When a nurse is already licensed in one state, they may be eligible to work as a nurse in another state. This practice is known as license, or licensure, by endorsement.
Essentially, a nurse who has an active license in one state may be eligible to obtain a license to work as a nurse in another state. Nurses generally have to have an active license and be in good standing to qualify for nursing by endorsement.
Nurses often use license by endorsement when they're moving to a new state, and a nurse's primary address and state of residence can affect their eligibility for a license by endorsement. This process is often quicker than the traditional application, and nurses may be eligible for a temporary license while their application is being processed.
Each state sets its policies about how nurses can practice in that state through license by endorsement. State nursing boards may require a certain amount of work experience, meeting continuing education requirements, or taking an examination.
States don't have to let any nurse practice within its boundaries. They can limit who is eligible for a license by endorsement. What they must have are uniform policies that don't single out certain nurses or groups of nurses arbitrarily and without cause.
State boards, for example, may ban nurses from the license-by-endorsement process if they have disciplinary action on their record or are facing pending disciplinary charges. Nurses with certain criminal convictions may also be barred from the license-by-endorsement process.
If you're unsure about how to practice in a new state via license by endorsement, or if you believe you are being unfairly denied the opportunity to practice, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm. We assist nurses and medical professionals throughout the United States. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form.
Nursing by Endorsement versus Compact States
Nursing by endorsement isn't the same as holding an active compact, or multistate, license. Both require a nurse to hold a current active license, usually in good standing, in at least one state.
Where they differ is their scope. Nursing by endorsement allows a nurse to practice in the state in which they apply. A compact license allows them to practice in any compact state.
How states treat these licenses can vary. A compact license is tied to the state in which the nurse has the original active license. Once a nurse passes a state's nursing-by-endorsement requirements, they have a separate license in that state.
For example, two nurses are licensed in Colorado. One is moving to Oregon, and the other is moving to Kansas. Oregon is a non-compact state, meaning nursing by endorsement is likely the best way to become eligible to work in the state.
Kansas, however, is a compact state. The state also has a license-by-endorsement process. Which option is best for the nurse depends on their specific situation.
Whether nursing by endorsement or a compact license is the best option for you depends on your situation. If a state is a non-compact state, nursing by endorsement is often one of the few ways to practice in that state without going through the entire application process.
If you have questions about nursing by endorsement and a compact license, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
Endorsement Process: Compact versus License by Endorsement
Even compact states will have a license-by-endorsement procedure. These two processes can vary, and nurses should be aware of the difference between the two.
Kansas provides checklists for both endorsement and multistate, or compact, licenses. The compact application requires applicants to meet 11 uniform licensure requirements.
Nurses opting for the license by endorsement application must submit the following to the Kansas State Board of Nursing:
- Official transcripts
- Verification of their original license
- Fingerprints and background check fee
If an application expires before approval, nurses must submit a new application and pay the fee again. Nurses who are applying to work in Kansas via license by endorsement are eligible for a six-month temporary license.
State of Residence
States may restrict who can apply for a license via endorsement. Tennessee limits licenses by endorsement to residents of Tennessee and residents of non-compact states. This means a nurse's primary address is in one of these states. Nurses who reside in a compact state other than Tennessee may not apply for a license by endorsement in Tennessee.
Virginia similarly requires that nurses have a primary address in either Virginia or a non-compact state to be eligible for a license by endorsement. California, in comparison, is a non-compact state. License by endorsement is the primary way that nurses from other states can become eligible to practice in the Golden State.
Consistent, Uniform Enforcement
States and state boards of nursing determine what requirements individuals must meet to qualify as a nurse. These rules and requirements must treat all applicants uniformly. While
For example, one of Arizona's requirements for a license by endorsement is that nurses have either completed an advanced practice nursing education program or have at least 960 hours of work or volunteer experience as a nurse. All nurses must meet this requirement unless they qualify for an exception.
For example, a nurse from New Mexico and a nurse from Oklahoma are both applying for a license by endorsement in Arizona. Their applications and backgrounds are similar. Neither nurse has completed an advanced education program. Both have 900 hours of work experience.
Based on work experience alone, neither nurse should qualify for a license by endorsement in Arizona. Based on work experience, the state cannot say that the nurse from New Mexico qualifies, but the nurse from Oklahoma doesn't.
If you believe you are not being treated fairly or are being forced to submit to additional requirements as part of a license by endorsement application, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
Common Requirements for Endorsement
Most states require nurses to submit an application, meet certain educational requirements, and may also require a certain amount of work experience. Background checks and disclosure of criminal and disciplinary history are also common.
