Transfer Your Nursing License to Tennessee: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board of Nursing ↗
Tennessee honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Tennessee application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Tennessee Board of Nursing, without retaking the NCLEX.
Moving to Tennessee 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 — Tennessee requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Tennessee, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — a multistate license from another compact state is honored without a Tennessee application unless Tennessee becomes the primary state of residence. Fees increased effective 2026-04-08; older board instruction sheets still show $115.
Tennessee requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Additional requirements |
|
| Fees | $150 ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee) |
| Processing time | ~6 weeks (board instructions state to allow six weeks for processing) |
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check through the board's vendor (OCA code 1703 for RN).
- Request license verification through Nursys from your original state of licensure.
- Have an official transcript sent directly from your nursing program to the board.
- Submit a notarized Declaration of Citizenship form and a signed passport-size photo.
- Declare Tennessee (or a non-compact state) as your primary state of residence to be eligible.
- Pay the fees ($150 ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee)) and allow ~6 weeks (board instructions state to allow six weeks for processing).
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Tennessee:
All 43 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing license transfer to Tennessee?
Tennessee honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses need no Tennessee application at all. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Tennessee Board of Nursing, without retaking the NCLEX.
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Tennessee?
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 Tennessee?
$150 ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee) ($140 endorsement + $10 biennial state regulatory fee (rules effective 2026-04-08); + fingerprint background check vendor fee).
How long does Tennessee take to process an endorsement application?
~6 weeks (board instructions state to allow six weeks for processing) — board instructions state to allow six weeks for processing.
Is Tennessee in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Tennessee is an NLC member as of 2026-07-21. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Tennessee 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.
- TN BON — Instructions for Licensure by Endorsement (RN and LPN, PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Rules of the Tennessee Board of Nursing, ch. 1000-01 (revised April 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Tennessee Department of Health — Board of Nursing ↗ (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]