American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB)

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) is an independent, non-profit certifying body whose purpose is to provide a valid and reliable program for the evaluation of individuals wishing to enter, continue, and/or advance in the NP profession through the certification process. It was established in the early 1990s by Dr. Jan Towers and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. In 1999, AANPCB became separately incorporated as the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Certification Board, Inc. and the credential NP-C, which stands for Nurse Practitioner-Certified, was registered and trademarked.

AANPCB is overseen by a Board of Commissioners (BOC) composed of experienced nurse practitioners representative of the certificants and at least one public member. The BOC offers input and guidance into organizational decisions and governs all major decisions affecting the AANPCB certification programs and processes.

Certification Examinations
AANPCB national certification examinations are competency-based examinations for nurse practitioners to reflect their knowledge and expertise in the role and population area of education.

AANPCB currently offers Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP, Family NP, and Psychiatric Mental Health NP examinations, which are entry-level certifications, and the Emergency NP examination, which is a specialty certification for certified FNPs with expertise in emergency care. See the candidate handbooks for information about eligibility requirements and the application process.