The Nurse Licensure Compact, explained
43 jurisdictions have enacted the NLC: 40 states fully implemented, Guam partial, Massachusetts and U.S. Virgin Islands enacted but awaiting implementation. Here is what that means for where you can work.
Compact states (40)
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, 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, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Not in the compact (10)
Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon
Passed, not yet in effect
Massachusetts and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Guam accepts multistate licenses but can't issue them yet.
The rules that matter
What a multistate license covers
A multistate license gives the privilege to practice in person or by telehealth in every fully implemented compact state (and Guam). It gives no privilege in non-compact or enacted-pending states (e.g. CA, NY, MA).
Your home state decides
A multistate license is issued only by the nurse's primary state of residence (PSOR): the state of legal residence (driver's license, voter registration, taxes), not property ownership.
Only one multistate license
A nurse can hold only one multistate license, from the home state. Licenses in non-compact states are always separate single-state licenses.
Check that yours is multistate
A license from a compact state is not automatically multistate. Check status on Nursys QuickConfirm (nursys.com).
Travel contracts don't change your home state
A temporary assignment (e.g. 13-week travel contract) does not change PSOR; the nurse keeps the home-state multistate license.
Moving between compact states
Apply by endorsement in the new home state within 60 days (rule effective 2024-01-02). May keep practicing on the old multistate license until the new one is issued; the old one is then deactivated. Can apply before moving.
Moving to a non-compact state
Apply by endorsement in the new state and notify the former board; the former multistate license converts to single-state.
Moving from a non-compact state
Apply by endorsement in the new home state; a multistate license may be issued if residency and uniform requirements (incl. state and federal fingerprint background checks) are met. The old single-state license is unaffected.
Whose rules you follow
Nurses must follow the nurse practice act of the state where the patient is located.
APRNs and NPs
The NLC covers RNs and LPN/LVNs only. There is no multistate APRN/NP license in effect.
Compact status as of October 29, 2026. Official source: nursecompact.com.