Wis. Stat. § 441.06 — WI Code / Chapter 441 / Section 441.06
Registered nurses; civil liability exemption.
Status: in_force

(1) Subject to s. 441.07 (1g) , the board shall grant a license as a registered nurse to an applicant for licensure who complies with all of the following requirements:

(a) The applicant graduates from a high school or its equivalent as determined by the board.

(b) The applicant does not have an arrest or conviction record, subject to ss. 111.321 , 111.322 , and 111.335 .

(c) The applicant holds a diploma of graduation from a school of nursing approved by the board or that the board has authorized to admit students pending approval, and, if that school is located outside this state, submits evidence of general and professional educational qualifications comparable to those required in this state at the time of graduation.

(d) The applicant pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (1) .

(e) The applicant passes the examination approved by the board to receive a license as a registered nurse in this state. The applicant may not take the examination before receiving a diploma under par. (c) unless the applicant obtains a certificate of approval to take the examination from the school of nursing the applicant attends and submits that certificate to the board prior to examination.

(1c) The board shall grant a multistate license, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (h) , to an applicant for a multistate registered nurse license under s. 441.51 . Subject to s. 441.07 (1g) , the requirements under sub. (1) shall apply to such an applicant, except that the requirements under s. 441.51 (3) (c) for granting a multistate license shall supersede the requirements under sub. (1) to the extent of any conflict.

(1m) The holder of a license as a registered nurse under the laws of another state or territory or province of Canada may be granted a license as a registered nurse in this state without examination if the holder’s credentials of general and professional educational qualifications and other qualifications are comparable to those required in this state during the same period and if the board is satisfied from the holder’s employment and professional record that the holder is currently competent to practice the profession. The board shall evaluate the credentials and determine the equivalency and competency in each case. The application for licensure without examination shall be accompanied by the fee prescribed in s. 440.05 (2) .

(2) The holder of the license is a “registered nurse”, may append “R.N.” to his or her name and is authorized to practice professional nursing.

(3) Except as provided in s. 441.09 (1) (c) , a registered nurse practicing for compensation shall, on or before the applicable renewal date specified under s. 440.08 (2) (a) , submit to the board on furnished forms a statement giving name, residence, and other facts that the board requires, with the nursing workforce survey and fee required under s. 441.01 (7) and the applicable renewal fee determined by the department under s. 440.03 (9) (a) .

(4) Except as provided in ss. 257.03 and 440.077 , no person may practice or attempt to practice professional nursing, nor use the title, letters, or anything else to indicate that he or she is a registered or professional nurse unless he or she is licensed under this section. Except as provided in ss. 257.03 and 440.077 , no person not so licensed may use in connection with his or her nursing employment or vocation any title or anything else to indicate that he or she is a trained, certified or graduate nurse. This subsection does not apply to any registered nurse who holds a multistate license, as defined in s. 441.51 (2) (h) , issued by a jurisdiction, other than this state, that has adopted the nurse licensure compact.

(6) No person licensed as a registered nurse under this section is liable for any civil damages resulting from his or her refusal to perform sterilization procedures or to remove or aid in the removal of a human embryo or fetus from a person, if the refusal is based on religious or moral precepts.

(7) No person certified as an advanced practice nurse prescriber under s. 441.16 (2) is liable for civil damages for any of the following:

(a) Reporting in good faith to the department of transportation under s. 146.82 (3) a patient’s name and other information relevant to a physical or mental condition of the patient that in the advanced practice nurse prescriber’s judgment impairs the patient’s ability to exercise reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle.

(b) In good faith, not reporting to the department of transportation under s. 146.82 (3) a patient’s name and other information relevant to a physical or mental condition of the patient that in the advanced practice nurse prescriber’s judgment does not impair the patient’s ability to exercise reasonable and ordinary control over a motor vehicle.

History: 1971 c. 125 , 215 ; 1973 c. 159 ; 1975 c. 39 , 199 ; 1977 c. 29 , 164 ; 1979 c. 34 , 162 ; 1987 a. 27 , 264 ; 1991 a. 39 ; 1999 a. 22 ; 2001 a. 107 ; 2005 a. 96 , 187 ; 2007 a. 20 ; 2009 a. 42 ; 2013 a. 114 ss. 4 , 5 ; 2013 a. 124 s. 28 ; 2015 a. 55 , 195 ; 2017 a. 135 , 329 ; 2021 a. 158 , 246 ; 2025 a. 17 .