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Nursing Mastery

Know your license steps before you move states.

Tell us your license and where you’re moving, and see your route, each step in order with its date, and the rule each step comes from.

License rules to know

When this page and your state board disagree, the board wins.

The compact license
  • The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/LVN practice; NPs need separate APRN authority in each state of practice.1
  • 43 states and territories have joined the eNLC, and 41 of them currently accept the multistate license.2
  • California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, and a few others are outside the compact; Massachusetts has joined but isn't issuing compact licenses yet.2
  • A multistate license is tied to primary residence; after a compact-to-compact move, apply in the new home state within 60 days.1
NCLEX and license timing
  • A retake waits at least 45 test-free days after the last attempt, and some states cap attempts per year.3
  • A passing NCLEX result is not permission to practice; your state board decides when a license or temporary permit is active.4
  • Before accepting a start date, confirm the exact license or permit the employer requires and verify the status with the issuing board.4
New-grad residency fine print
  • Residency eligibility windows, application dates, and required license status differ by employer and cohort.5
  • Treat GPA, graduation date, prior RN experience, and license timing as separate eligibility checks; do not assume one program's rules carry to another.6
  • If the offer includes a service commitment or repayment clause, ask for the amount, forgiveness schedule, triggering events, and exceptions in writing.7
Internationally educated nurses
  • TruMerit (formerly CGFNS) issues 70% of CES reports within 7 business days once documents arrive; gathering documents averages about 14 weeks.8
  • Most state boards ask for an English proficiency exam such as TOEFL, IELTS, or OET, with exemptions for English-taught programs.9
  • Visa retrogression can add multi-year waits for some countries, and only some health systems sponsor.10
NP scope by state
  • 27 states grant full practice authority, and the rest reduce or restrict it: the same NP license does different work in a restricted state.11
  • In reduced and restricted states, NPs need a career-long collaborative agreement with, or supervision by, another health provider.11
Specialty doors and their keys
  • Many ICU, ED, OR, and L&D postings ask for one to two years of nursing experience, though new-grad residencies hire straight into these units.12
  • CRNA programs require at least a year of critical care nursing; COA counts ICU broadly, and many programs prefer adult ICU.13
  • NNP program guidelines recommend two years of NICU nursing before starting clinical courses.14
  • Aesthetics injecting is state-by-state: most states let RNs inject under a physician or NP's exam and orders, so check your state board's rules.9
  1. 1
    NCSBN NLC FAQs(opens in a new tab)

    Checked September 20, 2026

  2. 2
    NCSBN nurse-compact map(opens in a new tab)

    Checked Jul 2026

  3. 3
    NCSBN(opens in a new tab)

    Checked Jul 2026

  4. 4
    NCSBN nurse licensure guidance(opens in a new tab)

    Checked Jul 2026

  5. 5
    ANCC Practice Transition Accreditation Program(opens in a new tab)

    Checked Jul 2026

  6. 6

    employer residency postings

    Checked Jul 2026

  7. 7

    employer offer and repayment terms

    Checked Jul 2026

  8. 8
    TruMerit(opens in a new tab)

    Checked Jul 2026

  9. 9

    state boards of nursing

    Checked Jul 2026

  10. 10

    U.S. State Department visa bulletin

    Checked Jul 2026

  11. 11
    AANP state practice map (May 2026)(opens in a new tab)

    Checked Jul 2026

  12. 12

    representative postings

    Checked Jul 2026

  13. 13

    COA accreditation standards

    Checked Jul 2026

  14. 14

    NANNP curriculum guidelines (2023)

    Checked Jul 2026

Compact and state license guides

Related help