The California Board of Registered Nursing has released a Notice of Proposed Action to amend Sections 1481, 1482, 1482.3 1482.4 and 1487 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations related to Nurse Practitioner laws.

The proposed changes ensure Board regulations conform to the statutory changes made by Senate Bill 1451 (Ashby, Chapter 481, Statutes of 2024) and provide additional clarifying guidance.

You may view all documents associated with this proposed regulatory action as well as the Board’s other pending regulations here. 

The draft proposed text would make the following changes:

Amend 1481. Categories and Scope of Practice of Nurse Practitioners

  • Specify that 103 and 104 NPs can be nationally certified in a population focus category whose exam was retired before January 1, 2017.
  • Clarify that 104 NPs may perform the functions listed in BPC Section 2387.104(b) in addition to BPC Section 2387.104(c).

Amend 1482. Requirements for Certification as a Nurse Practitioner

  • Remove reference to the nurse practitioner certification equivalency option (Method 3) due to statutory, regulatory and organizational updates, as well as national licensing standards.
  • Clarify that nurse practitioners who are not certified as a 103 NP or 104 NP are still required to work under standardized procedures.

Amend 1482.3. Requirements for a Nurse Practitioner Certification Pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 2837.103

  • Remove the requirement for an applicant’s transition to practice hours, national certification, and 103 NP certification to all be in the same category.
  • Remove the requirement for the healthcare provider attesting to a 103 NP applicant’s completion of transition to practice hours to specialize in the same category as the 103 NP applicant.
  • Clarify that maintenance of an active national certification in a population focus category is required to continue working as a 103 NP.
  • Clarify that the term 103 NP can be used to colloquially identify a nurse practitioner practicing pursuant to Section 2837.103 of the code.

Amend 1482.4. Requirements for a Nurse Practitioner Certification Pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 2837.104

  • Remove the requirement for a 104 NP applicant to re-submit national certification and transition to practice information.
  • Add the requirement for a 104 NP applicant to submit proof of certification by the Board as a 103 NP.
  • Clarify the documentation a 104 NP applicant needs to complete to apply the direct patient care hours they obtained as part of a Doctor of Nursing Practice program towards the requirement for them to work as a 103 NP for 4600 hours.
  • Clarify that 104 NPs must maintain an active national certification in a population focus category that aligns with their 104 NP certification category.
  • Clarify that the term 104 NP can be used to colloquially identify a nurse practitioner practicing pursuant to Section 2837.104 of the code.

Amend 1487. Notice to Consumers

  • Clarify that that the consumer notification provisions are only mandatory for 103 and 104 NPs.
  • Remove the specification that a patient be notified verbally that an NP is not a physician and surgeon.
  • Remove the requirement to use specific terminology when identifying oneself as a nurse practitioner to Spanish language speakers.
  • Remove the requirement for 103 NPs and 104 NPs to advise their patients that they have the right to see a physician and surgeon on request and the circumstances under which they must be referred to see a physician and surgeon.