Nurse Licensure Guidance

Need guidance on applying for a nursing license in the U.S. as a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical/vocational nurse (LPN/VN)? Use this tool for state-specific details, based on where you will be living and where you want to practice.

In the U.S. you need to be authorized to practice by a board of nursing. Practice is where the patient is, and it includes the direct care of patients, telehealth, care via telephone, and distance education of nursing students. Licensure requirements can vary by state.

To begin, please select if you were educated within the U.S. or outside the U.S.

Internationally Educated Nurses

This tool will help you learn about the licensure requirements in the state where you plan to live and practice. You will be asked whether you are an RN or LPN/VN, where you plan to live in the U.S., and where you want to practice. Once you submit your responses, you will be guided to the state’s licensure requirements for internationally educated nurses, such as:

• English proficiency examinations
• Credentials evaluation (to compare your education to nursing education in the U.S.)
• Social Security Number requirements
• Other relevant application information
• Board of Nursing (BON) contact information

Please visit the USCIS website if you have questions about your Visa. Obtaining a Visa is not within the authority of the board of nursing.

Domestically Educated Nurses

This tool will help you learn about the licensure requirements in the state where you plan to live and practice. You will be asked whether you are an RN or LPN/VN, where you plan to live in the U.S., and where you want to practice. Once you submit your responses, you will be guided to the state’s license application and their Nurse Practice Act. Under the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), qualified nurses can apply for a multistate license, which allows for practice in other compact states without having to obtain additional licenses. This map shows you which states are currently in the NLC. Licensure requirements vary by state. Complete the form below for state-specific nurse licensure guidance based on where you plan to live and practice.

Please indicate the type of license you are interested in obtaining Please indicate the type of license/registration you are interested in obtaining

• ALABAMA
• ALASKA
• AMERICAN SAMOA
• ARIZONA
• ARKANSAS
• CALIFORNIA
• COLORADO
• CONNECTICUT
• DELAWARE
• DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
• FLORIDA
• GEORGIA
• GUAM
• HAWAII
• IDAHO
• ILLINOIS
• INDIANA
• IOWA
• KANSAS
• KENTUCKY
• LOUISIANA
• MAINE
• MARYLAND
• MASSACHUSETTS
• MICHIGAN
• MINNESOTA
• MISSISSIPPI
• MISSOURI
• MONTANA
• NEBRASKA
• NEVADA
• NEW HAMPSHIRE
• NEW JERSEY
• NEW MEXICO
• NEW YORK
• NORTH CAROLINA
• NORTH DAKOTA
• NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
• OHIO
• OKLAHOMA
• OREGON
• PENNSYLVANIA
• RHODE ISLAND
• SOUTH CAROLINA
• SOUTH DAKOTA
• TENNESSEE
• TEXAS
• UTAH
• VERMONT
• VIRGIN ISLANDS
• VIRGINIA
• WASHINGTON
• WEST VIRGINIA
• WISCONSIN
• WYOMING

Licensure Results

Your state of residence is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). As a resident of a compact state you may be eligible for a multistate license. A multistate license issued by your home state is valid in all compact states. To practice in noncompact states, you must apply for a single-state license with the appropriate board of nursing.

To practice in your selected state(s)

You will need a license in the below states. Select each state for licensure guidance.

Licensure Requirement Details

Obtaining licensure in the state(s) listed above authorizes you to practice in the following states as long as you qualify for a multistate license. See the uniform licensure requirements for a multistate license.

Obtaining licensure in the state(s) listed above authorizes you to practice in the following states.