A staffing agency telling you a nurse is licensed is not the same as you knowing it. Whether you staff through an agency or hire directly, the license is the foundation of everything else, so it is worth knowing how to check it yourself.

Start With the Right Source for Each Role

RNs and LVNs: the Texas Board of Nursing

Texas nurses are licensed by the Texas Board of Nursing, which offers online license verification. Search by name or license number and confirm the record directly rather than relying on a photocopy or screenshot.

Nursys

Nursys is a national database that participating boards of nursing use for primary-source license verification. Its QuickConfirm service lets employers and recruiters retrieve licensure and discipline information for free. It is useful when a nurse holds, or has held, licenses in more than one state. Coverage depends on which boards participate, so confirm that the relevant board is included.

CNAs: the Nurse Aide Registry

Nursing assistants in Texas are listed on the Nurse Aide Registry maintained by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Under Texas Health and Safety Code §250.003, covered employers must verify that a nurse aide applicant is listed on the registry before hiring, and must search the registry annually and keep the results on file. Make the registry check part of your onboarding file for every CNA.

What to Look For on the Record

  • Status. The license should be active and current, not expired, lapsed or inactive.
  • Name match. The name on the record should match the government photo ID the clinician presents.
  • Discipline and restrictions. Look for any board action, stipulations or practice limits, and read them before you place the clinician.
  • Expiration date. Note it, and set a reminder so a license does not lapse mid-assignment.
  • License type. Confirm the clinician is licensed as the role you are staffing (RN, LVN or CNA), not a lower or different credential.

Multistate (Compact) Licenses

The Texas Board of Nursing participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A nurse whose primary state of residence is another compact state can practice in Texas on the multistate license issued by that home state. In that case, verify the license with the home state’s board of nursing or through Nursys, and confirm the multistate status on the record. Requirements can change, so check current rules with the Board of Nursing if you are unsure.

Verification Is Only One Layer

A valid license does not tell you whether the person is excluded from federal health care programs. Exclusion screening against the OIG and SAM.gov lists is a separate check that should happen before the first shift and again every month. Read our guide to OIG and SAM screening for how it works, and our overview of compliance and credentialing for the full list of checks.

Questions to Ask Your Staffing Agency

  • Do you verify licenses directly with the board, and how often do you re-verify?
  • Can I see the verification record for a clinician before the first shift?
  • How do you handle multistate licenses?
  • What happens if a license is flagged mid-assignment?

Our broader list is in what to ask a staffing agency about credentialing. At Hearthstone & Co., license verification, background and drug screening, and monthly OIG/SAM exclusion checks are completed before a clinician’s first shift. If you need RN, LVN or CNA coverage in Greater Houston, request staffing and we will confirm a realistic timeline before we start.