Transfer Your Nursing License to Connecticut: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) ↗
Connecticut honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Connecticut application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health), without retaking the NCLEX.
Moving to Connecticut 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 — Connecticut requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Connecticut, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — a multistate license from another compact state is honored in Connecticut without endorsement unless Connecticut becomes the nurse's primary state of residence.
Connecticut requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; all RN licenses held (current or expired) are verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement) |
| Processing time | no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application |
Step by step
- Confirm Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current RN license from a US state or territory that required passing the NCLEX (non-NCLEX licensees must apply by examination instead).
- Arrange verification of all RN licenses held, current or expired, through Nursys (written verification form for non-participating states).
- Apply online through the eLicense portal — paper applications are not accepted.
- Pay the fees ($180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement)) and allow no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Connecticut:
All 43 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing license transfer to Connecticut?
Connecticut honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Connecticut application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health), without retaking the NCLEX.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Connecticut?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; all RN licenses held (current or expired) are verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Connecticut?
$180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement) (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement).
How long does Connecticut take to process an endorsement application?
no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application — no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application.
Is Connecticut in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Connecticut is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Connecticut 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.
- CT DPH — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nursys — participating boards (Connecticut) ↗ (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]