Transfer Your Nursing License to Maryland: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maryland Board of Nursing ↗
Maryland is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in Maryland immediately, with no new application. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the Maryland Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Moving to Maryland 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 — Maryland requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Maryland, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — an active multistate license from another compact state is honored in Maryland without an endorsement application unless Maryland becomes the nurse's primary state of residence; compact applicants follow a separate compact process.
Maryland requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $230 (endorsement application; optional 90-day temporary license $70 ($300 if both); CJIS fingerprinting fee paid separately to the fingerprinting vendor) |
| Processing time | board does not publish a timeline; 90-day temporary license available while the application is pending |
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check through Maryland CJIS Live Scan.
- Submit the endorsement application within 48 hours of completing fingerprinting.
- Have official transcripts sent directly from your nursing program to the Board.
- Upload a digital passport-style photograph.
- Hold an active RN license in another state.
- Pay the fees ($230 (endorsement application; optional 90-day temporary license $70 ($300 if both); CJIS fingerprinting fee paid separately to the fingerprinting vendor)) and allow board does not publish a timeline; 90-day temporary license available while the application is pending.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Maryland:
All 43 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing license transfer to Maryland?
Maryland is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in Maryland immediately, with no new application. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the Maryland Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Maryland?
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 Maryland?
$230 (endorsement application; optional 90-day temporary license $70 ($300 if both); CJIS fingerprinting fee paid separately to the fingerprinting vendor) (endorsement application; optional 90-day temporary license $70 ($300 if both); CJIS fingerprinting fee paid separately to the fingerprinting vendor).
How long does Maryland take to process an endorsement application?
board does not publish a timeline; 90-day temporary license available while the application is pending — board does not publish a timeline; 90-day temporary license available while the application is pending.
Is Maryland in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Maryland is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Maryland 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.
- Maryland Board of Nursing — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nurse Licensure Compact — official commission site ↗ (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]