Nursing License from West Virginia to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Arizona State Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both West Virginia and Arizona are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If West Virginia is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arizona now; if you are moving your residence to Arizona, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arizona your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both West Virginia and Arizona are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Arizona while living in West Virginia — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Arizona means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Arizona and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, West Virginia → Arizona
| West Virginia (current) | Arizona (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $125 (board fee item is 'Endorsement With Temp Permit'; + 0.25% online transaction fee; background-check fees paid separately) | $150 (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee) |
| Processing time | board does not publish a processing timeframe; the $125 endorsement fee includes a temporary permit | 4–12 weeks (permanent license issues only after fingerprint results — approx. 30 days electronic, 8-12 weeks hard card; temporary license approx. 30 business days) |
| Licensing authority | West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses | Arizona State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
- If you are moving your primary residence to Arizona: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Arizona State Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Arizona as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Arizona's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Arizona accept a West Virginia nursing license?
Yes — both West Virginia and Arizona are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If West Virginia is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arizona now; if you are moving your residence to Arizona, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arizona your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from West Virginia to Arizona?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Arizona: $150 (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee) (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (4–12 weeks (permanent license issues only after fingerprint results — approx. 30 days electronic, 8-12 weeks hard card; temporary license approx. 30 business days)).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Arizona BON — Apply for a License (RN/LPN endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arizona BON — Agency Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WV RN Board — Licensing (fee schedule, endorsement, Nurse Portal) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WV RN Board — RN and APRN Licensure Requirements (PDF) ↗ (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]