Transfer Your Nursing License to Louisiana: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Louisiana State Board of Nursing ↗
Louisiana honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Louisiana application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, without retaking the NCLEX.
Moving to Louisiana 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 — Louisiana requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Louisiana, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — a multistate license from another compact state is honored without a Louisiana application unless Louisiana becomes the primary state of residence.
Louisiana requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $100–$200 ($100 endorsement application; $200 if adding the optional 90-day temporary permit; + fingerprint background check fees) |
| Processing time | no processing timeframe published; optional 90-day temporary endorsement permit allows practice while the application is pending |
Step by step
- Confirm Louisiana's current requirements on the Louisiana State Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current, valid, unrestricted RN license in another US state or territory.
- Have actively practiced as a registered nurse within the most recent four years.
- Fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check.
- Apply online through the Louisiana Nurse Portal (lsbn.boardsofnursing.org).
- Pay the fees ($100–$200 ($100 endorsement application; $200 if adding the optional 90-day temporary permit; + fingerprint background check fees)) and allow no processing timeframe published; optional 90-day temporary endorsement permit allows practice while the application is pending.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Louisiana:
All 43 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing license transfer to Louisiana?
Louisiana honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Louisiana application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, without retaking the NCLEX.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Louisiana?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Louisiana?
$100–$200 ($100 endorsement application; $200 if adding the optional 90-day temporary permit; + fingerprint background check fees) ($100 endorsement application; $200 if adding the optional 90-day temporary permit; + fingerprint background check fees).
How long does Louisiana take to process an endorsement application?
no processing timeframe published; optional 90-day temporary endorsement permit allows practice while the application is pending — no processing timeframe published; optional 90-day temporary endorsement permit allows practice while the application is pending.
Is Louisiana in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Louisiana is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Louisiana 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.
- 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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]