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Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
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Registered nursing (RN) requirements vary among states, whether you’re applying for a new nursing license, renewing your current license, or transferring an existing one.
Find your state’s nursing license requirements and guidelines by navigating the map below. Learn how long it can take to receive your nursing license, how to transfer it, and what it means if your state is in the Nursing Licensure Compact.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Learn More About Our Partners Loading. Learn More Visit Site Loading. Learn More Visit Site Loading. Learn More Visit SiteOnce you have graduated from an accredited nursing program, you must take the NCLEX-RN exam — a mandatory requirement in all states — to receive your license. States may also require other materials, including criminal background checks, fingerprints, and official school transcripts.
In Washington, D.C., and all 50 states, prospective RNs must apply through their state licensing boards and pass the NCLEX exam. While some states may grant temporary licenses to nurses waiting for NCLEX results, others only permit RNs to practice once they pass the exam.
Earning your nursing license can take 2-4 years, depending on your nursing degree. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) generally takes two years, while a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) generally requires four years.
After earning your degree, it can take 4-12 weeks to study for the NCLEX. You can receive your NCLEX quick results two days after the test, but it takes six weeks to receive official results. After your state board of nursing receives all the required documentation, including NCLEX results, issuing your nursing license typically takes 2-12 weeks.
License transfers require a request for licensure by endorsement from the state board of nursing where you wish to transfer. The requirements differ in each state but generally include verifying that you have an active license, completing an application, passing a background check, and paying a fee. States also require you to certify your education and submit your official transcripts.
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement between states allowing RNs and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) to hold one multi-state license to practice in their primary state of residence and other NLC states. A nurse’s primary state of residence is the state in which they hold a driver’s license and can vote.
Nurses whose primary state of residence does not participate in the NLC cannot have a multi-state license. Nurses wishing to change their primary state of residence must apply for a nursing license in the new state within 60 days. A multi-state license benefits nurses who move to another NLC state or live and work along the border of other NLC states, such as the tri-state area of OH, KY, and IN. This license also benefits travel or per diem nurses.
