Nursing License from California to Minnesota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Minnesota Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from California to Minnesota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Minnesota Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Minnesota's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither California nor Minnesota participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: Minnesota's board verifies the license you already hold and issues its own. Nothing about California speeds it up or slows it down — the timeline below is Minnesota's standard out-of-state queue.
What changes, California → Minnesota
| California (current) | Minnesota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license) | $105 (endorsement application; + $32 criminal background check fee) |
| Processing time | 10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available) | board does not publish a timeline; optional temporary permit valid up to 60 days (non-renewable) while the application is under review |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Registered Nursing | Minnesota Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Minnesota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Minnesota's current requirements on the Minnesota Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Minnesota Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check (fingerprint packet emailed after application).
- Submit verification of licensure from your state of original licensure and, if different, the state where you most recently practiced.
- Have your most recent nursing employer complete the Confirmation of Nursing Employment form.
- Report continuing education or complete a refresher course if you have not practiced recently.
- Pay the fees ($105 (endorsement application; + $32 criminal background check fee)) and allow board does not publish a timeline; optional temporary permit valid up to 60 days (non-renewable) while the application is under review.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Minnesota accept a California nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from California to Minnesota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Minnesota Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Minnesota's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from California to Minnesota?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$105 (endorsement application; + $32 criminal background check fee) (endorsement application; + $32 criminal background check fee).
How long will it take?
board does not publish a timeline; optional temporary permit valid up to 60 days (non-renewable) while the application is under review — board does not publish a timeline; optional temporary permit valid up to 60 days (non-renewable) while the application is under review.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Minnesota Board of Nursing — Licensure by Endorsement process ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota Board of Nursing — Licensure Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Endorsement Application Fees & Instructions (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Processing Times ↗ (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]