Nurse Licensure Compact Explained
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement that allows mutual recognition (reciprocity) of a nursing license between member U.S. states ("compact states"). Enacted into law by the participating states, the NLC allows a nurse who is a legal resident of and possesses a nursing license in a compact state (their "home state") to practice in any of the other compact states (the "remote states") without obtaining additional licensure in the remote states. It applies to both registered and practical nurses and is also referred to as a multi-state license.[1]
Per the NLC rules, nurses who are licensed in and legal residents of a compact state may not hold licenses from other compact statesthat is, they can only hold one compact state license at a time, which must be from their home state, and a nurse temporarily practicing in a remote state retains their license in their home state. However, if a nurse changes their primary state of residence from one compact state to another compact state, they must transfer their license by applying for licensure by endorsement in the new home state; upon issuance of the new home state license, the license from the former home state is inactivated.
A license obtained in a compact state that is not one's state of legal residency is not recognized by the other compact members, so nurses who are legal residents of non-compact states must obtain licenses for each compact state in which they wish to practice.[2] [3]
Participating states
As of August, 2024, the 40 NLC states are:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut (tentative implementation date: 10/01/25)
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania (partial implementation as of September 5, 2023-tentative full implementation date: 1/25)
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- The territory of the US Virgin Islands has passed NLC legislation and entered the compact, but is awaiting an implementation date
- Guam has a partial implementation, which allows nurses who hold active, multi-state NLC licenses to practice in Guam. Nurses who claim Guam as their primary place of residency, however, cannot apply for a multi-state license until the NLC is fully implemented.
Eight other states and the District Of Columbia all have active NLC bills. They are: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York.
NLC history and basic information, bill progress, position statements
- Compact History: https://www.brookings.edu/2023/02/08/nurse-licensure-compacts-before-during-and-after-covid/
- Compact Nursing States: 2023 Updated Guide for RNs
- Explanation Of The NLC For Nurses: https://www.ncsbn.org/video/explanation-of-the-nurse-licensure-compact-for-nurses
- More Explanation Of The NLC:https://dailynurse.com/the-nurse-licensure-compact-accessibility-ease-and-portability/
- For Alaska Nurses: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/Portals/5/pub/NLC_Facts_Jan2024.pdf
- For Connecticut Nurses: https://www.senatedems.ct.gov/public-health-leaders-welcome-final-passage-of-nurse-licensure-compacth
- For Hawaii Nurses: https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/02/hawaii-is-short-medical-workers-are-interstate-compacts-the-solution
- For Massachusetts Nurses: https://www.mhalink.org/news/massachusetts-healthcare-organizations-urge-passage-of-the-nurse-licensure-compact/
- For Michigan Nurses: https://www.wemu.org/michigan-news/2023-09-04/interstate-nurse-licensure-compact-bill-reintroduced
- For Minnesota Nurses: https://www.facebook.com/SenatorCarlaNelson/videos/1001730134878352
- For Minnesota Nurses: https://mn.gov/boards/nursing/licensure/nurse-license-compact/
- For Nevada Nurses: https://nevadanursingboard.org/covid-19-resource-and-information/
- For Nevada Nurses: testimony from the Chair of the Nevada Nurses Association Legislative Committee: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/82nd2023/ExhibitDocument/OpenExhibitDocument?exhibitId=66619&fileDownloadName=0407_AB108_swanson.c_ltrsup_public.pdf
- For New York Nurses: https://youtu.be/gmnxHZ5BEOU
- For Oregon Nurses: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Downloads/PublicTestimonyDocument/52829
- For Pennsylvania Nurses: update on NLC implementation date: https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/State-details.aspx?newsid=569
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 2009-11-30. 2009-11-30.
- Web site: NLC FAQs . National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. . 22 September 2020.
- Web site: Moving Scenarios Factsheet . National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. . 22 September 2020.
