Licensure and career

Non Compact Nursing States

Written and reviewed by Dana Whitfield, RN, MSN · 4 min read · Updated September 2026

Short answer

Non-compact nursing states are jurisdictions outside the Nurse Licensure Compact, where an RN license is valid only within that state's borders. As of 2026 this includes California, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and several others; nurses working across state lines there need a separate license or endorsement for each state.

What the role or requirement involves

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) lets a nurse hold one multistate license valid in every member state. Non-compact states sit outside that agreement, so a license issued there is a single-state license, good only within that state's borders. States currently outside the compact include California, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Washington D.C., and a handful of others; the list shifts as legislatures adopt or stall compact bills, so verify current status with your target state's board rather than relying on a fixed list.

If you are licensed in a compact state and want to work in a non-compact one, or vice versa, you need endorsement, sometimes called licensure by endorsement, rather than relying on your existing license to travel with you.

Getting there from here

If you already hold an active RN license in another state, endorsement is usually the fastest path into a non-compact state, since you are not retaking the NCLEX. The receiving board verifies your original license and education through Nursys or direct primary-source verification, checks for disciplinary history, and issues a new license once its own requirements, such as jurisprudence exams or fingerprinting, are met.

If you are newly graduated and the non-compact state is where you intend to practice first, you apply directly to that state's board, sit the NCLEX under its authorization, and are licensed there from the outset. There is no compact fallback to lean on; whatever that state requires, you complete in full.

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The paperwork

Expect an application fee, typically 100 to 300 USD depending on the state, plus fingerprint-based criminal background check fees that often run separately, around 50 to 100 USD. Most non-compact states require a jurisprudence exam covering that state's nurse practice act, which is a short online test distinct from the NCLEX itself.

You will also need official transcripts sent directly from your nursing program, verification of your original license through Nursys e-Notify or a paper letter of good standing, and in some states proof of a specific number of continuing education hours completed within a defined recency window. California in particular has additional requirements around approved program lists and can be slower to process foreign-educated applicants.

What to expect

Processing timelines vary widely by state and by how backlogged the board currently is. California and New York have both had stretches of eight to twelve week processing times for endorsement applications, while smaller boards such as Rhode Island or Alaska can turn around a complete file in two to four weeks. Build in buffer time before a start date rather than assuming the shortest published estimate.

Missing or mismatched paperwork is the most common cause of delay, particularly a name that differs between your nursing school transcript and your government ID without a marriage certificate or court order on file to explain it. Submit everything in one complete package rather than piecemeal, since boards often requeue an incomplete application behind newer complete ones.

Where to go next

Start with the specific board of nursing website for the state you are targeting, since requirements, fees and current processing times are only accurate there, not on aggregator sites. If you are relocating for a job offer, ask your prospective employer's credentialing team whether they can expedite verification on their end, as many hospital systems have relationships that speed up primary-source checks.

If you regularly work across state lines, for example in travel nursing or telehealth, weigh whether it is worth also holding a compact multistate license alongside your non-compact single-state license, since the two are not mutually exclusive and many nurses carry both.

The next step on this is the same as on everything else here: answer questions and read the rationales. Our fundamentals practice questions are the closest set to what this page covers.

Common questions

Is California a compact state for nursing?

No, California is not a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact and has no current legislation pending to join. A California RN license is valid only within California, and nurses relocating there need to apply for licensure by endorsement or by examination directly through the California Board of Registered Nursing.

Can I practice telehealth in a non-compact state without a local license?

Generally no. Most state practice acts require you to hold a license, or in some cases a temporary telehealth permit, in the state where the patient is physically located at the time of care, regardless of where you are sitting. Check the specific non-compact state's telehealth provisions, since a few have created limited telehealth-only registration pathways.

How long does licensure by endorsement take in a non-compact state?

It ranges from about two weeks in smaller, less backlogged states to two or three months in high-volume states like California or New York. The biggest variable is how quickly your original license and education verify through Nursys or direct correspondence, so start that process as early as possible.

Will my compact multistate license work if I move to a non-compact state?

No. A multistate license only carries privileges into other compact member states. Moving to or taking a position based in a non-compact state requires you to obtain that state's own single-state license, typically through endorsement.