Licensure is the legal permission, granted by the state, to practice a profession. It sets a minimum standard of safe practice and protects the public. In the Philippines, nurses are licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) through the Board of Nursing (BON) under RA 9173, the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002.

Related terms:

• Registration — entry of the successful examinee's name in the roster of registered nurses; proven by the Certificate of Registration (COR)
• Professional Identification Card (PIC) — the "license card" showing registration number, date of issue, and expiry; it must be renewed periodically
• Certification — voluntary recognition of specialized knowledge beyond the basic license (e.g., specialty certification); it is not required to practice as an RN
• Accreditation — recognition of an institution or program (a school, a CPD provider, or a professional organization) as meeting standards
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) — ongoing learning after licensure; under the CPD Act of 2016 (RA 10912) it is a mandatory requirement for renewing the PIC
• Professional organization — a voluntary association of professionals that sets standards, advocates, and supports members. The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) is the accredited professional organization (APO) of nurses

Path to licensure

1. Complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from a recognized school
2. Meet eligibility (RA 9173 Sec. 13): Filipino citizen (or citizen of a country with reciprocity), BSN graduate, good moral character
3. Take the Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination given by the BON-PRC
4. Pass: general average at least 75%, with no subject below 60% (Sec. 15)
5. Take the oath of profession (Sec. 16)
6. Receive the COR and PIC (Sec. 17); register in the roster

The examination

• The exam has five Nursing Practice subjects (commonly called NP1–NP5), covering community health, care of mothers and children, adult medical-surgical problems, and psychiatric nursing, with fundamentals, ethics, law, leadership, and research built into the tables of specifications.
• The BON adopted enhanced tables of specifications applied from the November 2025 examination onward.
• An examinee who reaches the 75% average but scores below 60% in a subject must retake that subject and must score at least 75% in the repeated subject.

Reciprocity and special permits

• Foreign nurses may be registered without examination only if their country grants the same privilege to Filipino nurses and requirements are substantially equal (Sec. 20).
• Special or temporary permits may be issued to foreign nurses such as specialists, medical missionaries, and exchange professors for a limited purpose (Sec. 21).

Continuing Professional Development (RA 10912)

Inactive nurses (RA 9173 Sec. 26): nurses who have not practiced for 5 consecutive years must complete 1 month of didactic training and 3 months of practicum before practicing again.

Professional organizations

Role of the APO in the law

• Nominates candidates for the Board of Nursing (Sec. 3)
• Is consulted in promulgating the Code of Ethics (Sec. 9)
• Its president sits on the CPD Council for Nursing (RA 10912 Sec. 7)
• Membership in good standing is required of Board members, nursing faculty, and nurse administrators (Secs. 4, 27, 29)
• The Code of Ethics states that registered nurses must be members of the APO (PNA)

Functions of a professional organization

• Set and promote standards of practice and ethics
• Advocate for nurses' welfare and for health policy
• Provide continuing education and research dissemination
• Represent nurses nationally and internationally
• Build collegiality and professional identity

• New graduates: plan review, take the licensure examination, and do not practice as an RN until they have taken the oath and been registered. A graduate who has not passed may work only in roles that do not require an RN license.
• Staff nurses: track your PIC expiry date and CPD units; keep certificates of attendance from accredited programs. Choose programs that match your practice area and development plan.
• Nurse managers: verify every nurse's COR and valid PIC at hiring and at renewal time; keep a record of expiry dates; plan staff development so CPD also improves unit outcomes.
• Nurses returning from abroad or from a long break: check the 5-year inactivity rule before resuming practice.
• Nurses planning to work overseas: foreign licensure (with its own examinations and credential checks) is separate from Philippine licensure; keeping the Philippine license active remains useful.

• Practice only with a valid registration and current PIC
• Complete required CPD honestly, and keep proof
• Maintain competence — RA 9173 Sec. 28 requires continual learning through continuing professional education
• Join and participate in the APO, as the Code of Ethics provides, and in specialty organizations relevant to practice
• Mentor students and new nurses; share knowledge through in-service education
• Report unlicensed practice and fraudulent credentials

• Practicing without a valid COR or PIC, using another person's certificate, or falsely claiming to be an RN are punishable under RA 9173 Sec. 35 (fine of ₱50,000–₱100,000 or imprisonment of 1–6 years, or both).
• Fraud in obtaining a license (e.g., false documents) is a ground for revocation (Sec. 23).
• Falsified CPD records are a violation of RA 10912 and may lead to suspension or revocation.
• Ethically, continuing learning is part of the Code of Ethics: registered nurses must acquire and develop competence, and commitment to continual learning is an obligation to the profession.
• Employers who knowingly allow unlicensed persons to work as nurses share liability (aiding unlicensed practice).

Case 1. An examinee has a general average of 78% but scored 58% in one subject.

Correct answer: the examinee has not yet passed; they must retake the subject below 60% and score at least 75% in it. Why: both conditions (75% average and no subject below 60%) are required.

Case 2. A charge nurse notices a staff nurse's PIC expired two months ago.

Correct action: inform the nurse manager and have the nurse renew immediately; follow hospital policy on work assignments until renewal. Why: practicing requires a valid license, and managers are responsible for verifying credentials.

Case 3. A nurse returns from 6 years of full-time work outside nursing and applies for a hospital staff position.

Correct action: complete the refresher program (1 month didactic, 3 months practicum) before practice. Why: RA 9173 Sec. 26 applies to nurses inactive for 5 consecutive years.

Case 4. A colleague offers to sign you in to a seminar you did not attend so you can get CPD units.

Correct action: refuse. Why: false CPD claims are fraud, violate RA 10912 and the Code of Ethics, and can lead to loss of license.

• Confusing licensure (mandatory, legal minimum) with certification (voluntary, specialized).
• Believing the PNA issues licenses — licenses come from the PRC through the Board of Nursing; the PNA is the professional organization.
• Forgetting that the passing rule has two parts (75% average and no subject below 60%).
• Thinking CPD is optional — it is mandatory for PIC renewal under RA 10912; transition exemptions are PRC rules that change, so check current PRC rules.
• Mixing up the CPD Council chair: it is a Board member, not the APO president.
• Quoting old CPD unit numbers from outdated review materials — check the current PRC requirement.

• License = PRC + Board of Nursing, under RA 9173
• Exam eligibility: BSN, citizenship/reciprocity, good moral character
• Passing: ≥ 75% average and no subject < 60%; failed subject retaken with ≥ 75%
• Oath → COR + PIC; PIC renewed every 3 years
• CPD Act of 2016 = RA 10912; CPD mandatory for PIC renewal; nursing: 15 CPD units
• CPD Council: Board member (chair), APO president, deans' organization representative
• Inactive 5 years → 1 month didactic + 3 months practicum
• APO = PNA (1922 as FNA; renamed 1966; ICN member since 1929)
• Reciprocity (Sec. 20) and special permits (Sec. 21) for foreign nurses