited license to practice professional registered nursing without an examination to an applicant who has been duly licensed in another licensing jurisdiction and holds a valid, unrestricted license and is in good standing with the licensing board in that licensing jurisdiction. The board shall expedite the issuance of a license in accordance with Section 61-1-31.1 NMSA 1978 within thirty days. If the board issues an expedited license to a person whose prior licensing jurisdiction did not require examination, the board may require that person to pass an examination before applying for license renewal.
3. C. An applicant licensed under the laws of a territory or foreign country shall demonstrate proficiency in English.

History: 1953 Comp., § 67-2-11, enacted by Laws 1968, ch. 44, § 11; 1977, ch. 220, § 6; 1979, ch. 379, § 6; 1982, ch. 108, § 1; 1991, ch. 190, § 8; 2014, ch. 3, § 1; 2022, ch. 39, § 15; 2025, ch. 101, § 5.

ANNOTATIONS

Cross references. — For the Parental Responsibility Act, see 40-5A-1 NMSA 1978 et seq.

The 2025 amendment, effective June 20, 2025, made technical amendments; and in Subsection A, after "examination" added "and submits a completed application".

The 2022 amendment, effective May 18, 2022, revised provisions related to expedited licensure, provided that the board of nursing shall expedite the issuance of licenses in accordance with Section 61-1-31.1 NMSA 1978, and provided that if the board of nursing issues an expedited license to a person whose prior licensing jurisdiction did not require examination, the board may require the person to pass an examination before applying for license renewal; in the section heading, added "by examination"; in Subsection B, after "The board", deleted "may" and added "shall", deleted "by taking the national licensing examination for registered nurses under the laws of another state if the applicant meets the qualifications required of registered nurses in this state. From July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019, upon a determination by the board that an application is complete and approved" and added "in another licensing jurisdiction and holds a valid, unrestricted license and is in good standing with the licensing board in that licensing jurisdiction", and after "expedite the issuance of a license", deleted "pursuant to this subsection within five business days" and added the remainder of the subsection; and in Subsection C, deleted "The board may issue a license to practice as a registered nurse to", after "a territory or foreign country", deleted "if the applicant meets the qualifications required of registered nurses in this state, is proficient" and added "shall demonstrate proficiency", and after "English", deleted "and passes the national licensing examination for registered nurses".

Temporary provisions. — Laws 2022, ch. 39, § 104 provided that a board that is required by Laws 2022, ch. 39 to change its licensing provisions to allow for new or different expedited licensure shall have rules in place and operational by January 1, 2023.

The 2014 amendment, effective July 1, 2014, provided for the expedited licensure for nurses licensed in other states; in the catchline, added "expedited licensure"; in Subsection B, in the first sentence, after "license to practice", deleted "as a" and added "professional" and after "professional registered", changed "nurse" to "nursing", and added the second sentence.

The 1991 amendment, effective June 14, 1991, inserted "is proficient in English" and made a minor stylistic change in Subsection C.

Successful passing of examination prerequisite for license. — The qualifications referred to in Subsection B clearly include the successful passing of the test pool examination or the equivalent; if the applicant's examination or mark elsewhere do not meet the equivalent standards in New Mexico, the application for licensure should be denied and the applicant required to qualify by examination. 1968 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 68-112.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 70 C.J.S. Physicians, Surgeons, and Other Health-Care Providers § 20.