Nursing License Reciprocity by State (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21
40 of 51 US jurisdictions honor one multistate nursing license through the Nurse Licensure Compact; the remaining 11 require their own license by endorsement. The easiest moves are compact-to-compact (no new application); the slowest common destination is California at roughly 10-13 weeks.
Check your exact transfer pathway
Pathway, requirements, fees, and board links for your specific state pair.
The pathways, applied to nursing
Compact multistate license (the fast lane)
If your primary state of residence is an NLC member and you meet the 11 uniform licensure requirements, your license is already valid in every other member state. Moving between member states means updating your primary state of residence and applying by endorsement in the new home state — but you can keep working the whole time. Nothing else in US professional licensing moves this fast.
Licensure by endorsement (everyone else)
Endorsement is the standard door into any state where the compact doesn't apply: non-member destinations, nurses without multistate eligibility, or anyone whose primary residence sits outside the compact. The destination board verifies your original NCLEX-based license through Nursys, runs a fingerprint background check, and issues its own license. You never repeat the exam or nursing school.
Bilateral reciprocity agreements
Nursing does not use state-to-state reciprocity agreements the way real estate or contracting do — the compact replaced that model. If a website tells you two states have a special nursing reciprocity deal, it is describing the NLC or it is wrong.
Full re-application
No US state forces a licensed RN to start from scratch. Every jurisdiction, including the strictest non-compact states, offers endorsement. The practical worst case is not re-education — it is California's fee and queue.
Watch the moving pieces: Massachusetts enacted the compact in November 2024 but is still building its implementation (regulations, IT, FBI background-check approval) and is not yet issuing or honoring multistate licenses. Pennsylvania and Washington both went live within the last few years. The member list moves roughly quarterly — every page on this site carries the date its facts were verified.
The master matrix: every state by pathway
| Pathway (as destination) | States |
|---|---|
| NLC member — multistate license honored(40) | Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming |
| Licensure by endorsement(10) | Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon |
| NLC enacted — not yet issuing(1) | Massachusetts |
Fees & timelines: the spread
Highest verified application fees
- California$350
- Alaska$300
- District of Columbia$280
- Massachusetts$275
- Hawaii$186–$254
Processing times range from ~2 weeks (Florida) to 1–16 weeks (Nevada) — where a board publishes no timeframe, the state page says so honestly instead of guessing.
Frequently asked questions
How does nursing license reciprocity work in 2026?
40 of 51 US jurisdictions honor one multistate nursing license through the Nurse Licensure Compact; the remaining 11 require their own license by endorsement. The easiest moves are compact-to-compact (no new application); the slowest common destination is California at roughly 10-13 weeks.
Which states are in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
40 states participate as of 2026-07-21: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Massachusetts has enacted the compact but is not yet issuing multistate licenses.
Which states are NOT in the compact?
Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon do not participate as of 2026-07-21. To work in these states you need their own license, issued by endorsement.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX when I move states?
No. The NCLEX is a national exam and every state accepts your original pass, no matter how long ago you took it. Transfers are about verification, background checks, and fees — never re-testing.
How long does an RN license transfer take?
Compact-to-compact moves are immediate — your multistate license already works. Endorsement applications range from about 1-2 weeks (North Dakota, Vermont) to 10-13 weeks (California); most states land between 2 and 6 weeks, and many issue temporary permits while you wait.
How much does it cost to transfer a nursing license?
Endorsement fees run from $60 (Utah) to about $350 (California), plus a fingerprint background check of roughly $40-75 in most states and a $30 Nursys verification fee. Check your destination state's page for the exact number.
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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