Nursing License from Pennsylvania to Hawaii: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Hawaii Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Hawaii by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Hawaii Board of Nursing, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Hawaii's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your original licensure and exam scores are verified through Nursys or directly by your original state board.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Moving from Pennsylvania into Hawaii means leaving the compact's coverage: Hawaii does not participate, so the multistate privilege that made Pennsylvania easy stops at the border. File Hawaii's endorsement application as early as the board allows — this direction of the move is paperwork-first, and starting after you arrive is the classic way to lose weeks of income. Note that while your primary residence remains in Pennsylvania, your multistate license keeps working in the compact states; you only lose it when you establish residence in Hawaii.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Hawaii
| Pennsylvania (current) | Hawaii (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $120–$180 ($120 single-state endorsement / $180 multistate endorsement (multistate requires PA primary residence); + fingerprinting costs; $105 to convert an existing PA license to multistate) | $186–$254 (total varies by point in the 2-year licensing cycle ($40 application + $36 license + Compliance Resolution Fund $50-$100 + $60 Center for Nursing + $18 half-renewal when applicable); fingerprint fee paid directly to Fieldprint; optional temporary permit $50) |
| Processing time | board's licensure guide states no fixed timeframe; delays are reduced by having schools and boards send documents directly to the Board | 3–4 weeks (board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available) |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing | Hawaii Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Hawaii sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Hawaii's current requirements on the Hawaii Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Hawaii Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based FBI and Hawaii state criminal history check through Fieldprint (code FPHIBrdNursing).
- Submit an original National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) self-query report.
- Obtain verification of licensure from your state of original licensure by exam (via Nursys if that state participates).
- If you have not actively practiced in the past 5 years, the board may require proof of continued competency (NCLEX retake or board-recognized continuing education).
- Pay the fees ($186–$254 (total varies by point in the 2-year licensing cycle ($40 application + $36 license + Compliance Resolution Fund $50-$100 + $60 Center for Nursing + $18 half-renewal when applicable); fingerprint fee paid directly to Fieldprint; optional temporary permit $50)) and allow 3–4 weeks (board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Hawaii accept a Pennsylvania nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Hawaii by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Hawaii Board of Nursing, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Hawaii's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your original licensure and exam scores are verified through Nursys or directly by your original state board.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Pennsylvania to Hawaii?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your original licensure and exam scores are verified through Nursys or directly by your original state board.
What does the move cost?
$186–$254 (total varies by point in the 2-year licensing cycle ($40 application + $36 license + Compliance Resolution Fund $50-$100 + $60 Center for Nursing + $18 half-renewal when applicable); fingerprint fee paid directly to Fieldprint; optional temporary permit $50) (total varies by point in the 2-year licensing cycle ($40 application + $36 license + Compliance Resolution Fund $50-$100 + $60 Center for Nursing + $18 half-renewal when applicable); fingerprint fee paid directly to Fieldprint; optional temporary permit $50).
How long will it take?
3–4 weeks (board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available) — board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Hawaii DCCA — Application for License (Endorsement or Without Exam), NSG-02/NSG-07 with fee schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii Board of Nursing — Application Forms and Publications ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Department of State — Nurse Licensure Compact (implementation and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Department of State — Nursing Licensure Guide (background check, Act 31 CE, verifications) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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