Most states require that nurses pay a fee as part of the license-by-endorsement process. In 2024, North Carolina charged $150, and all fees are nonrefundable. The same year, Georgia's endorsement fee was $75, which was also nonrefundable.
Each state sets its policies. Nurses need to make sure they're following the required procedures for the state in which they want to obtain a license.
For example, a nurse currently has a license in Alabama. When seeking a license by endorsement into Louisiana, they must follow Louisiana's license by endorsement requirements.
Education and Continuing Education
States generally require that nurses have received their education from a state-approved institution. Some states may allow other programs to qualify.
Washington requires that a nurse have attended school at a state-approved program or a program that's equivalent. The Board determines when a non-approved program qualifies as providing an equivalent education.
Georgia allows nurses who attended nontraditional education programs to be eligible for licenses by endorsement. The state lays out the requirements a nontraditional program must meet for graduates to be eligible.
In comparison, anyone who graduates from a non-approved nursing program is ineligible for a license by endorsement in Texas. The exception is for nurses who attended nursing programs outside of the United States.
States may also require nurses to have completed continuing education requirements. South Carolina requires nurses to show a certain level of competency, and one way to show that is with at least 30 hours of continuing education.
Examination
Not all states require an examination to become a licensed nurse. This may present a challenge when attempting to practice in a state that requires an examination as part of the licensing process. These states may require that a nurse must sit for an examination before they can qualify for a license by endorsement.
California requires that nurses seeking a license through endorsement meet the following qualifications:
- Hold a current and active license in another state, U.S. territory, or Canada
- Have completed an educational program that meets California's requirements
- Have passed the NCLEX or SBTPE
- This is required even if the state in which a nurse is currently licensed doesn't require an exam
- The Canadian Comprehensive Examination doesn't meet California's exam requirements
Nurses who don't meet these requirements must apply to practice nursing in California through licensure through examination.
Employment Requirements
States may require that nurses have a certain amount of work experience before they can qualify for licensing through endorsement. Washington, for example, requires that nurses have at least 1,000 hours of employment as a nurse.
Nurses must submit proof of employment when they apply. Washington also requires that the work a nurse performs in another state be similar to the work a nurse wants to do in Washington.
For example, a nurse was an LPN but went back to school and became an RN. The nurse worked over 5,000 as an LPN and 300 hours as an RN. They're now applying to work in Washington as an RN. They won't be eligible for a license through endorsement, however, until they've completed another 700 hours as an RN. Their time as an LPN is unlikely to qualify for the work requirement.
Background Checks
Similar to standard applications, license by endorsement generally requires background checks. These can include fingerprints and a criminal history background check. State boards also generally require a nurse to list any disciplinary action.
Good Moral Character and Criminal History
Nurses hold a position of trust. They often interact with people who are sick, injured, and otherwise vulnerable. Appreciating the importance of trust in the profession, many states require that nurses have good moral character (GMC) and minimal if any, criminal history.
There's no one definition of good moral character, and what it means can depend on what a society or individual values. This can make it difficult for nurses to know what may result in disciplinary action and may become an issue for license by endorsement.
Each state defines what it believes represents good moral character for nurses. In some cases, a nurse may meet the definition of good moral character in one state but not in another state.
Marijuana use is one example of a behavior that may or may not be considered a sign of good moral character. The laws about marijuana nationwide are inconsistent. California prohibits employers from discriminating based on off-duty marijuana use. Other states may discipline nurses for using marijuana even if they smoke off-duty and in a state where it's legal.
This can make license by endorsement tricky to navigate with certain disciplinary or criminal histories. For example, a nurse's current state in which they are licensed may not require disclosure of certain misdemeanors. The state in which they are seeking to join via endorsement may require disclosure as part of the application process.
Criminal Convictions and Automatic or Permanent Bars
States may also have automatic bars on eligibility for nursing licenses. These are crimes that a state believes make an individual permanently ineligible and unsuitable to work as a nurse.
Sex crimes and patient abuse are two of the more common automatic bars to a license. Several states provide lists of these automatic bars. Illinois lists crimes that are automatic bars as well as crimes that must be disclosed but don't automatically bar a nurse from practicing.
Alternatively, two states may list different crimes as automatic bars to obtaining a nursing license. While Illinois considers certain crimes to be an automatic bar to a nursing license, Iowa doesn't consider any crime to be an automatic bar to working as a nurse.
Nurses shouldn't assume that states have the same disclosure requirements for applicants' criminal and disciplinary histories. If you have any record of criminal or disciplinary action, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
GMC Example: Massachusetts
As of 2023, Massachusetts requires all nurses to have good moral character as part of the application process. Massachusetts requires the following to show good moral character:
- The following background checks:
- The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) database
- Criminal history
- Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry
- If a nurse has a criminal or disciplinary history, they must provide documentation as part of the evaluation
- Nurses must provide this documentation directly
Depending on the result of the background check, the nurse may be required to provide additional documentation.
