Transfer Your Nursing License to Florida: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Florida Board of Nursing ↗
Florida is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in Florida immediately, with no new application. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the Florida Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Moving to Florida 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 — Florida requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Florida, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Florida Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — a multistate license from another compact state is honored in Florida without endorsement unless Florida becomes the nurse's primary state of residence.
Florida requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; endorsement rests on your original NCLEX/SBTPE-based licensure (or qualifying practice history) verified with your prior boards |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $110 ($50 processing + $50 initial licensure + $5 unlicensed activity + $5 student loan forgiveness; Livescan fingerprint fee varies by vendor) |
| Processing time | ~2 weeks (board states initial application review within 10 business days; Livescan results reach the board within 24-72 hours of processing) |
Step by step
- Confirm Florida's current requirements on the Florida Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Florida Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active, unencumbered RN license issued by another US state, DC, or territory.
- Electronic fingerprint background screening through an FDLE-approved Livescan provider (board ORI EDOH4420Z; hard cards not accepted).
- License verification from your original state of licensure and your current active state (board staff attempt online verification first).
- Applicants qualifying by 2 of the preceding 3 years of active practice instead of NCLEX equivalence receive a single-state license and must complete a board-approved Florida laws and rules course within 6 months.
- Pay the fees ($110 ($50 processing + $50 initial licensure + $5 unlicensed activity + $5 student loan forgiveness; Livescan fingerprint fee varies by vendor)) and allow ~2 weeks (board states initial application review within 10 business days; Livescan results reach the board within 24-72 hours of processing).
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Florida:
All 50 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing license transfer to Florida?
Florida is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in Florida immediately, with no new application. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the Florida Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Florida?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; endorsement rests on your original NCLEX/SBTPE-based licensure (or qualifying practice history) verified with your prior boards. No state requires a second NCLEX.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Florida?
$110 ($50 processing + $50 initial licensure + $5 unlicensed activity + $5 student loan forgiveness; Livescan fingerprint fee varies by vendor) ($50 processing + $50 initial licensure + $5 unlicensed activity + $5 student loan forgiveness; Livescan fingerprint fee varies by vendor).
How long does Florida take to process an endorsement application?
~2 weeks (board states initial application review within 10 business days; Livescan results reach the board within 24-72 hours of processing) — board states initial application review within 10 business days; Livescan results reach the board within 24-72 hours of processing.
Is Florida in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Florida is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Florida 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.
- Florida Board of Nursing — Nursing (RN & LPN) licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida BON — Nursing Licensure by Endorsement Application DH-MQA 1095 (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nursys — participating boards (Florida) ↗ (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]