TITLE 43 PROFESSIONS AND BUSINESSES

Section 26. Nurses, 43-26-1 through 43-26-65.

ARTICLE 2 LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSES

43-26-36. Application for licensure; examination.

1. All applicants for a license to practice as a licensed practical nurse shall make application through the board. An applicant for licensure who has not been duly examined according to the prescribed examination approved by the board and who does not otherwise qualify for licensure under this article must apply by examination. Such applicants shall submit to the board a designated fee and written evidence verifying that the applicant:
   1. Is at least 18 years of age;
   2. Has graduated from high school or the equivalent thereof;
   3. Has graduated from an approved nursing education program, as defined in Code Section 43-26-32 or from a nursing education program located outside of the United States that is determined by the board to be equivalent to and not less stringent than an approved nursing education program as defined in Code Section 43-26-32;
   4. Is in good physical and mental health;
   5. In the case of an applicant who has graduated from a program conducted in a foreign country, has demonstrated the ability to speak, write, and understand the English language; and
   6. Meets such other criteria as established by the board.
2. A person who is at least 17 years of age and meets all of the criteria set forth in subsection (a) of this Code section may apply to the board for special consideration to take the examination for licensure.

(Code 1981, §43-26-36, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2151, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 471, § 2; Ga. L. 2009, p. 210, § 5/HB 475; Ga. L. 2013, p. 643, § 6/HB 332; Ga. L. 2015, p. 954, § 4/HB 394.)

The 2013 amendment, effective July 1, 2014, in paragraph (b)(1), substituted "paragraph (8) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-26-5" for "paragraph (7) of Code Section 43-26-35" in the first sentence, and substituted "permit shall automatically become invalid" for "permit is automatically invalid" in the third sentence.

The 2015 amendment, effective May 6, 2015, rewrote this Code section.