Nursing License from Louisiana to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both Louisiana and Tennessee are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Louisiana is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Tennessee now; if you are moving your residence to Tennessee, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Tennessee 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 Louisiana and Tennessee are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Tennessee while living in Louisiana — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Tennessee means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Tennessee and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Louisiana → Tennessee
| Louisiana (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $100–$200 ($100 endorsement application; $200 if adding the optional 90-day temporary permit; + fingerprint background check fees) | $150 ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee) |
| Processing time | no processing timeframe published; optional 90-day temporary endorsement permit allows practice while the application is pending | ~6 weeks (board instructions state to allow six weeks for processing) |
| Licensing authority | Louisiana State Board of Nursing | Tennessee Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee 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 Tennessee: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Tennessee Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Tennessee as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Tennessee'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 Tennessee accept a Louisiana nursing license?
Yes — both Louisiana and Tennessee are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Louisiana is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Tennessee now; if you are moving your residence to Tennessee, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Tennessee your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Louisiana to Tennessee?
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 Tennessee: $150 ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee) ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (~6 weeks (board instructions state to allow six weeks for processing)).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- TN BON — Instructions for Licensure by Endorsement (RN and LPN, PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Nursing, ch. 1000-01 (revised April 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Nursing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- LSBN — Instructions and Forms for Initial RN License by Endorsement (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Louisiana Administrative Code 46:XLVII.3341 — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Louisiana Administrative Code 46:XLVII.3330 — Criminal history check for endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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