Nursing License from Minnesota to California: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: California Board of Registered Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from Minnesota to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Registered Nursing, verify your Minnesota license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Minnesota nor California participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: California's board verifies the license you already hold and issues its own. Nothing about Minnesota speeds it up or slows it down — the timeline below is California's standard out-of-state queue.
What changes, Minnesota → California
| Minnesota (current) | California (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $105 (endorsement application; + $32 criminal background check fee) | $350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license) |
| Processing time | board does not publish a timeline; optional temporary permit valid up to 60 days (non-renewable) while the application is under review | 10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available) |
| Licensing authority | Minnesota Board of Nursing | California Board of Registered Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — California sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm California's current requirements on the California Board of Registered Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the California Board of Registered Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based DOJ and FBI background check via California Live Scan or fingerprint hard card.
- Request license verification through Nursys or submit the Verification of License form.
- Have official transcripts sent directly from your nursing school.
- Hold a current, active RN license in another state, US territory, or Canada.
- Apply online through the BreEZe system.
- Pay the fees ($350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license)) and allow 10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does California accept a Minnesota nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Minnesota to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Registered Nursing, verify your Minnesota license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Minnesota to California?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license) (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license).
How long will it take?
10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available) — initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- California BRN — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Endorsement Application Fees & Instructions (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Processing Times ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota Board of Nursing — Licensure by Endorsement process ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota Board of Nursing — Licensure Fees ↗ (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]