This guide explains the College of Nurses of Ontario’s (CNO’s) registration process for nurses educated in Ontario, outlining the requirements you must meet to become registered with CNO.

We have made every effort to make sure our information is accurate and up to date, but please contact CNO if you have any questions or discover an error.

Who is this guide for?

This guide is for nurses who want to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in the General Class in Ontario. This guide explains CNO’s registration process for nurses who have completed an approved or recognized nursing program in Ontario.

If this is not you

Please select the appropriate guide from the Registration Guides menu:

• Canada (educated outside Ontario) for recent graduates of a Canadian nursing program in another Canadian province or territory and
• Canada (registered outside Ontario) for nurses currently registered to practice in another Canadian province or territory
• Nurse Practitioner for people applying to practice as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in Ontario, who are

• Ontario or Canadian NP graduates not currently registered anywhere in Canada or
• internationally educated NPs not currently registered anywhere in Canada

• Outside Canada for internationally educated nurses who have never been registered in Canada in the nursing category they are applying to in Ontario.

The application process

As part of the application process, you will need proof of Canadian citizenship or immigration status in a category that is authorized for practicing nursing in Ontario. You may need a third party to send some documents. Request these documents early to prevent any delays in processing your application.

Follow these steps for your application:

1. Your nursing school informs us that you are about to complete your program.
2. After we receive this verification, we will send you an email to advise you to create an account through our online “Maintain my Membership” portal.
3. Create an account, then begin your application by logging in and clicking on “create a new application.”
4. Make sure your personal information is correct in the portal and matches the name on the supporting documents you submit.
5. Submit your application and the application fee. The application fee is non-refundable.
6. Once we receive and review your application, you will receive a message from us telling you what other information is needed to complete your assessment; for example, evidence to demonstrate you have met CNO’s other registration requirements.

Notes about your application

Declaration: On your application, if you answer “yes” to any question on the declaration, you will need to provide additional information. We may ask for a personal statement and supporting documentation separately. We will send you instructions about how to submit the supporting documents to CNO. CNO’s Registrar/Executive Director will review your information and may refer your application to the Registration Committee. This additional step will extend the time it takes to process your application.

Proof of authorization or citizenship: You can submit your proof of authorization to work at any time during the application process, but we recommend you submit this when you create your application. If you do not submit it during your initial online application, you will need to send it to the CNO separately.

Name change: You must let us know if your name has changed, by sending us a written request for a name change. You can find details of what to include in the request on our Applying to CNO FAQ page.

You can upload these documents through your account on the online application portal.

Sharing your information: Your application is confidential. We will not share information about your application with anyone unless you give us written permission to release it to a third party, such as an employer, spouse, agency or lawyer. To authorize this, you can either send us a written and signed letter of permission or complete the Authorization to Release Information form. Please review the Privacy Policy on CNO’s website to understand how your personal information will be used.

Complete information: Incomplete or missing information may result in a delay in processing your application.

Closing your application: You have two years from the date CNO notifies you of receiving both your application and your application fee to meet all your registration requirements. If you don’t meet all the requirements by that date, your application will be closed. If it is closed, you can reapply by submitting a new application, fee, and supporting documents, if required. CNO may use any information it has on record, if available, for your new application.

False information: If you provide false or misleading information and/or documents in support of your application for registration, your application for registration may be refused or any certificate that has been issued may be cancelled.

Registration requirements

All applicants must meet the following registration requirements.

If we find that you do not meet one or more of these requirements, we will ask you to provide more information or take additional steps that allow you to meet them, such as completing an evaluation or additional education. You have the right to request a review of your application if you want to appeal any decision made by CNO or the Registration Committee concerning your application.

Visit the Registration Requirements page for further information about each of these requirements.

Examinations

Registration examination

All CNO applicants must successfully complete the registration examination that CNO’s Council has approved for their category of nursing. Applicants will become eligible to write the registration examination after they have applied to CNO and CNO has received notification from their school of nursing that they have successfully completed their nursing program.

If you are applying to practice as an RN, you will write the NCLEX-RN.

If you are applying to practice as an RPN, you will write the REx-PN.

These examinations consist of a series of questions designed to measure the competencies of nurses at the start of their practice. You must write your examination at a designated testing facility in Canada.

Jurisprudence examination

In addition to the registration examination, you must successfully complete a separate jurisprudence exam designed to evaluate your knowledge and understanding of the laws and regulations — as well as the CNO by-laws, practice standards and guidelines — that govern the nursing profession in Ontario.

You will write the RN/RPN jurisprudence exam online and you can complete it at any time. After you have submitted your application form and fees, we will send you information about how to access the secure testing site.

Visit our Examinations section for more information about the registration and jurisprudence exams, including fees, refund policies and accommodation requests.

Registration timelines

• During the application process, if CNO receives any information that could affect your ability to practice nursing, we will review the information and let you know how it will impact the time needed to process your application.
• You have two years from the date you opened your application and paid your application fee to meet the registration requirements. If you don't meet all the requirements by that date, your application will be closed. If it is closed, you can reapply and any information we have on record, if available, can be used for your new application.
• Note that criminal record checks are valid for only six months from their date of issue. If your criminal record check expires before your registration is completed, you will need to apply for and submit a new one.
• Review Timelines for Registration Processes for more detail about the time it will take to process your application.

Completing your registration

CNO will notify you when you have met all of your registration requirements. You can then complete your registration using the Maintain Your Membership portal and pay the applicable fee.

You can then confirm your registered status by searching for your name in Find a Nurse, CNO’s online register.

Paying your annual fee

You must pay the full registration fee for the year you become registered, no matter when during the year you complete your registration. The fee is not pro-rated for partial years.

You must pay this fee before you can practice as a nurse in Ontario.

Do you have any other questions about your examinations or the registration process? Contact us.

Practicing as an RN or RPN in Ontario

Registering with CNO is a legal requirement to practice nursing in Ontario. You must be registered with CNO in order to use the titles “nurse,” “Registered Nurse (RN)”, “Registered Practical Nurse (RPN)”, or “Nurse Practitioner (NP)” in Ontario.

It is illegal for anyone to practice nursing or use any of these titles in Ontario without a valid certificate of registration issued by CNO. Your registration with CNO must be renewed for every calendar year.

Your status as an RN or RPN informs the public that you have the knowledge, skill and judgment required to provide safe and ethical nursing care.

General and Temporary Classes

Most CNO applicants enter the General Class, the most common class of registration for nurses in Ontario.

If you have applied for the General Class but you don’t yet meet the registration requirements, you can apply for the Temporary Class, as long as you meet the Temporary Class registration requirements. This will allow you to work as a nurse while you complete the General Class requirements.

RN prescribing practice

RNs registered with CNO in the General Class can add prescribing authority to their practice by completing RN prescribing education approved by CNO. RNs with this authority can prescribe certain medications and communicate diagnoses for the purpose of prescribing those medications. Visit RN Prescribing Practice for more information, including a list of continuing education approved by CNO for RN prescribing in Ontario.

If you completed an approved Ontario BScN that includes RN prescribing education, your nursing school will inform us. You will receive a message from us telling you when you are authorized to prescribe medication and communicate diagnoses. These legal authorities come into effect after you become registered as an RN in the General Class.

RNs in the Temporary Class are not authorized to communicate diagnoses or prescribe medication.

Do you have any other questions about your examinations or the registration process? Contact CNO.

Related links

• Timelines for registration processes
• Application and membership fees