Introduction
Nurses need a license to practice and this nursing license is provided by various nursing regulatory bodies, mainly the Board of Nursing, to regulate the practice of nursing within its jurisdiction. The main purpose of a nursing license is to grant the permission and right to practice as a nurse after verifying that the applicant has met the minimal requirements to do so.
The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) is a multi-state agreement that allows nurses to have their state compact licenses recognized in multiple participating states, rather than making them apply for a new license in a state that is different from the one in which they acquired their license. States involved in this agreement are called Compact Nursing States.
The agreement works exceptionally well for nurses who are traveling, decide to move to a different state in the United States, or who are needed to work in another state due to an emergency scenario. The most recent iteration of the last example was during the Covid-19 pandemic when many nurses went to highly afflicted areas, some beyond the borders of the state in which they became licensed.
Proponents of the nurse licensure compact argue that it helps make healthcare accessible, reduces the cost of insurance, hospitals, and patients, and that it makes the healthcare system as a whole more robust. In spite of that, there are still many states that actively do not desire to be included in the NLC interstate agreement.
Compact Nursing States
[shield-db-table]Nursing License Compact States
The NLC is upheld by a vast majority of states in the US, and of the states that don’t currently abide by it, many have pending legislation that will enact it, or legislation that has been passed and that is just waiting to be implemented.
The 37 states who have signed up to the NLC agreement are the following:
1. Alabama
2. Arizona
3. Arkansas
4. Colorado
5. Delaware
6. Florida
7. Georgia
8. Idaho
9. Indiana
10. Iowa
11. Kansas
12. Kentucky
13. Louisiana
14. Maine
15. Maryland
16. Mississippi
17. Missouri
18. Montana
19. Nebraska
20. New Hampshire
21. New Jersey
22. New Mexico
23. North Carolina
24. North Dakota
25. Ohio
26. Oklahoma
27. Pennsylvania
28. South Carolina
29. South Dakota
30. Tennessee
31. Texas
32. Utah
33. Vermont
34. Virginia
35. West Virginia
36. Wisconsin
37. Wyoming
FAQs
How many states are compact nursing states ?
Currently, there are 37 states that have adopted the nursing compact and are considered compact nursing states. These states have enacted legislation or are in the process of implementing the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) to facilitate the practice of nursing across state lines.
What are the nursing compact states ?
The nursing compact states currently are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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