Nursing License from Wisconsin to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: North Dakota Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both Wisconsin and North Dakota are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Wisconsin is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in North Dakota now; if you are moving your residence to North Dakota, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare North Dakota your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Wisconsin and North Dakota are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in North Dakota while living in Wisconsin — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to North Dakota means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into North Dakota and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Wisconsin → North Dakota
| Wisconsin (current) | North Dakota (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | initial endorsement fee is charged in the LicensE portal at application; no current public DSPS schedule lists it; optional temporary permit + $10 | $150 (nonrefundable endorsement fee set by NDAC 54-02-06-01; + $40 Criminal History Record Check fee payable to the ND Attorney General, plus local fingerprinting agency charges) |
| Processing time | DSPS does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications | 1–2 weeks (board asks 5-10 business days once all items are received; the CHRC itself takes 10-14 business days; a 90-day temporary permit is issued automatically at no extra fee while the CHRC pends) |
| Licensing authority | Wisconsin Board of Nursing | North Dakota Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — North Dakota 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 North Dakota: apply for licensure by endorsement with the North Dakota Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare North Dakota as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete North Dakota'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 North Dakota accept a Wisconsin nursing license?
Yes — both Wisconsin and North Dakota are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Wisconsin is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in North Dakota now; if you are moving your residence to North Dakota, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare North Dakota your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Wisconsin to North Dakota?
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 North Dakota: $150 (nonrefundable endorsement fee set by NDAC 54-02-06-01; + $40 Criminal History Record Check fee payable to the ND Attorney General, plus local fingerprinting agency charges) (nonrefundable endorsement fee set by NDAC 54-02-06-01; + $40 Criminal History Record Check fee payable to the ND Attorney General, plus local fingerprinting agency charges).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (1–2 weeks (board asks 5-10 business days once all items are received; the CHRC itself takes 10-14 business days; a 90-day temporary permit is issued automatically at no extra fee while the CHRC pends)).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- ND Board of Nursing — Endorsement, US Educated ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ND Board of Nursing — Criminal History Record Check (CHRC) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ND Administrative Code 54-02-06 — License by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — Registered Nurse (endorsement section) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — #3087 Credentialing Information for RN/LPN Licensure (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]