Transfer Your Nursing License to Arkansas: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Arkansas State Board of Nursing ↗
Arkansas honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Arkansas application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, without retaking the NCLEX.
Moving to Arkansas from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
NLC member — multistate license honored
Whether you need to do anything at all depends on the license in your pocket. If you hold a multistate license and your primary residence stays in another compact state — a travel contract, a border commute, telehealth — Arkansas requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Arkansas, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — an RN holding an active multistate license from a compact home state practices in Arkansas without endorsing; endorsement is for nurses declaring Arkansas residence or arriving from non-compact states.
Arkansas requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $125 (endorsement application; + state/FBI background-check fee paid in the separate CBC system plus Live Scan vendor fee (amounts not published on board pages); optional $30 temporary permit) |
| Processing time | no processing timeframe stated by the board; temporary permit available while the application is pending |
Step by step
- Confirm Arkansas's current requirements on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Arkansas State Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- State and FBI fingerprint-based criminal background check, requested and paid through a separate CBC system.
- Request license verification via Nursys from your original state of licensure (ASBN verification form if that state is not in Nursys).
- Declare your primary state of residence — an active multistate license from a compact home state bars a separate Arkansas license.
- Sign and upload the CBC Challenge & Privacy Notifications form.
- Pay the fees ($125 (endorsement application; + state/FBI background-check fee paid in the separate CBC system plus Live Scan vendor fee (amounts not published on board pages); optional $30 temporary permit)) and allow no processing timeframe stated by the board; temporary permit available while the application is pending.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Arkansas:
All 43 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing license transfer to Arkansas?
Arkansas honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Arkansas application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, without retaking the NCLEX.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Arkansas?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Arkansas?
$125 (endorsement application; + state/FBI background-check fee paid in the separate CBC system plus Live Scan vendor fee (amounts not published on board pages); optional $30 temporary permit) (endorsement application; + state/FBI background-check fee paid in the separate CBC system plus Live Scan vendor fee (amounts not published on board pages); optional $30 temporary permit).
How long does Arkansas take to process an endorsement application?
no processing timeframe stated by the board; temporary permit available while the application is pending — no processing timeframe stated by the board; temporary permit available while the application is pending.
Is Arkansas in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Arkansas is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Arkansas without any application, as long as your primary residence stays in a member state.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Arkansas SBN — RN Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas SBN — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas SBN — Criminal Background Check Instructions (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]