Nurse Licensure Compact
Do I Qualify for the Nurse Licensure Compact?
A 60-second quiz that maps your answers to NCSBN's 11 Uniform Licensure Requirements. No signup required. Verifies against 41+ compact member states + the four pending-implementation states (Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York).
Question 1 of 6
What is your Primary State of Residence?
Where your driver's license, voter registration, federal tax return, or W-2 says you legally live. This is the state that issues your nursing license under the compact.
FAQ
- What is the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?
- The NLC is an interstate agreement that lets nurses hold one multistate license to practice in any of the 41+ compact member states without separate state-by-state licenses. Travel nurses, telehealth nurses, and anyone working across state lines use it most.
- How does this quiz determine my eligibility?
- We map your answers to NCSBN's 11 Uniform Licensure Requirements (ULRs) — the same checklist every state board uses. Hard knockouts (felony, active discipline, no SSN, non-compact PSOR) return a red verdict. Case-by-case items (nursing-related misdemeanors, IEN credentials) return yellow and route you to your state board for confirmation.
- What disqualifies a nurse from holding a multistate license?
- Per NCSBN: a felony conviction (or agreed disposition / ARD / deferred adjudication), active license discipline anywhere, current participation in an alternative-to-discipline program, lack of a valid US Social Security number, or Primary State of Residence in a non-compact state. Nursing-related misdemeanors are evaluated case-by-case.
- Can internationally-educated nurses (IENs) qualify?
- Yes, if your nursing education is verified by an independent credentials review agency (CGFNS is the gold standard), you pass an English proficiency exam (if your program wasn't taught in English), you pass NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, and you hold a valid US Social Security number. Visa-only holders without an SSN cannot qualify until they obtain one.
- What is the 60-day rule and does it affect eligibility?
- If you already hold a multistate license and move from one compact state to another, you have 60 days to apply for a license by endorsement in your new state. Missing the window suspends your multistate privilege. The 60-day rule applies AFTER you're eligible — it's a maintenance rule, not an eligibility rule.
- Why does Pennsylvania appear differently in some answers?
- Pennsylvania fully implemented the NLC on July 7, 2025. The state requires a separate 3-hour child-abuse-recognition CE and IdentoGO fingerprint submission in addition to the ULRs. Connecticut implemented October 1, 2025 with similar transitional considerations. Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York have enacted NLC legislation but are not yet issuing multistate licenses.
- Should I rely on this quiz alone before applying?
- No. This quiz uses NCSBN's published ULRs as of 2025 and our research on state-specific implementations. State boards have the final word and rules change. Always verify with your state board of nursing before submitting an application. We are a tracking tool, not legal counsel.