Getting a District of Columbia nursing license by endorsement

Reviewed by Keegan, RN · ER & NICU travel nurse

Endorsement timeline, fees & requirements · Verified 2026-06-18

Not published as a completion estimate. The board says to allow 30 business days after applying before checking status.

District of Columbia endorsement at a glance

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

How it works: The DC Board of Nursing licenses an out-of-state RN by endorsement if you currently hold an RN license in a US state or territory, were originally licensed on a qualifying education program plus the NCLEX, and have stayed in good standing everywhere; you apply through the DC Health portal.
Processing time: Not published as a completion estimate. The board says to allow 30 business days after applying before checking status.
Work while waiting: Not published. The DC endorsement-requirements document lists only the application steps and does not describe a temporary or interim permit for endorsement applicants.
Requirements: Nursys verification ($30; non-Nursys states such as California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania email verification directly), a Fieldprint fingerprint background check, a government photo ID, a 2x2 photo, and a Social Security affidavit if you have no SSN. No state jurisprudence exam.
Fees: $280 application and background-check fee (Visa or MasterCard only), plus a $30 Nursys verification fee.
Compact rules: DC is not a compact state, so an out-of-state license, including a multistate license, does not authorize practice in DC. You must apply for licensure by endorsement.

Fees are non-refundable; foreign-educated applicants follow separate instructions.

Source: DC Board of Nursing, RN endorsement requirements, last checked 2026-06-18. Fees and timelines change; confirm with the board before you rely on a date.

Steps to endorse into District of Columbia

1Confirm you need a District of Columbia license: District of Columbia is not a compact state, so an out-of-state license will not cover you.
2Verify every nursing license you have held through Nursys (or the board's paper verification form for non-Nursys states).
3Complete the required criminal background check and fingerprinting.
4Submit the District of Columbia Board of Nursing endorsement application and fee, plus any transcripts, state coursework, or jurisprudence exam the board requires.
5Apply for a temporary or interim permit if the state offers one and you need to work before the permanent license issues.

Start at the source: District of Columbia Board of Nursing or the online licensing portal. Not sure if you even need to endorse? The compact eligibility quiz sorts compact privilege from a required license in two minutes.

District of Columbia endorsement FAQ

How long does it take to get a District of Columbia nursing license by endorsement?: Not published as a completion estimate. The board says to allow 30 business days after applying before checking status.
Can I work in District of Columbia while my endorsement application is processing?: Not published. The DC endorsement-requirements document lists only the application steps and does not describe a temporary or interim permit for endorsement applicants.
Do I need a District of Columbia license if I already hold a compact multistate license?: DC is not a compact state, so an out-of-state license, including a multistate license, does not authorize practice in DC. You must apply for licensure by endorsement.
How much does District of Columbia endorsement cost?: $280 application and background-check fee (Visa or MasterCard only), plus a $30 Nursys verification fee.

Do I qualify for a compact multistate license?

Build a personalized license-transfer checklist

More for District of Columbia nurses

New state, new renewal clock

Once your District of Columbia license issues, the CE and renewal rules reset to District of Columbia's. RenewRN tracks the new deadline and CE requirements for you, free.

Start Tracking · Free

District of Columbia endorsement at a glance

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

How it works: The DC Board of Nursing licenses an out-of-state RN by endorsement if you currently hold an RN license in a US state or territory, were originally licensed on a qualifying education program plus the NCLEX, and have stayed in good standing everywhere; you apply through the DC Health portal.
Processing time: Not published as a completion estimate. The board says to allow 30 business days after applying before checking status.
Work while waiting: Not published. The DC endorsement-requirements document lists only the application steps and does not describe a temporary or interim permit for endorsement applicants.
Requirements: Nursys verification ($30; non-Nursys states such as California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania email verification directly), a Fieldprint fingerprint background check, a government photo ID, a 2x2 photo, and a Social Security affidavit if you have no SSN. No state jurisprudence exam.
Fees: $280 application and background-check fee (Visa or MasterCard only), plus a $30 Nursys verification fee.
Compact rules: DC is not a compact state, so an out-of-state license, including a multistate license, does not authorize practice in DC. You must apply for licensure by endorsement.

Fees are non-refundable; foreign-educated applicants follow separate instructions.

Source: DC Board of Nursing, RN endorsement requirements, last checked 2026-06-18. Fees and timelines change; confirm with the board before you rely on a date.

Steps to endorse into District of Columbia

1Confirm you need a District of Columbia license: District of Columbia is not a compact state, so an out-of-state license will not cover you.

2Verify every nursing license you have held through Nursys (or the board's paper verification form for non-Nursys states).

3Complete the required criminal background check and fingerprinting.

4Submit the District of Columbia Board of Nursing endorsement application and fee, plus any transcripts, state coursework, or jurisprudence exam the board requires.

5Apply for a temporary or interim permit if the state offers one and you need to work before the permanent license issues.

District of Columbia endorsement FAQ

How long does it take to get a District of Columbia nursing license by endorsement?

Not published as a completion estimate. The board says to allow 30 business days after applying before checking status.

Can I work in District of Columbia while my endorsement application is processing?

Not published. The DC endorsement-requirements document lists only the application steps and does not describe a temporary or interim permit for endorsement applicants.

Do I need a District of Columbia license if I already hold a compact multistate license?

DC is not a compact state, so an out-of-state license, including a multistate license, does not authorize practice in DC. You must apply for licensure by endorsement.

How much does District of Columbia endorsement cost?

$280 application and background-check fee (Visa or MasterCard only), plus a $30 Nursys verification fee.

Getting a District of Columbia nursing license by endorsement

District of Columbia endorsement at a glance

Steps to endorse into District of Columbia

District of Columbia endorsement FAQ

Related guides

More for District of Columbia nurses

New state, new renewal clock

Getting a District of Columbia nursing license by endorsement

District of Columbia endorsement at a glance

Steps to endorse into District of Columbia

District of Columbia endorsement FAQ

Related guides

More for District of Columbia nurses

New state, new renewal clock