How to Transfer a Nursing License to Another State

First Question: Which Pathway Applies to You?

How you transfer an RN license depends on one thing before anything else: whether **both** your current state and your new state are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). The NLC reports that 43 jurisdictions currently participate. Check its official map for your two states, because some member states have enacted the compact without having implemented it yet.

| Your situation | Pathway | |---|---| | Both states are active NLC members, and you hold a multistate license | Compact relocation (the 60-day rule, below) | | Either state is not an NLC member | Licensure by endorsement in the new state |

Your new state's membership is not enough by itself. For example, Florida is an NLC member but California is not, so a California nurse moving to Florida goes through Florida's standard endorsement application. A Texas nurse moving to Florida (both are members) uses Florida's simpler Multistate License Upgrade application.

Pathway 1: Moving Between Two Compact States

Under NLC Rule 402(2), in effect since January 2, 2024, a multistate licensee who changes their primary state of residence to another compact state **must apply** for a multistate license in the new state within 60 days. The rule's official FAQ makes these points:

- **The rule sets a deadline for applying, not for issuing.** You must submit the application within 60 days. The new state does not have to issue your license within 60 days. - **The 60 days begin when you actually relocate,** meaning you are physically present in the new state and intend to make it your primary residence. - **You can keep practicing on your old multistate license** until the new state issues yours. However, your former state will not renew that license once you are no longer a resident there. If it expires before the new license is issued, you can no longer rely on it, so the FAQ suggests renewing it before you move if it expires soon. - **Travel nurses on temporary assignments are not covered by the rule,** as long as they keep their primary state of residence. Getting a driver's license or registering to vote in the new state can change your primary state of residence for this purpose. - **You will need proof of residency** in the new state, such as that state's driver's license or ID, according to the FAQ.

**Where states differ:** the NLC FAQ calls this application "licensure by endorsement," but individual boards name and process it differently. Florida, for example, uses a dedicated Multistate License Upgrade form. Use the form your new board names.

Pathway 2: Licensure by Endorsement (Any Non-Compact Move)

If either state is outside the compact, you apply for licensure by endorsement with the new state's board of nursing. Endorsement means the board reviews your existing license and issues its own license. It does not depend on a bilateral agreement between the two states. Our guide to reciprocity vs. endorsement vs. comity explains how these terms differ.

What Is Actually Common Across States

We could confirm these steps from official sources for every state pair we have researched so far:

1. **Verification of your current license.** Every state pair we have sourced requires verification of your existing license. Most boards receive it through Nursys License Verification for Endorsement. Nursys sends the new board verifications from every participating state where you have held a license. Some boards do not participate in Nursys, and for those you request verification from the board directly. See our guide on how to request license verification. 2. **An application to the new state's board,** submitted through that board's own portal or forms. 3. **A fee** set by the new state.

What Genuinely Varies by State (Don't Assume)

These items differ from state to state, so we don't give general answers for them:

- **Fingerprinting and background checks.** In the state pairs we have sourced, California, Texas, Florida and Illinois each require fingerprinting under their own procedures. For New York we have not yet been able to confirm it from an official source. (The NLC's uniform licensure requirements do require fingerprint-based background checks for a multistate license.) - **Temporary permits.** Some boards issue a temporary license or permit while your application is reviewed, for example California and Texas. Others do not, and the eligibility conditions differ. - **Processing time.** Official figures range from about 10 business days after the last required item arrives (Texas BON) to 15 business days (Georgia). Some boards publish no fixed figure. - **Any additional requirements.** These are set entirely by the destination state. Check that state's pair page or its board.

Find the Rules for Your Specific Move

For the exact requirements between two states, including fees, forms and the official source for each item, see our state-to-state pages:

- California → Florida - California → New York - Georgia → Illinois - Illinois → Georgia - New York → California - Texas → California - Texas → Florida

If your state pair isn't listed yet, go directly to your **destination** state's board of nursing. Its official rules always override any general guide, including this one.