Nursing License from California to Nevada: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Nevada State Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from California to Nevada by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Nevada State Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Nevada's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither California nor Nevada participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: Nevada'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 Nevada's standard out-of-state queue.
What changes, California → Nevada
| California (current) | Nevada (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) | $100 (RN endorsement application, non-refundable; + $40 fingerprint card processing; 50% fee reduction for military members, veterans, and spouses) |
| 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) | 1–16 weeks (applications processed in about one week; permanent license held until DPS/FBI fingerprint results arrive (up to 4 months) — one-time six-month temporary license available meanwhile) |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Registered Nursing | Nevada State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Nevada sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Nevada's current requirements on the Nevada State Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Nevada State Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check (fingerprint card, or electronic submission only if in Nevada).
- Nurse License Verification for Endorsement through Nursys from your original state of licensure by examination.
- Submit evidence of graduation (diploma or official transcript) from an accredited nursing program.
- Must have practiced nursing within the previous five years, or complete a refresher program or retake the NCLEX.
- Valid U.S. Social Security number or ITIN required.
- Pay the fees ($100 (RN endorsement application, non-refundable; + $40 fingerprint card processing; 50% fee reduction for military members, veterans, and spouses)) and allow 1–16 weeks (applications processed in about one week; permanent license held until DPS/FBI fingerprint results arrive (up to 4 months) — one-time six-month temporary license available meanwhile).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Nevada accept a California nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from California to Nevada by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Nevada State Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Nevada's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from California to Nevada?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$100 (RN endorsement application, non-refundable; + $40 fingerprint card processing; 50% fee reduction for military members, veterans, and spouses) (RN endorsement application, non-refundable; + $40 fingerprint card processing; 50% fee reduction for military members, veterans, and spouses).
How long will it take?
1–16 weeks (applications processed in about one week; permanent license held until DPS/FBI fingerprint results arrive (up to 4 months) — one-time six-month temporary license available meanwhile) — applications processed in about one week; permanent license held until DPS/FBI fingerprint results arrive (up to 4 months) — one-time six-month temporary license available meanwhile.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Nevada State Board of Nursing — RN/LPN by Endorsement Requirements (rev. 1/26, PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nevada State Board of Nursing — Fee Schedule (PDF) ↗ (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]