Registered Nurse License Reciprocity by State (2026)
Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)
Registered nurses transfer through the Nurse Licensure Compact. If your primary state of residence is a compact state you can hold one multistate licence and practise in every other implemented compact state without a separate endorsement application.
- Covers:
- Registered nurses (RN). The same compact covers LPN/LVN.
- Does not cover:
- Advanced practice registered nurses (APRN, NP, CRNA, CNM, CNS) are not covered by the NLC and need the separate APRN Compact.
- Governing body:
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
What to know before you rely on it
- Your primary state of residence (PSOR) decides which board issues the multistate licence — it is set by your driver's licence, voter registration and tax address.
- Moving between compact states triggers the 60-day rule: apply for licensure in the new home state within 60 days of the move.
- A multistate licence does not exempt you from the practice laws of the state where the patient is located.
- Discipline imposed by any compact state board can affect your licence in your home state.
Jurisdictions where Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is active (41)
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Enacted but not yet usable: Massachusetts
Not participating: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon
Verify this first: Confirm your home state is currently issuing multistate licences on the NCSBN compact map before you count on the compact.
NCSBN — Nurse Licensure Compact ↗State-by-state reciprocity notes
12 of 51 states have a published reciprocity note in our dataset. For the remaining states, the note is not published — check both state boards before you move. Provides direct patient care and coordinates care plans. Requires an ADN or BSN and the NCLEX-RN; licensing is via state boards of nursing.
| State | Reciprocity note | Verify with |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Arizona State Board of Nursing ↗ |
| California | No — CA is not an NLC member; endorsement available | California Board of Registered Nursing ↗ |
| Florida | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Florida Board of Nursing ↗ |
| Georgia | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Georgia Board of Nursing ↗ |
| Illinois | No — IL is not an NLC member; endorsement available | Illinois Board of Nursing (IDFPR) ↗ |
| Michigan | No — MI is not an NLC member; endorsement available | Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA, Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗ |
| New York | No — NY is not an NLC member; endorsement available | New York State Education Department — Office of the Professions ↗ |
| North Carolina | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | North Carolina Board of Nursing ↗ |
| Ohio | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Ohio Board of Nursing ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Yes — NLC member (multistate since July 7, 2025) | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing ↗ |
| Texas | Yes — NLC member; multistate license available | Texas Board of Nursing ↗ |
| Washington | Yes — NLC member (since July 2023); multistate license available | Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission ↗ |
| Alabama | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Alaska | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Arkansas | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Colorado | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Connecticut | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Delaware | check both state boards | board site pending |
| District of Columbia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Hawaii | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Idaho | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Indiana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Iowa | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Kansas | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Kentucky | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Louisiana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Maine | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Maryland | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Massachusetts | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Minnesota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Mississippi | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Missouri | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Montana | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Nebraska | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Nevada | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Hampshire | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Jersey | check both state boards | board site pending |
| New Mexico | check both state boards | board site pending |
| North Dakota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Oklahoma | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Oregon | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Rhode Island | check both state boards | board site pending |
| South Carolina | check both state boards | board site pending |
| South Dakota | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Tennessee | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Utah | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Vermont | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Virginia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| West Virginia | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Wisconsin | check both state boards | board site pending |
| Wyoming | check both state boards | board site pending |
Frequently asked questions
How does a RN license transfer between states?
Registered nurses transfer through the Nurse Licensure Compact. If your primary state of residence is a compact state you can hold one multistate licence and practise in every other implemented compact state without a separate endorsement application.
Which states accept a RN license under Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) lists 41 jurisdictions where this is active today: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Also enacted, but not yet usable: Massachusetts. Not participating: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon. Membership changes, so confirm on the official source before you rely on it.
Does Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) mean I skip the exam entirely?
Not automatically. Your primary state of residence (PSOR) decides which board issues the multistate licence — it is set by your driver's licence, voter registration and tax address. The only reliable answer for your situation comes from the destination board, so verify before you pay application fees.
Can I transfer my RN license to another state?
In our dataset, 12 states have a published reciprocity note (see the table). For every other state the rule is not published here — check both state boards before moving.
What does reciprocity mean for a license?
Reciprocity lets an already-licensed professional from one state qualify for a license in another state without repeating the full education and exam process. Some states have formal agreements or compacts; others require a state-specific exam or extra coursework even when they accept your license. Many states do not grant a license on reciprocity at all — they grant it by comity or endorsement, meaning you still file an application and meet their requirements.
Why do some states say "check both state boards"?
State reciprocity tables are not consistently published in machine-readable form. When a state has not published an official note in our verified sources, we point you to both boards rather than guess. That is the safest answer for a decision that can affect your eligibility to work.
Does holding a license in one state guarantee a license in another?
No. Every state sets its own licensing law. Even in states with reciprocity or a compact, you typically still file an application, pay a fee, pass a background check and sometimes pass a state-specific exam. Always confirm directly with the destination state board.
Plan your move with RN data
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Reciprocity rules and compact membership change frequently and are set by each state legislature and board. “Check both state boards” means the note is not published in our dataset — it is not a negative answer. Mechanism data retrieved 2026-09-13; always verify with both boards before relocating.