---
title: O.C.G.A. § 43-26-10. Practicing without a license prohibited.
collection: code
id: 43-26-10
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 43-26-10 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-26-10
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-26-10.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-26-10/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t43-ch1-32-(v30)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=94981bdc_0#page=218
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-26.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-26-9.1.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/43-26-11.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: PROFESSIONS AND BUSINESSES / NURSES / GEORGIA REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL NURSE PRACTICE ACT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 43-26-10. Practicing without a license prohibited.

It shall be a misdemeanor for any person, including any corporation, association, or individual, to:

(1) Practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse without a valid, current license, except as otherwise permitted under Code Section 43-26-12;

(2) Practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse under cover of any diploma, license, or record illegally or fraudulently obtained, signed, or issued;

(3) Practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse during the time the license is suspended, revoked, surrendered, or administratively revoked for failure to renew;

(4) Use any words, abbreviations, figures, letters, title, sign, card, or device implying that such person is a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse unless such person is duly licensed or recognized by the board to practice under the provisions of this article;

(5) Fraudulently furnish a license to practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse;

(6) Knowingly employ any person to practice nursing as a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse who is not a registered professional nurse or advanced practice registered nurse;

(7) Conduct a nursing education program preparing persons to practice nursing as registered professional nurses unless the program has been approved by the board; or

(8) Knowingly aid or abet any person to violate this article.

## History

Code 1981, § 43-26-10, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 747, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 43; Ga. L. 2006, p. 125, § 6/SB 480; Ga. L. 2024, p. 409, § 2-4/SB 449, effective July 1, 2024; Ga. L. 2025, p. 1029, § 43(7)/SB 153, effective July 1, 2025.

## Amendments

The 2024 amendment, effective July 1, 2024, inserted “or advanced practice registered nurse” throughout this Code section and deleted a comma following “professional nurse” in paragraph (1).

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted “to practice” for “so to practice” in paragraph (4).