Any pending criminal cases or disciplinary action may mean a nurse is currently ineligible for a license. Massachusetts will only consider applications once all criminal and disciplinary actions are settled.
For criminal matters, they must be closed for one year before the Board will consider an application. Some criminal convictions will permanently bar individuals from being eligible for a nursing license in Massachusetts.
Other than criminal convictions that are on the permanent exclusion list, Massachusetts will make a case-by-case evaluation of an applicant's criminal and/or disciplinary history.
If you're unsure if you would meet the requirements for a GMC evaluation or have other concerns related to qualifying via license by endorsement, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.
Criminal History
Many states require that nurses undergo a background check in addition to disclosing any criminal convictions. Some criminal convictions may be an automatic bar to practicing nursing in a state.
States may differ in when and how they require disclosure. Some states may require disclosure of all criminal convictions and plea deals. Others may require disclosure of all felonies and certain misdemeanors.
Applicants may only need to list convictions or plea deals that have occurred in a certain number of years. Utah requires applicants to report all felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions that have occurred in the last decade, and any pending criminal action.
Disciplinary Action
States generally require that nurses have an active license and be in good standing with their current states. This means they may not allow nurses to apply for a license via endorsement if a nurse has any pending disciplinary action against them.
Georgia requires that a nurse have no pending disciplinary action against them when they apply for admission via endorsement. The state also considers any nurse currently in an alternative program to be ineligible for a license by endorsement. This is the case even if a nurse otherwise meets all of the eligibility requirements.
Temporary Licenses
Many states may allow nurses to have temporary licenses while they wait while their license is being processed by endorsement application. This allows nurses to avoid being unable to work before they receive a permanent license.
California allows nurses to have temporary licenses for up to six months. Nurses must provide fingerprints before the Board will issue a temporary license. Once the board receives fingerprint results from the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – and assuming the results don't indicate any prior convictions – a nurse will receive their temporary license.
North Carolina's temporary license process is similar to California's. Licenses are granted for a maximum of six months after a nurse passes a criminal background check. North Carolina's temporary license is a one-time, nonrenewable license.
Where North Carolina differs is that nurses may only have one temporary license in their lifetime, and they cannot hold an active compact license in another compact state. Nurses must have a primary address in either North Carolina or a non-compact state.
Previous Nursing License
In general, nurses cannot apply for a license by endorsement if they've already had a nursing license in that state. License by endorsement refers to individuals who haven't previously been licensed in that state.
An individual who has an inactive or lapsed license must follow the state board's specific requirements for returning their license to active status. Like many states, Texas has different procedures for licenses by endorsement compared to moving a lapsed or inactive license back to active status.
If you're uncertain about what procedures you need to follow to have an active license in a state, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm. We can help you identify the right way for you to have an active license in the state in which you want to practice.
Endorsement Process
Each state sets its procedures for license by endorsement. Policies must be consistent, meaning that they cannot favor certain nurses without reason.
While states often have similarities in their endorsement process, nurses should pay attention to the specifics of the state in which they want to work.
Endorsement Process Example: Maryland
Maryland's licensure by endorsement process is fairly standard and a good example of what to expect. Nurses need to consult each state's requirements.
Nurses who have been previously licensed in Maryland aren't eligible for a license by endorsement. If a nurse has previously had a license in Maryland and it is inactive, non-renewed, or invalid, they must follow the specific procedures for switching those statuses back to active.
Maryland divides the endorsement process into three categories:
- Advance practice providers who have an active compact/multistate license
- Nurses with an active license in another state who don't have a compact license
- Nurses who have an RN and
- Have an Advanced Practice certification
- Are moving to Maryland
All nurses must complete one of four applications. Category 2 must go through the state's endorsement process. Category 3 must submit the RN application listed below.
Maryland's endorsement process:
- Verify Education
- Provide a valid transcript
- Undergo a background check and fingerprinting
- Verify license
- Complete the RN/LPN license
These are all standard requirements for a license by endorsement, but each state may have different requirements.
Practice Without Borders
All states need good nurses, and the United States currently has a shortage of qualified nurses. License by endorsement makes it easier for nurses to move between states and continue to provide needed medical services.
Nurses need to follow the requirements for each state when applying via endorsement. Experience, criminal history, and disciplinary action may all detrimentally affect a nurse's ability to work in another state.
If you have questions or issues with license by endorsement, contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm. We work with nurses and medical professionals nationwide to help them protect and support their careers. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form.
