Which states are in, which large states are not, and how your primary state of residence decides what license you can hold.
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) lets registered nurses and licensed practical or vocational nurses hold one multistate license and practise in every other member state, in person or by telehealth, without applying for each state’s license. For a job search, it decides one thing above all: whether you can start a job quickly, or need to wait for a new license first.
Where things stand
As of mid-2026, 43 jurisdictions have fully implemented the compact. Recent additions include Pennsylvania, which fully implemented on July 7, 2025, and Connecticut, which followed on October 1, 2025. Massachusetts has enacted the compact but implementation is still pending.
Several large nursing markets are not members, with legislation pending or under discussion: California, New York, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska and the District of Columbia. Membership changes through state legislation, so always confirm the current position on the official map at nursecompact.com before relying on it.
Your primary state of residence decides your license
You can only hold a multistate license if your primary state of residence is a compact state. Primary residence is your legal home: where you hold a driver’s license, vote and file federal taxes. It is not where you rent during a contract.
- Live in a compact state? Your home state board issues a multistate license if you meet the uniform requirements, including a fingerprint-based background check. You can then work in any other compact state.
- Live in a non-compact state? You hold a single-state license. To work in any other state, compact or not, you apply for that state’s license by endorsement.
- Moving? If you move your permanent residence to another compact state, you apply for a license there within 60 days. If you move to a non-compact state, your multistate privilege ends and you need that state’s license.
What the compact does not cover
The NLC covers RNs and LPN/LVNs only. Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists and other APRNs still need a separate license in each state. A separate APRN Compact has been enacted by a handful of states but has not reached the seven states it needs to take effect.
The compact also does not change the practice rules: you follow the nurse practice act of the state where the patient is located.
What this means when you apply
| Your license | Job in a compact state | Job in a non-compact state |
|---|---|---|
| Multistate (compact) license | Apply and start once hired | Need that state’s license by endorsement |
| Single-state license | Need that state’s license, or a multistate license if you move to a compact state | Need that state’s license by endorsement |
Every job on this site states the license it needs, and each state page shows whether the state is a compact member and links to its board of nursing. If you are unsure whether your license qualifies, apply anyway and mention it in your application: our recruiters can tell you what the work state needs and plan a start date around it.
Sources: RegisteredNursing.org, NLC Guide 2026 (updated August 2026), citing NCSBN; Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators. This article is general information, not legal advice.
