Nurse Practitioner

Welcome to CNO’s guide to registration for applicants who want to register as Nurse Practitioners, 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?

The information in this guide is intended for individuals who are seeking to enter CNO’s Extended Class and practice as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in Ontario, who are one of the following:

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

If you are an NP currently registered in another Canadian province or territory and want to register to practice in Ontario, please see the Canada (registered outside Ontario) registration guide.

This guide explains the registration process for NPs, emphasizing the requirements you must meet and the steps required for registration in the Extended Class.

We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information, but please contact CNO if you have any questions or discover an error in this guide.

The application process

To start the application process, you will need to provide information about your nursing education, registration and employment. You will also need to upload proof of citizenship or immigration status in a category that is authorized for practicing nursing in Ontario. You may need to ask 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:

Create an online application with CNO.
Submit your application fee. The application fee is non-refundable.
In your online application, provide all the information requested, such as
- a summary of all your nursing education, including specific details about NP programs
- a summary of your registration in all jurisdictions in which you are practicing or have practiced nursing
- a summary of all your positions as an NP since graduating from your NP program, if any
Send the required verification forms to the appropriate third parties (such as employers, universities and regulatory bodies). CNO must receive all these completed documents directly from the third parties. Third-party information submitted by the applicant will not be considered.
Once we receive and review your information, you will receive a message from us telling you what other information is needed to assess your application. For example, evidence to demonstrate that you have met CNO’s other registration requirements.

It is your responsibility to ensure the timely delivery of all required documentation and other information requested by CNO.

Factors that may delay your registration include:

graduating from a program that is not equivalent to an Ontario NP program
not providing evidence of having practiced nursing or graduated from a nursing program within the past three years
not providing evidence that demonstrates language proficiency in either English or French
the time needed to translate official documents into either English or French
not successfully completing the required registration examination or jurisprudence examination
information about your conduct, competence or health that may require further review and follow-up
failing to produce other documents requested by CNO

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 documents to CNO. CNO’s Registrar and CEO 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: You can submit your proof of citizenship, residency status, or authorization to practice nursing in Ontario documentation at any time during the online application process. We recommend you submit this documentation with your application. If you do not submit it during your initial online application, you will need to send it to the CNO separately.

Name changes: 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.

Criminal record check: Note that criminal record checks are valid for only six months from their date of issue. If the criminal record check you submitted has expired, you will need to apply for and submit a new one.

Complete information: Incomplete or missing information may delay the processing of your application.

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 the CNO website to understand how your personal information will be used.

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, CNO may refuse your application for registration or cancel any certificate that has been issued.

Registration requirements

This section lists the registration requirements for applicants who are not registered to practice as an NP in Canada or who practice under Temporary, Provisional, Graduate or other similar registrations in other Canadian jurisdictions.

During the application process, CNO assesses all NP applicants to determine whether they meet the registration requirements in the table below.

If CNO finds that you do not meet one or more of these requirements, you may be asked to provide more information or do something that allows you to meet those requirements, such as complete 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 staff or the Registration Committee concerning your application.

See Registration Requirements for further information about each of these requirements.

Eligibility for registration in the General Class

You must demonstrate that:

you are or have been registered as an RN in the General Class in Ontario or
you are eligible to register as an RN in the General Class in Ontario or
you are or have been registered as an RN with a health regulatory authority elsewhere in Canada, in one of the states within the United States of America, or in another jurisdiction approved by CNO’s Council.

See Classes of Registration for more information on the registration requirements for the General Class.

Nursing Education

You must demonstrate the successful completion of an approved NP education program for the requested NP specialty certificate.

Evidence of Practice

You must show that you have recent experience practicing in an advanced nursing practice role. Your practice must include direct interaction with client population(s) consistent with each specialty certificate for which you are seeking registration. Your practice must also include the use of advanced nursing knowledge and decision-making skill in health assessment, diagnosis and therapeutics in the treatment of those clients. Most applicants automatically meet this requirement by completing an approved NP program within the past three years, or by providing evidence of practicing in a clinical NP role. For more information, review the evidence of practice requirements.

Registration Examination

You must successfully complete the registration examination approved by CNO for the specialty certificate that you are requesting.

Jurisprudence Examination

You must successfully complete the NP jurisprudence examination.

Proficiency in English or French

You must demonstrate proficiency in either English or French.

Citizenship or Immigration Status

You must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, or hold authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) to engage in the practice of nursing in Ontario.

Past Offences and Findings

You must truthfully state whether you have ever been found guilty of an offence, refused registration, had a finding related to the practice of nursing or another profession against you, or are involved in certain proceedings.

Health and Conduct

You must declare whether you have any physical or mental condition or disorder that could affect your ability to practice nursing in a safe manner. CNO must also be satisfied that you will practice with decency, honesty and integrity, and in accordance with the law.

Examinations

Recent graduates of NP programs outside Ontario who are not currently registered to practice as an NP anywhere in Canada

All applicants to the Extended Class must take the NP registration examination approved by CNO’s Council for the requested NP specialty certificate: Primary Health Care, Adult or Pediatric. Results must be sent directly to CNO by the exam provider.

Note: If you are applying on or after July 1, 2026, please see the “Practicing as an NP in Ontario” section below for changes to this requirement.

After CNO establishes that you are eligible to write your NP registration examination, you will receive a message through the online portal.

Jurisprudence examination

NP applicants must successfully complete a separate jurisprudence examination. This exam is designed to evaluate each applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the laws, regulations, CNO by-laws, practice standards and guidelines that govern the nursing profession in Ontario. The RN(EC) Jurisprudence Examination includes questions applicable to all nurses and questions that apply only to NP practice.

You can write the examination online at any time. Once you have submitted your online application and fee, you will receive information about how to access the secure testing site.

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

Registration Timelines

If the name on any of your supporting documents is different from the name appearing on your application, you must send us a photocopy of your birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree or legal name change along with a letter requesting a name change.
During the application process, if CNO receives any information about issues that could affect your ability to practice nursing safely, we will review the information. This may extend the time needed to process 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.
Criminal record checks are valid for only six months from their date of issue. If a previously submitted criminal record check has expired, you will need to apply for and submit a new one.

Completing your registration

When you have successfully met all registration requirements, you can complete your registration online and pay the applicable fee.

You can then confirm your registered status by searching for your name on 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.

Practicing as an NP in Ontario

To practice as an NP in Ontario, you must be registered as a member of the CNO’s Extended Class.

Only members of the Extended Class are permitted to call themselves “Nurse Practitioners” (NPs) and practice as NPs in Ontario.

In Ontario, there are currently three specialty certificates available to NPs:

Primary Health Care
Pediatrics
Adult

Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario will adopt a new NP registration framework that moves away from these three specialty certificates to a single NP class. Although the population categories are being retired, the requirement for clinical practice remains unchanged — NPs must continue to engage in direct practice with patient care.

See information on NP registration here. Find more about the standards of NP practice, as well as a list of standards that all nurses in Ontario must follow, in CNO’s Standards & Guidelines.

Prescribing controlled substances

As an NP, you can prescribe controlled substances once you have completed approved controlled substances education and are registered in CNO’s Extended Class. You can complete your controlled substances education during the application process or after you are registered as an NP.

Here’s a complete list of approved NP courses and programs that integrate controlled substances education.

CNO will notify you if you are required to complete controlled substances education. If you do not complete the controlled substances education by the time you register with CNO, you won't be authorized to prescribe controlled substances as an NP. Your profile on Find a Nurse will state: “Entitled to practice. Cannot prescribe controlled substances until specialized education is completed.” We will also notify any employer we have on record about your status on Find a Nurse.