Getting a Tennessee nursing license by endorsement

Reviewed by Keegan, RN · ER & NICU travel nurse

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

Allow six weeks for processing.

Tennessee endorsement at a glance

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

How it works: Tennessee grants licensure by endorsement to an RN previously licensed by written examination in another state; you apply online, have the original license verified through Nursys, and submit the documents and fee.
Processing time: Allow six weeks for processing.
Work while waiting: No temporary permit for endorsement applicants is described; compact nurses from another state practice under the compact privilege rather than a board permit.
Requirements: Nursys verification (California LPN and Pennsylvania require contacting the board directly), a fingerprint background check, an official transcript, a recent photo, and a notarized declaration of citizenship. Foreign or Puerto Rico-educated applicants need a credential evaluation and English proficiency. No state jurisprudence exam.
Fees: $115 endorsement application fee (paid one time), plus a separate fingerprint vendor fee.
Compact rules: Tennessee is a compact state. If you declare residence in another compact state and hold a multistate license, you are ineligible for a Tennessee license and you already practice in Tennessee under the compact privilege. If your primary residence is Tennessee or a non-compact state, you apply by endorsement.

The board's background-check instructions page was unavailable at verification, so the fingerprint vendor and fee could not be sourced.

Source: Tennessee Board of Nursing, instructions for licensure by endorsement, last checked 2026-06-18. Fees and timelines change; confirm with the board before you rely on a date.

Steps to endorse into Tennessee

1Check whether you even need Tennessee endorsement: if your primary residence stays in another compact state, your multistate license may already 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 Tennessee 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: Tennessee 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.

Tennessee endorsement FAQ

How long does it take to get a Tennessee nursing license by endorsement?: Allow six weeks for processing.
Can I work in Tennessee while my endorsement application is processing?: No temporary permit for endorsement applicants is described; compact nurses from another state practice under the compact privilege rather than a board permit.
Do I need a Tennessee license if I already hold a compact multistate license?: Tennessee is a compact state. If you declare residence in another compact state and hold a multistate license, you are ineligible for a Tennessee license and you already practice in Tennessee under the compact privilege. If your primary residence is Tennessee or a non-compact state, you apply by endorsement.
How much does Tennessee endorsement cost?: $115 endorsement application fee (paid one time), plus a separate fingerprint vendor fee.

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Tennessee endorsement at a glance

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

How it works: Tennessee grants licensure by endorsement to an RN previously licensed by written examination in another state; you apply online, have the original license verified through Nursys, and submit the documents and fee.
Processing time: Allow six weeks for processing.
Work while waiting: No temporary permit for endorsement applicants is described; compact nurses from another state practice under the compact privilege rather than a board permit.
Requirements: Nursys verification (California LPN and Pennsylvania require contacting the board directly), a fingerprint background check, an official transcript, a recent photo, and a notarized declaration of citizenship. Foreign or Puerto Rico-educated applicants need a credential evaluation and English proficiency. No state jurisprudence exam.
Fees: $115 endorsement application fee (paid one time), plus a separate fingerprint vendor fee.
Compact rules: Tennessee is a compact state. If you declare residence in another compact state and hold a multistate license, you are ineligible for a Tennessee license and you already practice in Tennessee under the compact privilege. If your primary residence is Tennessee or a non-compact state, you apply by endorsement.

The board's background-check instructions page was unavailable at verification, so the fingerprint vendor and fee could not be sourced.

Source: Tennessee Board of Nursing, instructions for licensure by endorsement, last checked 2026-06-18. Fees and timelines change; confirm with the board before you rely on a date.

Steps to endorse into Tennessee

1Check whether you even need Tennessee endorsement: if your primary residence stays in another compact state, your multistate license may already 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 Tennessee 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.

Tennessee endorsement FAQ

How long does it take to get a Tennessee nursing license by endorsement?

Allow six weeks for processing.

Can I work in Tennessee while my endorsement application is processing?

No temporary permit for endorsement applicants is described; compact nurses from another state practice under the compact privilege rather than a board permit.

Do I need a Tennessee license if I already hold a compact multistate license?

Tennessee is a compact state. If you declare residence in another compact state and hold a multistate license, you are ineligible for a Tennessee license and you already practice in Tennessee under the compact privilege. If your primary residence is Tennessee or a non-compact state, you apply by endorsement.

How much does Tennessee endorsement cost?

$115 endorsement application fee (paid one time), plus a separate fingerprint vendor fee.