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Registered Nurse — License Requirements by State
Provides direct patient care and coordinates care plans. Requires an ADN or BSN and the NCLEX-RN; licensing is via state boards of nursing.
12 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | · $200 | — | App $300 · Lic $300 | — | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Arizona State Board of Nursing ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | · $200 | — | App $300 · Lic $300 | — | No — CA is not an NLC member; endorsement available | California Board of Registered Nursing ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | · $200 | — | App $110 · Lic $110 | — | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Florida Board of Nursing ↗ |
| GA | — | · $200 | — | App $40 · Lic $40 | — | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Georgia Board of Nursing ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | · $200 | — | App $50 · Lic $50 | — | No — IL is not an NLC member; endorsement available | Illinois Board of Nursing (IDFPR) ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | · $200 | — | App $212.9 · Lic $212.9 | — | No — MI is not an NLC member; endorsement available | Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA, Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | · $200 | — | App $143 · Lic $143 | — | No — NY is not an NLC member; endorsement available | New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions ↗ |
| NC | — | · $200 | — | App $75 · Lic $75 | — | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | North Carolina Board of Nursing ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | · $200 | — | App $75 · Lic $75 | — | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Ohio Board of Nursing ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | · $200 | — | App $95 · Lic $95 | — | Yes — NLC member (multistate since July 7, 2025) | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing ↗ |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | — | · $200 | — | App $75 · Lic $75 | — | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Texas Board of Nursing ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | · $200 | — | App $138 · Lic $138 | — | Yes — NLC member (since July 2023); multistate license available | Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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