Getting a Virginia nursing license by endorsement

Reviewed by Keegan, RN · ER & NICU travel nurse

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

About 30 business days (roughly 6 weeks) from when the application and fee are received.

Virginia endorsement at a glance

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

How it works: Virginia grants licensure by endorsement to an RN already licensed by examination elsewhere; you apply online, request verification from the original exam state, and complete a fingerprint background check.
Processing time: About 30 business days (roughly 6 weeks) from when the application and fee are received.
Work while waiting: No general temporary permit for ordinary endorsement applicants. Instead, an applicant without a multistate-privilege license may request an Authorization to Practice letter, initially effective 30 days, requiring a clean application plus the Nursys verification receipt and the Fieldprint appointment confirmation. (A separate 90-day single-state temporary license exists only for applicants without a Social Security number.)
Requirements: Nursys verification from the exam state ($30; paper only if the state is not on Nursys), a Fieldprint criminal background check, and for internationally educated applicants a credential evaluation. A 960-hour clinical form is required only if you graduated with fewer than 500 clinical hours. No state jurisprudence exam.
Fees: $190 RN endorsement application, plus a $30 Nursys verification and the Fieldprint fingerprint cost.
Compact rules: Virginia is a compact state. If your primary residence stays in another compact state, your multistate license already covers Virginia practice. If you live in a compact state but are relocating to Virginia you may apply here; a single-state Virginia license issues if you reside in a non-compact state or do not meet all the uniform requirements.
Military spouse: Applications are expedited for active-duty military, veterans, and spouses with proof of service; no military-spouse-specific temporary RN license is published.

If the application is not completed within one year, a new application and fee are required.

Source: Virginia Board of Nursing, RN 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 Virginia

1Check whether you even need Virginia 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 Virginia 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: Virginia 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.

Virginia endorsement FAQ

How long does it take to get a Virginia nursing license by endorsement?: About 30 business days (roughly 6 weeks) from when the application and fee are received.
Can I work in Virginia while my endorsement application is processing?: No general temporary permit for ordinary endorsement applicants. Instead, an applicant without a multistate-privilege license may request an Authorization to Practice letter, initially effective 30 days, requiring a clean application plus the Nursys verification receipt and the Fieldprint appointment confirmation. (A separate 90-day single-state temporary license exists only for applicants without a Social Security number.)
Do I need a Virginia license if I already hold a compact multistate license?: Virginia is a compact state. If your primary residence stays in another compact state, your multistate license already covers Virginia practice. If you live in a compact state but are relocating to Virginia you may apply here; a single-state Virginia license issues if you reside in a non-compact state or do not meet all the uniform requirements.
How much does Virginia endorsement cost?: $190 RN endorsement application, plus a $30 Nursys verification and the Fieldprint fingerprint cost.

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Virginia endorsement at a glance

What the board publishes

Board-sourced

How it works: Virginia grants licensure by endorsement to an RN already licensed by examination elsewhere; you apply online, request verification from the original exam state, and complete a fingerprint background check.
Processing time: About 30 business days (roughly 6 weeks) from when the application and fee are received.
Work while waiting: No general temporary permit for ordinary endorsement applicants. Instead, an applicant without a multistate-privilege license may request an Authorization to Practice letter, initially effective 30 days, requiring a clean application plus the Nursys verification receipt and the Fieldprint appointment confirmation. (A separate 90-day single-state temporary license exists only for applicants without a Social Security number.)
Requirements: Nursys verification from the exam state ($30; paper only if the state is not on Nursys), a Fieldprint criminal background check, and for internationally educated applicants a credential evaluation. A 960-hour clinical form is required only if you graduated with fewer than 500 clinical hours. No state jurisprudence exam.
Fees: $190 RN endorsement application, plus a $30 Nursys verification and the Fieldprint fingerprint cost.
Compact rules: Virginia is a compact state. If your primary residence stays in another compact state, your multistate license already covers Virginia practice. If you live in a compact state but are relocating to Virginia you may apply here; a single-state Virginia license issues if you reside in a non-compact state or do not meet all the uniform requirements.
Military spouse: Applications are expedited for active-duty military, veterans, and spouses with proof of service; no military-spouse-specific temporary RN license is published.

If the application is not completed within one year, a new application and fee are required.

Source: Virginia Board of Nursing, RN 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 Virginia

1Check whether you even need Virginia 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 Virginia 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.

Virginia endorsement FAQ

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

About 30 business days (roughly 6 weeks) from when the application and fee are received.

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

No general temporary permit for ordinary endorsement applicants. Instead, an applicant without a multistate-privilege license may request an Authorization to Practice letter, initially effective 30 days, requiring a clean application plus the Nursys verification receipt and the Fieldprint appointment confirmation. (A separate 90-day single-state temporary license exists only for applicants without a Social Security number.)

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

Virginia is a compact state. If your primary residence stays in another compact state, your multistate license already covers Virginia practice. If you live in a compact state but are relocating to Virginia you may apply here; a single-state Virginia license issues if you reside in a non-compact state or do not meet all the uniform requirements.

How much does Virginia endorsement cost?

$190 RN endorsement application, plus a $30 Nursys verification and the Fieldprint fingerprint cost.