The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), first signed into law in 2000, enables nurses who hold a specific multistate license to practice in any NLC state. In 2018, enhancements were made to the NLC that brought new states, and the original compact dissolved on July 18, 2018. Since then, new states continue to enact NLC, opening more opportunities for travel.
Is your state moving forward with NLC? View the NLC Jurisdiction and Status Map to find out.
Only nurses who declare a compact state as their primary state of residence may be eligible for a multistate license.
As a resident of a noncompact state, a nurse may apply for a license by endorsement in a compact state, however, eligibility will be limited to a single state license that is valid in that state only.
As a resident of a noncompact state, a nurse can have as many single-state licenses as they wish.
For compact purposes, primary state of residence is not related to property ownership in a given state. It is about your legal residency status. Everyone has legal documents such as a driver’s license, voter’s card, federal income tax return, military form no. 2058, or W2 form from the primary state of residence (PSOR). If a nurse’s PSOR is a compact state, that nurse may be eligible for a multistate (compact) license. If a nurse cannot declare a compact state as his/her PSOR, that nurse is not eligible for a compact license. They may apply for a single state license in any state where they wish to practice.
One of the best resources for updates regarding the new multistate license is the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website or your own state BON.
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