USA · Professional license

Registered Nurse (RN) license

Granted by state boards of nursing, not by a national exam alone. BSN, associate's degree in nursing (ADN/ASN) or an approved diploma program.

Granted byState boards of nursing
National exams1NCLEX-RN (Next Generation NCLEX since April 2023)
ExperienceSupervised clinical experience is part of every program.
Other statesNLC40 jurisdictions · Implemented
See the route Rules in other states

How to get licensed

BSN, associate's degree in nursing (ADN/ASN) or an approved diploma program.

  1. High school diploma (biology, chemistry, math)
  2. Nursing program — BSN, ADN/ASN or diploma
  3. NCLEX-RNExam
  4. State board of nursing licenseLicense
  5. Optional: RN-to-BSN, then graduate study for advanced practice (NP, CNM, CRNA)Optional

The exams

National bodies write the exams; the state board decides who is licensed. NCSBN — writes the NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN.

  • NCLEX-RN (Next Generation NCLEX since April 2023)National licensure exam used by U.S. boards of nursing to decide whether a new graduate is safe to practice at entry level.
    NCSBN
    Next Generation NCLEXNCSBN
    Checked
    7 Oct 2026
    View source

State rules and other states

Each state board sets licensing rules, including background checks. Advanced practice (NP, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist) has additional state requirements.

Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

Nurses who live in a compact state can apply for a multistate license if they meet the licensure requirements. Nurses moving from one compact state to another must apply for licensure in their new primary state of residence within 60 days.

Implemented · 40

Nurses with an active multistate license may practice here, and residents may apply for one. Date implemented as listed by the NLC.

  • Alabama Jan. 1, 2020
  • Arizona Jan. 19, 2018
  • Arkansas Jan. 19, 2018
  • Colorado Jan. 19, 2018
  • Connecticut Oct. 1, 2025
  • Delaware Jan. 19, 2018
  • Florida Jan. 19, 2018
  • Georgia Jan. 19, 2018
  • Idaho Jan. 19, 2018
  • Indiana July 1, 2020
  • Iowa Jan. 19, 2018
  • Kansas July 1, 2019
  • Kentucky Jan. 19, 2018
  • Louisiana July 1, 2019
  • Maine Jan. 19, 2018
  • Maryland Jan. 19, 2018
  • Mississippi Jan. 19, 2018
  • Missouri Jan. 19, 2018
  • Montana Jan. 19, 2018
  • Nebraska Jan. 19, 2018
  • New Hampshire Jan. 19, 2018
  • New Jersey Nov. 15, 2021
  • New Mexico Jan. 19, 2018
  • North Carolina Jan. 19, 2018
  • North Dakota Jan. 19, 2018
  • Ohio Jan. 1, 2023
  • Oklahoma Jan. 19, 2018
  • Pennsylvania July 7, 2025
  • Rhode Island Jan. 8, 2024
  • South Carolina Jan. 19, 2018
  • South Dakota Jan. 19, 2018
  • Tennessee Jan. 19, 2018
  • Texas Jan. 19, 2018
  • Utah Jan. 19, 2018
  • Vermont Feb. 1, 2022
  • Virginia Jan. 19, 2018
  • Washington Jan. 31, 2024
  • West Virginia Jan. 19, 2018
  • Wisconsin Jan. 19, 2018
  • Wyoming Jan. 19, 2018
Enacted, not yet fully implemented · 3

A compact license cannot be issued here until full implementation is complete (implementation date to be determined).

  • Guam · Nurses who hold an active compact license may already practice here.
  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
List as published by National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact), checked 7 Oct 2026. Memberships change: confirm with the state board before you rely on it.
NCSBN / NLC
NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
Checked
7 Oct 2026
Next review
5 Jan 2027
View official list

Careers that use this license

Sources: BLS · NCSBN. Checked 7 Oct 2026. How Margdarshan sources its data →