Interstate Professional License Reciprocity Navigator
Moving your professional practice across state lines depends on the specific legal relationship between your home state and your destination. Use our statutory navigator to compare Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) rules, Real Estate Mutual Recognition, NASCLA Commercial Contractor exam waivers, and Electrician Reciprocity across all 50 states.
State-to-State Reciprocity Navigator
Compare statutory transfer rules, compact privileges, and exam waivers between any two states.
California to Texas • Registered Nurse (RN)
California is NOT an eNLC compact state, but Texas is. You cannot use compact multistate privileges. You must submit an application for Licensure by Endorsement to the Texas Board of Nursing (BON).
Transfer Roadmap: CA → TX
Verify passing NCLEX-RN score and original state license on Nursys.com.
Complete FBI biometric fingerprinting per Texas board requirements.
Pass the online 50-question Texas Nursing Jurisprudence Exam (TJPE).
Upon approval, receive Texas single-state or multistate license.
The 4 Legal Mechanisms of Interstate License Portability
Every professional license transfer in the United States falls into one of four statutory frameworks:
Interstate Compacts (Multistate Practice)
Interstate compacts are formal legislative agreements between member states authorized by state statutes. If your Primary State of Residence (PSOR) is a compact member, you are issued a single multistate license that grants practice privileges across all other member states without applying to other boards or paying additional fees.
Mutual Recognition Agreements
Mutual recognition is a bilateral or multilateral treaty between specific state licensing commissions that have evaluated each other’s licensing requirements and determined them to be substantially equal. Pre-licensing education and national portions of exams are waived, but licensees must usually take a short state law exam.
Licensure by Endorsement / Comity
Where no formal compact or mutual recognition agreement exists, state boards accept applications "by endorsement". The destination board evaluates your verified exam scores (NCLEX, NPTE, AICPA, etc.) and supervised practice hours. If equivalent, the national exam is waived, but you must complete criminal background checks and pass state jurisprudence.
Standard Retesting / No Reciprocity
Some jurisdictions refuse to recognize out-of-state credentials regardless of applicant seniority. Applicants must complete all mandatory pre-licensing classroom hours and sit for the complete state examination as if they were a new entrant.
50-State Statutory Reciprocity Reference Matrix
Overview of professional licensing frameworks across all 50 states + Washington D.C.
| State | eNLC Nursing Compact | Real Estate Reciprocity | NASCLA Contractor | Electrician Reciprocal | State Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama(AL) | ✓ Active Member | Reciprocal State List(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 7+ States | View Laws → |
| Alaska(AK) | Endorsement Only | Full Reciprocity(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 17+ States | View Laws → |
| Arizona(AZ) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Arkansas(AR) | ✓ Active Member | Mutual Recognition(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 18+ States | View Laws → |
| California(CA) | Endorsement Only | No Reciprocity (Full Exam Required)(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Colorado(CO) | ✓ Active Member | Full Reciprocity(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 18+ States | View Laws → |
| Connecticut(CT) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Delaware(DE) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| District of Columbia(DC) | Endorsement Only | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Florida(FL) | ✓ Active Member | Mutual Recognition(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Georgia(GA) | ✓ Active Member | Full Reciprocity | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 6+ States | View Laws → |
| Hawaii(HI) | Endorsement Only | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Idaho(ID) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Illinois(IL) | Endorsement Only | Mutual Recognition | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Indiana(IN) | ✓ Active Member | Reciprocal State List(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Iowa(IA) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Kansas(KS) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Kentucky(KY) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Louisiana(LA) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Maine(ME) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Maryland(MD) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Massachusetts(MA) | ⏳ Enacted (Pending) | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Michigan(MI) | Endorsement Only | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Minnesota(MN) | Endorsement Only | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Mississippi(MS) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Missouri(MO) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Montana(MT) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Nebraska(NE) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Nevada(NV) | Endorsement Only | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| New Hampshire(NH) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| New Jersey(NJ) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| New Mexico(NM) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| New York(NY) | Endorsement Only | Reciprocal State List | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| North Carolina(NC) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 9+ States | View Laws → |
| North Dakota(ND) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Ohio(OH) | ✓ Active Member | Reciprocal State List(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 5+ States | View Laws → |
| Oklahoma(OK) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Oregon(OR) | Endorsement Only | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Pennsylvania(PA) | ✓ Active Member | Reciprocal State List | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Rhode Island(RI) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| South Carolina(SC) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| South Dakota(SD) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Tennessee(TN) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Texas(TX) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 13+ States | View Laws → |
| Utah(UT) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Vermont(VT) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Virginia(VA) | ✓ Active Member | Full Reciprocity(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | ✓ 7+ States | View Laws → |
| Washington(WA) | ✓ Active Member | Full Reciprocity(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 1+ States | View Laws → |
| West Virginia(WV) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | ✓ Accepted | No Reciprocity | View Laws → |
| Wisconsin(WI) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
| Wyoming(WY) | ✓ Active Member | Experience Endorsement(State law exam required) | Not Accepted | ✓ 3+ States | View Laws → |
Frequently Asked Questions: License Reciprocity & Compacts
What is professional license reciprocity?
License reciprocity is an agreement between two or more states allowing a licensed professional to obtain a license or practice in another state without repeating the full pre-licensing education or national examinations. Reciprocity operates under four primary legal mechanisms: interstate compacts, mutual recognition agreements, licensure by endorsement, or comity.
What is the difference between an interstate compact and reciprocity?
Under an interstate compact (such as the Nurse Licensure Compact or Physical Therapy Compact), a single multistate license issued by your home state is legally valid for practice across all member states without paying additional application fees or submitting duplicate credentials. In contrast, standard reciprocity or endorsement still requires applying to and receiving a separate license from the destination state board, although pre-licensing classes or exams may be waived.
Do I have to retake my licensing exam when moving to another state?
In most licensed professions (including nursing via NCLEX, accounting via Uniform CPA, and general real estate via Pearson VUE/PSI national portions), national examinations do not need to be retaken. However, many states still require an exam covering state-specific laws, statutes, and local building codes (e.g., Florida Real Estate Law, California Business & Law for contractors, or Texas Nursing Jurisprudence).
Which states have no real estate reciprocity?
California does not have real estate reciprocity with any state (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 10151.5). All applicants must complete 3 college-level courses and pass the California exam. Other states, like Texas and Hawaii, do not offer direct reciprocity agreements, though Texas waives the national portion of the exam.