Compact Nursing States
License Portability Checker — see whether a multistate RN or LPN/VN license may support your next state, and separate implemented, partial, and pending status.
Nurse Licensure Compact · Verified August 11, 2026 from nursecompact.com / NCSBN · Inputs stay in your browser
NLC route planner
Check a state-to-state license route
Compare your legal primary state of residence, destination, and current multistate-license status with the official NLC map.
State-to-state result
Your likely licensing route will appear here
The result explains compact status and next checks. It does not replace a board-issued license or Nursys authorization map.
Planning an out-of-state move?
After you check compact status, browse nursing roles that match your license, specialty, and schedule goals.
Current official status
NLC at a glance
Enactment and implementation are different. Pending jurisdictions are not counted as fully implemented here. Recheck the official map before applying or practicing.
- Fully implemented
- 40
- Total enacted
- 43
- Partial
- 1
- Awaiting implementation
- 2
- Moving application rule
- 60 days
- Next data review
- Sep 2026
Jurisdiction directory
Compact state status
Snapshot verified August 11, 2026. Status can change between scheduled reviews.
Implemented (40)
- AlabamaJanuary 1, 2020
- ArizonaJanuary 19, 2018
- ArkansasJanuary 19, 2018
- ColoradoJanuary 19, 2018
- ConnecticutOctober 1, 2025
- DelawareJanuary 19, 2018
- FloridaJanuary 19, 2018
- GeorgiaJanuary 19, 2018
- IdahoJanuary 19, 2018
- IndianaJuly 1, 2020
- IowaJanuary 19, 2018
- KansasJuly 1, 2019
- KentuckyJanuary 19, 2018
- LouisianaJuly 1, 2019
- MaineJanuary 19, 2018
- MarylandJanuary 19, 2018
- MississippiJanuary 19, 2018
- MissouriJanuary 19, 2018
- MontanaJanuary 19, 2018
- NebraskaJanuary 19, 2018
- New HampshireJanuary 19, 2018
- New JerseyNovember 15, 2021
- New MexicoJanuary 19, 2018
- North CarolinaJanuary 19, 2018
- North DakotaJanuary 19, 2018
- OhioJanuary 1, 2023
- OklahomaJanuary 19, 2018
- PennsylvaniaJuly 7, 2025
- Rhode IslandJanuary 8, 2024
- South CarolinaJanuary 19, 2018
- South DakotaJanuary 19, 2018
- TennesseeJanuary 19, 2018
- TexasJanuary 19, 2018
- UtahJanuary 19, 2018
- VermontFebruary 1, 2022
- VirginiaJanuary 19, 2018
- WashingtonJanuary 31, 2024
- West VirginiaJanuary 19, 2018
- WisconsinJanuary 19, 2018
- WyomingJanuary 19, 2018
Partial or pending (3)
- GuamNurses holding an active multistate license may practice in Guam, but Guam residents cannot apply for a multistate license until full implementation.
- MassachusettsThe NLC has been enacted, but compact privileges and resident multistate applications are not available until implementation.
- United States Virgin IslandsThe NLC has been enacted, but compact privileges and resident multistate applications are not available until implementation.
Not a member (13)
- Alaska
- American Samoa
- California
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Oregon
- Puerto Rico
The home-state rule
Your assignment does not set residency
A multistate license is issued by the nurse's legal primary state of residence. NLC guidance points to legal-residency evidence—not where an employer is located or whether the nurse owns property.
Privilege to practice in a remote state is still subject to that state's nursing laws and discipline. This tool is planning guidance only.
Common questions
Compact nursing license FAQ
Does living in a compact state automatically give me a multistate license?
No. Your primary state of residence must be an implemented NLC state, and you must meet the uniform licensure requirements and receive a license with multistate status from that home state.
What is my primary state of residence?
NLC guidance describes it as the state where you can prove legal residence, reflected by evidence such as your driver's license, voter registration, and state declared on federal tax filing. Property ownership alone does not establish it, and you may have only one primary state of residence.
What happens when I move between compact states?
A multistate licensee who changes primary residence from one compact state to another must apply for a multistate license in the new home state within 60 days. Review the official moving guidance for transition rules.
Can I use a multistate license in a noncompact state?
No. A multistate license does not replace the noncompact jurisdiction's single-state licensing process.
Where can I verify exactly where I am authorized to practice?
Use Nursys to verify your license status and individualized authorization-to-practice map, then confirm any temporary or state-specific authorization with the relevant board of nursing.
Does this checker determine official authorization?
No. It compares your entries with a frozen official NLC jurisdiction snapshot for planning. Only a board-issued license and a current Nursys authorization-to-practice map establish authority to practice.
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