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The Ultimate Guide to Nursing Compact States 2021

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), now the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), allows a nurse to have one multistate license with the ability to practice in their home state and other enhanced compact states. In other words, it’s an agreement that allows registered nurses (RNs) who are legal residents in an enhanced compact state to practice nursing in any of the other enhanced compact states without having to be licensed in that state.

If a nurse decides to permanently relocate from their legal state of residence to another, they must also transfer their license by applying for licensure in the new state. The basic steps are pretty simple:

  1. Pass the NCLEX exam (if not yet completed)
  2. Apply for Licensure by Endorsement on your new Board of Nursing state website
  3. Provide documentation that is requested (inlcuding a background check)
  4. Pay the applicable fees associated with the transfer

Nursing compact states:

  • NLC State
  • Partial Implementation
  • Pending NLC legislation
  • Non-NLC State

At the time of this writing (October 2021), a total of 33 states have fully eNLC legislation for RNs, and 10 are awaiting implementation. These include:

eNLC status of remaining states and territories

States and territories with pending eNLC legislation:


States and territories without legislation:

What the eNLC (NLC) means for nurses

As a nurse, holding a multi-state license gives increased career development opportunities and job flexibility. Nurses with these licenses may practice in as many as 35 states without having to apply for licensure in the other states in which they practice. This means there are fewer complications, extra application charges, or barriers.

Travel nurses (requirements) and military personnel are, without a doubt, the greatest beneficiaries of the eNLC legislation. There are no more worries about having to spend extra time and money applying for or renewing your nursing license across multiple states since it’s taken care of in the eNLC.

For more information check out the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website for an NLC Toolkit that includes videos and other resources.

How to apply for a multi-state license

If you are curious about whether your nursing license is compact or not, you can check on Nursys. This site is a database for nurses to verify their licensure. You can see if your license is current or out of date, and you get live notifications about updates to the compact status within your state.

If you are curious about whether your nursing license is compact or not, you can check on Nursys. This site is a database for nurses to verify their licensure. You can see if your license is current or out of date, and you get live notifications about updates to the compact status within your state.

To apply for healthcare workers’ compact licensure successfully you must meet the following 11 requirements:

  • Live in one of the compact states and claim it as your primary state of legal residence
  • Graduate from a board-approved education program OR graduate from an international education program (approved by the authorized accrediting body in the applicable country and verified by an independent credentials review agency) 
  • Pass an English proficiency exam (applies to graduates of an international education program not taught English or if English is not the individual’s native language) 
  • Pass an NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN examination or predecessor exam 
  • Be eligible for or hold an active, unencumbered license  
  • Submit to state and federal fingerprint-based criminal background checks 
  • Have no state or federal felony convictions 
  • Have no misdemeanor convictions related to the practice of nursing 
  • Not currently a participant in an alternative program 
  • Self-disclose current participation in an alternative program 
  • Have a valid United States Social Security number

*If you are in a state with pending legislation, you don’t have to do anything until the bills are passed. After your state joins the nursing compact, the state board will reach out to registered nurses in the state. You must make sure your permanent address is updated with the state board before they determine compact license eligibility.

[ Looking for more support? Get free, personalized career guidance from experienced RNs. ]

Moving scenarios

Many nurses move states at least once during their careers. The NCSBN requires the following for nurses moving states:

Noncompact to Compact: You must apply for licensure by endorsement in the new state of residence. The nurse can either apply before or after the move. You can receive a multistate license once you meet residency and eligibility requirements.

Compact to Noncompact: You have to apply for licensure by endorsement in the new state of residence. You can apply either before or after the move. Once you change legal residency, your multistate license changes to a single state license.

Compact to Compact: If you decide to move to another nursing compact state, you have to apply for licensure by endorsement. You must complete this by the time they move. You can practice with the old state license only until the new license is issued. Once the new multistate license is activated the old one is rendered inactive.

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