In Travel Nursing

As you’re mapping your travel nurse journey, consider the perks of compact nursing licenses, which allow you to work in multiple states without needing to obtain additional state licenses. That’s one to-do you can cross off your list, as long as where you’re practicing is included in the states covered by the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). More than 40 states and territories are included, but there is a catch to obtaining it, and that is you must be a resident of one of the states that offer compact nursing licenses.

Requirements to Apply for Compact Nursing License

  1. Resident of a compact state which is defined as having a driver’s license and being registered to vote.
  2. Actively licensed as an RN or LPN.
  3. Meet requirements for licensing in your home state.

Once you meet these requirements, you can apply for licensure by taking an exam, receiving authorization to test (ATT) in that state, passing the NCLEX®, and meeting all multistate licensure requirements. As long as your home state doesn’t change, the license is valid in all compact states. If you take a contract in a noncompact state, you will need to apply for a single state license. If you move to a noncompact state, you must apply for a new license in the state and may lose the benefits of the compact.

Perks of Compact Nursing Licenses

Travel nurses in particular are fans of compact nursing licenses because it saves you the time, cost, and hassle of having to get licensed in every state where you want to work. You will also be able to easily transition between assignments in different states which can set you apart from other candidates.You can start new assignments more quickly as you won’t need to wait for additional state licenses to be approved. Additionally, more job opportunities await you because you can work in multiple states with one license and the credentialing process is simplified.

Compact Nursing License States – Source

(as of September 2024)

  1. Alabama
  2. Arizona
  3. Arkansas
  4. Colorado
  5. Connecticut
  6. Delaware
  7. Florida
  8. Georgia
  9. Guam (Guam is allowing nurses who hold active, unencumbered, multi-state licenses issued by Nurse Licensure Compact member states to practice in Guam under their multi-state licenses.)
  10. Idaho
  11. Indiana
  12. Iowa
  13. Kansas
  14. Kentucky
  15. Louisiana (Registered Nurse and Practical Nurse)
  16. Maine
  17. Maryland
  18. Mississippi
  19. Missouri
  20. Montana
  21. Nebraska
  22. New Hampshire
  23. New Jersey
  24. New Mexico
  25. North Carolina
  26. North Dakota
  27. Ohio
  28. Oklahoma
  29. Pennsylvania (Partial implementation)
  30. Rhode Island
  31. South Carolina
  32. South Dakota
  33. Tennessee
  34. Texas
  35. Utah
  36. Vermont
  37. Virginia
  38. Virgin Islands (eNLC enacted, awaiting implementation)
  39. Washington
  40. West Virginia (Registered Nurse and Practical Nurse)
  41. Wisconsin
  42. Wyoming

As long as you maintain your residence in a compact state and follow guidelines, you can travel to any compact state and work. There are currently 42 states and territories included with others pending, so there is a lot of choice of where you can work!

At AB Staffing, we work with healthcare facilities nationwide so having a compact nursing license will benefit you as you search for jobs. You won’t be limited like those who are licensed in fewer places and will stand out from the candidate pool with your compact nursing license.

For more information, please visit the AB Staffing Job Board. We look forward to working with you!

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