Nurse Licensing Requirements by State

How Nurse Licensing Works

Nursing is licensed at the state level. Every state requires passing the NCLEX-RN exam and applying through the state Board of Nursing. However, requirements for renewal, continuing education, and multi-state practice vary significantly.

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement between 40 states that allows registered nurses to hold one multistate license and practice in any compact state without obtaining additional licenses. This is particularly valuable for:

• Travel nurses — work assignments in multiple states without separate applications
• Telehealth nurses — provide care to patients across state lines
• Border-area nurses — work at facilities near state boundaries
• Disaster response — deploy quickly to other states during emergencies

How to Get a Multistate License

To obtain a multistate NLC license, you must:

1. Declare a compact state as your primary state of residence
2. Meet that state's licensing requirements
3. Pass a federal and state criminal background check
4. Hold an unencumbered (unrestricted) license
5. Not be enrolled in any alternative/monitoring programs

If you move to a new compact state, you must apply for a new multistate license in that state within 30–90 days.

Non-Compact States

The following 12 states/territories are not in the NLC. Nurses must obtain a separate license to practice in each:

• Alaska
• California
• District of Columbia
• Illinois
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Nevada
• New York
• Oregon
• Rhode Island
• Washington

License Endorsement (Transferring Your License)

If you're moving to or want to practice in a non-compact state, you need to apply for license by endorsement. This process typically requires:

• Current, active RN license in another state
• Verification of your original license (via Nursys or directly from the issuing state)
• Background check (fingerprints in most states)
• Application fee ($100–$400 depending on state)
• Proof of education from an accredited nursing program
• Some states require recent practice hours (e.g., 400–960 hours in the past 2–4 years)

Processing time ranges from 2 weeks to 3+ months depending on the state. California, New York, and Massachusetts are known for longer processing times.

Continuing Education (CE) Requirements

Most states require continuing education hours for license renewal. Requirements vary widely — from 0 hours (states that accept practice hours or competency attestation instead) to 30+ hours every 2 years. Some states have specific CE topic requirements:

• Mandatory topics: Many states require CEs in specific areas like opioid prescribing, implicit bias, suicide prevention, or infection control
• Online CE: Most states accept online continuing education
• Free CEs: Many employers, professional organizations, and pharmaceutical companies offer free nursing CE courses