Nursing Compact States

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) lets nurses hold one multistate license and practice across participating states without applying for a separate license in each one. As of 2026, 43 jurisdictions take part, including 41 states and two U.S. territories.

What the Nurse Licensure Compact Is

The NLC is an agreement among states to recognize a single multistate license. Earn your license in one compact state and you can practice in any other participating state without a new application.

There's one catch: if you move your primary residence to a different state, you apply for a license there. Each state sets its own renewal and maintenance requirements, so check with your new state board.

The compact covers registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nurse educators. Since most states require educators to be licensed where their students are located, a multistate license lets them teach remote students across compact states.

The payoff is geographic flexibility. Nurses in multistate health systems and travel nurses move freely, and employers can hire from any compact state. Fewer applications also mean less paperwork for state boards.

Current Compact States and Status

The table below lists each jurisdiction and its status. A few statuses change as states enact or implement legislation, so confirm your specific state with your board of nursing or NCSBN before relying on it.

Jurisdiction	NLC Status
Alabama	NLC State
Alaska	Non-NLC State
Arizona	NLC State
Arkansas	NLC State
California	Non-NLC State
Colorado	NLC State
Connecticut	NLC State
Delaware	NLC State
District of Columbia	Non-NLC State
Florida	NLC State
Georgia	NLC State
Guam	Partial NLC Implementation
Hawaii	Non-NLC State
Idaho	NLC State
Illinois	Non-NLC State
Indiana	NLC State
Iowa	NLC State
Kansas	NLC State
Kentucky	NLC State
Louisiana	NLC State
Maine	NLC State
Maryland	NLC State
Massachusetts	Pending Implementation
Michigan	Non-NLC State
Minnesota	Non-NLC State
Mississippi	NLC State
Missouri	NLC State
Montana	NLC State
Nebraska	NLC State
Nevada	Non-NLC State
New Hampshire	NLC State
New Jersey	NLC State
New Mexico	NLC State
New York	Non-NLC State
North Carolina	NLC State
North Dakota	NLC State
Ohio	NLC State
Oklahoma	NLC State
Oregon	Non-NLC State
Pennsylvania	NLC State
Rhode Island	NLC State
South Carolina	NLC State
South Dakota	NLC State
Tennessee	NLC State
Texas	NLC State
Utah	NLC State
Vermont	NLC State
Virgin Islands	Partial NLC Implementation
Virginia	NLC State
Washington	Partial NLC Implementation
West Virginia	NLC State
Wisconsin	NLC State
Wyoming	NLC State

What Nurses Gain in a Compact State

A multistate license opens up more work, saves money, and makes telehealth across state lines simple.

More opportunities: pick up work in another compact state with almost no paperwork.

Lower cost: you renew one home-state license instead of paying separate fees in every state where you practice. Relocate and you pay once for the new license, with no extra fees unless you move again.

Telehealth: a compact license lets you care for patients in other participating states without separate credentials, which matters as remote care keeps growing and patients need access to specialists.

What States and Patients Gain

When nurses can cross state lines to meet patient needs, access improves for everyone in compact states. The arrangement strengthens disaster response, cross-state cooperation, and reach into underserved areas.

Availability: rural and remote areas in compact states can draw on a larger pool of nurses.

Disaster preparedness: during outbreaks or natural disasters, compact states can send nurses where demand spikes, as the COVID-19 pandemic showed when hard-hit states scrambled for staffing.

Cooperation: nurses and other clinicians work across state lines, which helps in unpredictable situations.

Access to care: patients in non-compact states can miss out on specialized care that a multistate workforce would otherwise reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many states are in the Nurse Licensure Compact?

As of 2026, 43 jurisdictions participate, including 41 states and two U.S. territories.

How do you apply for a multistate license?

Apply to the board of nursing in the state where you live or attend school, as long as it's a compact state. You must reside or be a student in a participating state and show proof of residence.

Which states are not in the compact?

Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon, and the District of Columbia do not participate. Massachusetts has passed legislation and is awaiting implementation. Statuses change, so verify with NCSBN.

What happens to my license when I move between compact states?

For a permanent move, submit proof of residence in the new state and apply for a new license before or right after you move. You can keep practicing on your old multistate license until the new one is issued.