Nursing License from Colorado to Pennsylvania: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both Colorado and Pennsylvania are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Colorado is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Pennsylvania now; if you are moving your residence to Pennsylvania, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Pennsylvania your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Colorado and Pennsylvania are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Pennsylvania while living in Colorado — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Pennsylvania means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Pennsylvania and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Colorado → Pennsylvania
| Colorado (current) | Pennsylvania (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | endorsement fee not published on a public board page — shown inside the DPO Online Services portal at application; + fingerprint vendor fee (IdentoGO/Colorado Fingerprinting) | $120–$180 ($120 single-state endorsement / $180 multistate endorsement (multistate requires PA primary residence); + fingerprinting costs; $105 to convert an existing PA license to multistate) |
| Processing time | board publishes no processing time; background check results only reach the board within 90 days of printing | board's licensure guide states no fixed timeframe; delays are reduced by having schools and boards send documents directly to the Board |
| Licensing authority | Colorado Board of Nursing | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Pennsylvania sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
- If you are moving your primary residence to Pennsylvania: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Pennsylvania as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Pennsylvania's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Pennsylvania accept a Colorado nursing license?
Yes — both Colorado and Pennsylvania are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Colorado is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Pennsylvania now; if you are moving your residence to Pennsylvania, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Pennsylvania your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Colorado to Pennsylvania?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Pennsylvania: $120–$180 ($120 single-state endorsement / $180 multistate endorsement (multistate requires PA primary residence); + fingerprinting costs; $105 to convert an existing PA license to multistate) ($120 single-state endorsement / $180 multistate endorsement (multistate requires PA primary residence); + fingerprinting costs; $105 to convert an existing PA license to multistate).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (board's licensure guide states no fixed timeframe; delays are reduced by having schools and boards send documents directly to the Board).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- PA Department of State — Nurse Licensure Compact (implementation and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Department of State — Nursing Licensure Guide (background check, Act 31 CE, verifications) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — Nursing Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nursys — participating boards (Colorado) ↗ (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]