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How nurse licensure works
Every state and territory sets its own nursing licensure requirements. The process depends on whether this is your first license, a license by endorsement, or a multistate license based on your primary state of residence.
40 entries in this directory are full Nurse Licensure Compact members. A multistate license can simplify cross-state practice, but the state where the patient is located still controls the nursing laws and scope of practice.
- Your first license
- A Board of Nursing issues your initial license after verifying your education, examination, background, and other state requirements.
- Licensure by endorsement
- If you already hold a nursing license, another state may issue one after verifying your existing license and its own application requirements.
- A multistate license
- Eligible nurses whose primary residence is in a compact state may apply for one multistate license with practice privileges in other compact jurisdictions.
- Renewal and continuing education
- Renewal dates, fees, and continuing-education rules remain state-specific, including for nurses who hold more than one single-state license.
Every state
- Alabama eNLC
- Alaska
- Arizona eNLC
- Arkansas eNLC
- California
- Colorado eNLC
- Connecticut eNLC
- Delaware eNLC
- Florida eNLC
- Georgia eNLC
- Hawaii
- Idaho eNLC
- Illinois
- Indiana eNLC
- Iowa eNLC
- Kansas eNLC
- Kentucky eNLC
- Louisiana eNLC
- Maine eNLC
- Maryland eNLC
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi eNLC
- Missouri eNLC
- Montana eNLC
- Nebraska eNLC
- Nevada
- New Hampshire eNLC
- New Jersey eNLC
- New Mexico eNLC
- New York
- North Carolina eNLC
- North Dakota eNLC
- Ohio eNLC
- Oklahoma eNLC
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania eNLC
- Rhode Island eNLC
- South Carolina eNLC
- South Dakota eNLC
- Tennessee eNLC
- Texas eNLC
- Utah eNLC
- Vermont eNLC
- Virginia eNLC
- Washington eNLC
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia eNLC
- Wisconsin eNLC
- Wyoming eNLC
Nursing license questions
The essentials to confirm before you apply or accept an assignment in another state.
Not always. A multistate license issued by your primary compact state can provide practice privileges in other compact jurisdictions. For a noncompact state, you generally need the license or temporary authorization that state requires before you begin work.
Endorsement is the process of applying for a license in a new state when you are already licensed elsewhere. The new Board of Nursing verifies your existing license and asks you to meet its application, background-check, fee, and documentation requirements.
Timelines vary by state and by application. Fingerprints, license verification, missing documents, and seasonal volume can all add time. Review the state guide and Board of Nursing instructions before accepting an assignment with a fixed start date.
40 states in this directory are full compact members. Compact status and implementation dates can change, so confirm current privileges with your primary-state Board of Nursing and the Nurse Licensure Compact.
Confirm the application type, total fees, fingerprint method, required license verification, temporary-license availability, processing estimate, and whether the Board needs documents sent directly from a school or another agency.