Nurse Licensure Compact

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The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement that allows mutual recognition (reciprocity) of a nursing license between member U.S. states ("compact states"). Enacted into law by the participating states, the NLC allows a nurse who is a legal resident of and possesses a nursing license in a compact state (their "home state") to practice in any of the other compact states (the "remote states") without obtaining additional licensure in the remote states. It applies to both registered and practical nurses and is also referred to as a multi-state license. [1]

Contents

Per the NLC rules, nurses who are licensed in and legal residents of a compact state may not hold licenses from other compact states –that is, they can only hold one compact state license at a time, which must be from their home state, and a nurse temporarily practicing in a remote state retains their license in their home state. However, if a nurse changes their primary state of residence from one compact state to another compact state, they must transfer their license by applying for licensure by endorsement in the new home state; upon issuance of the new home state license, the license from the former home state is inactivated.

A license obtained in a compact state that is not one's state of legal residency is not recognized by the other compact members, so nurses who are legal residents of non-compact states must obtain licenses for each compact state in which they wish to practice. [2] [3]

Participation

Participating jurisdictions

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Map of Nurse Licensure Compact
  NLC Member

As of January 2026, the 41 NLC states are:

Non-participating jurisdictions

The District of Columbia and eight states have not joined the NLC, though legislation to join has been proposed in each of these jurisdictions. The eight states that have not joined the NLC are Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, and Oregon.

New York

In New York, Republican Asm. Robert Castelli first proposed joining the compact in 2010. [4] [5] Other Republicans like minority leader Sen. Rob Ortt have consistently and repeatedly introduced bills, and the Democratic-led committees have consistently withheld them without a vote. [6] [7] Opposition from unions like the New York State Nurses Association and National Nurses United argue that joining the compact would lower state licensing standards, undermine union protections, and fail to address the root causes of the nurse staffing crisis such as wages, working conditions, and enforcement of staffing laws. [8] Commissioner of Health James McDonald testified in support of joining the compact in 2023. [9] Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul's fiscal year 2025 and 2026 budget proposals to join the compact were rejected by the Legislature. [10] [11] [12]

History

In 1997, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) proposed a mutual-recognition licensure model to address concerns that traditional single-state licensing was overly restrictive and economically inefficient. The proposal culminated in the 1999 release of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), with the first states joining in 2000. [13] [14]

Several states and organizations expressed reservations regarding the NLC, citing concerns over the erosion of local regulatory control, potential losses in licensing fee revenue, and discrepancies in disciplinary standards and background check protocols. In response, the NCSBN began revising the framework between 2014 and 2015, resulting in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). Approved by NCSBN members in 2015, this updated version implemented 11 uniform licensure requirements, such as mandatory federal criminal background checks and standardized disciplinary provisions. Adoption by states began in 2016, and the eNLC became effective in early 2018, superseding the original NLC model. [13] [14]

A similar agreement, the APRN Compact, was also developed in 2002 to provide similar multistate privileges for advanced practice registered nurses, aligning with the APRN Consensus Model for independent practice and prescriptive authority. The APRN compact is scheduled to take effect once either seven or ten jurisdictions join. [13] [14]

References

  1. ↑ "Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)". National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSB). November 30, 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
  2. ↑ "NLC FAQs". National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSB). Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Moving Scenarios Factsheet" (PDF). National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  4. ↑ McGhee, Moira K. (February 26, 2025). "What Are the Nurse Licensure Compact States? (Updated February 2025)". Vivian Health . Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  5. ↑ "New York Assembly Bill A10762". New York State Assembly. New York State Legislature. April 20, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  6. ↑ Dollinger, Marilyn L. (December 2, 2022). "Nurse Licensure Compact Information". American Nurses Association of New York . Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Higher Education Committee, New York State Assembly". Ballotpedia . Lucy Burns Institute. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  8. ↑ Kane, Pat (Fall 2023). "Lowering Nurse Licensing Standards Won't Solve the Nurse Staffing Crisis — But Could Harm Patient Care". NY Nurse. New York State Nurses Association . Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Joint Legislative Hearing In the Matter of the 2023-2024 Executive Budget on Health". New York State Senate. February 28, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2025. I do think interstate licensure compacts will help every hospital in the state, including safety-nets, quite frankly. ... I think it's long since time for New York to do this.
  10. ↑ "FY 2025 Executive Budget Agency Appropriations: Health, Department of". New York State Division of the Budget. January 16, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  11. ↑ "FY 2026 New York State Executive Budget Briefing Book" (PDF). New York State Division of the Budget. January 21, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  12. ↑ "State Budget Update 5/7/25 – NYSAFP". New York State Association of Family Physicians. May 8, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  13. 1 2 3 Milian, Jordan (April 27, 2022). "A brief history of the Nurse Licensure Compact". Ascend Magazine Website. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Thomas, Katherine. "The Nurse Licensure Compact Unlocking Access to Nursing Care Across the Nation" (PDF). National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Retrieved July 27, 2017.

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