Whether you are a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN), you may change residence at some point in your career and need to know how to get a nursing license in another state.
Do I need to retake the NCLEX if moving to another state? Can I practice in another state without getting a new license? How can I get a nursing license in a different state? This article will answer these questions and walk you through the steps to apply for a nursing license in another state based on your initial credentials.
The Basics: How to Get a Nursing License
If you are not yet a licensed nurse, below are the general steps you must follow to obtain a nursing license. If you are wondering why just the general steps and not the exact/complete steps, the answer is directly related to the purpose of this article. Each state has specific requirements to obtain a nursing license. Therefore, aspiring nurses must always refer to their state’s board of nursing for a complete list of requirements.
Here are the general requirements for a nursing license:
- An aspiring nurse must first complete a state-approved nursing program based on the license they are pursuing (practical/vocational, or associate program to become an LPN/LVN or typically an associate or bachelor program to become an RN)
- Graduates must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses or Practical Nurses (NCLEX-RN/NCLEX-PN).
- Candidates must also apply for licensure through their board of nursing and fulfill other state-specific requirements, which may include fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
What You Should Know about Moving Licenses to Other States
Each state has a specific nursing license for RNs and LPNs/LVNs, so nursing licenses cannot be obtained at the national level. For example, a Nevada nursing license is not valid for practicing in Oregon, and vice versa. Therefore, if a nurse moves from Nevada to Oregon, they must obtain an Oregon license.
However, working temporarily in a different state is not always this complex. Currently, 39 states and two US territories are members of the enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC), which allows nurses to work throughout the member states and territories without requiring additional licensure.
Read on to learn how to get a nursing license in a different state.
Moving from One Compact Nursing State to Another
The most straightforward scenario is holding a multistate license from a nursing compact member state and moving to another member state. In this case, a nurse can immediately start working in the new state without requiring an additional license.
Temporary work across compact states
Nurses can work indefinitely in another compact state without getting a new nursing license as long as they maintain their residence in the state of their credential. This situation benefits nurses who pick up PRN jobs or travel nursing assignments in various states on a temporary basis.
For example, a PRN nurse with a Maryland compact license travels throughout the United States, picking up PRN shifts. The nurse travels to Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia. In each of these places, the nurse can work without getting a new nursing license.
Permanent changes of residence
If a nurse plans to move to another state permanently, they will eventually have to change their residence and, therefore, obtain a nursing license for the state in which they relocated.
A nurse with a compact license from Maryland, for example, may decide to move to another compact state permanently. In this case, the nurse will eventually need to renew a driver’s license or take another action that would cause them to change their Primary State of Residence (PSOR). When they officially change residence, they must also obtain a nursing license from their new PSOR.
Regardless of where you practice and where your nursing license is from, it is crucial to verify the status of your credential. Based on the above examples, whether you work in Maryland, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, or Georgia, you can use Nursys, a national nursing license lookup tool, or your board of nursing for license verification.
Moving between Non-Compact and Compact States
The bottom line is that you must have a valid nursing license to practice in a particular state. If your license is from a state that is not a member of the nursing compact, you must apply for a new license. Similarly, a nurse with an active nursing license in a compact state must still apply for licensure in the non-compact state they wish to practice in.
Applying for a compact state license
Applicants who meet the uniform licensure requirements may apply for a single-state or a multistate license through the board of nursing of the compact state they will reside in. On the state’s board of nursing website, candidates can find applications for all of the following:
- License by exam for new graduates seeking to take the NCLEX-RN/NCLEX-PN
- License by endorsement for applicants who already hold a license in another state and wish to “transfer their license”
- Nursing license renewal
- Upgrading/converting a single-state license into a multistate/compact license
- License for graduates of international nursing programs
Do you need help deciding which nursing program to choose? Learn about some of the best RN programs.
Applying for a non-compact state license
Even nurses with an active and valid license from a compact state will need to apply for licensure in the non-compact state they wish to practice in. This application typically would involve getting a nursing license by endorsement (aka transferring a license), although it is possible to retake the NCLEX to get a new license through examination. Again, requirements are state-specific, so applicants must consult the specific board of nursing of the state in which they plan to practice.
Moving a Nursing License Due to Military Reasons
Nurses working in the military are exempt from licensure in the state of practice as long as they hold an active nursing license in any state. However, this exception does not apply when nurses, including military spouses, are working in a civilian facility in a non-federal role. In this case, the nurse must hold appropriate licensure in the state of practice. In summary, unless you work as a military nurse, you must follow the same steps as any other nurse to obtain a nursing license in the new state.
If you must obtain a new state license as a military spouse, you may receive reimbursement for the costs you incur to get your license.
Moving a Nursing License to a Different Country
Can you move a nursing license to a different country? The short answer is “yes.” According to the World Health Organization, “one in every eight nurses practices in a country other than the one where they were born or trained.” However, this situation does not imply that the process is straightforward.
Just as the National Council of State Boards of Nursing requires internationally educated nurses (IENs) to meet specific requirements to practice in the US, so do other countries impose requirements on US-educated nurses. These requirements vary based on the country where you would like to work.
You’ve Received Your License: Now What?
Now that you know how to get a nursing license in a different state, you are ready for the next step: finding a job.
Nursa is a healthcare staffing platform that connects facilities and PRN nursing clinicians throughout the United States. Facilities that need additional short-term coverage can post PRN jobs, and clinicians looking for high-paying shifts can request the jobs that interest them. Nursa allows facilities to cover gaps in their schedules, helps nurses and nursing assistants control when and where they work, and opens the door to significantly higher hourly wages.
Did you recently move to a different state with your multistate license or a new single-state license? Explore the high-paying opportunities at facilities near you with Nursa’s PRN nursing jobs.
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