The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) lets a nurse hold one multistate RN or LPN license and practice in every other compact state. It does not cover your APRN or CRNA authority, so you still need an advanced practice license in each state where you give anesthesia.
As of October 2026, 43 jurisdictions belong to the NLC. This page explains how it works, who is in and out, and what it means for your career as a CRNA.
How a multistate license works
A multistate license is issued by your home state. It gives you a "privilege to practice" in every other compact state, in person or by telehealth.
You don't apply to each compact state separately. Say you live in Texas and hold a Texas multistate license. You can work as an RN in Florida or Ohio without their licenses.
The terms "compact license" and "multistate license" mean the same thing. There is no time limit on working in another compact state. You just need to keep legal residence in the state that issued your license.
You still follow the nurse practice act of the state where the patient is. Each state's board can act against your privilege to practice in that state.
The primary state of residence rule
Your multistate license must come from your primary state of residence (PSOR). This is your legal home, not where you work or own property.
The NLC defines PSOR by documents such as your driver's license, voter registration, federal tax return, W2 or military form 2058. These documents should point to the same state.
Some practical points:
- If you live in a non-compact state, you can't hold a multistate license. You can hold single-state licenses in as many states as you need.
- Owning a house in a compact state doesn't make you eligible. Legal residency does.
- If you move your legal home to another compact state, you must apply for a license there within 60 days. You apply by endorsement and complete a Declaration of Primary State of Residence.
- You can start that application before you move.
To check whether your current license is single-state or multistate, use Nursys QuickConfirm at no cost.
Uniform licensure requirements
To get a multistate license you must meet 11 uniform licensure requirements. These include:
- Graduating from a board-approved nursing program (or a verified international program)
- Passing the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN
- Holding an active license with no active discipline
- State and federal fingerprint-based criminal background checks
- No felony convictions, and no nursing-related misdemeanors (reviewed case by case)
- Not currently taking part in an alternative-to-discipline program
- A valid U.S. Social Security number
The full list is on nursecompact.com. If you don't meet one, you may still qualify for a single-state license.
Who is in and who is out (October 2026)
According to nursecompact.com, 43 jurisdictions are part of the NLC. Among the 50 states and DC:
| Status | Count |
|---|---|
| Implemented (issuing multistate licenses) | 40 states |
| Enacted, not yet implemented | 1 (Massachusetts) |
| Not members | 9 states plus DC |
The other compact jurisdictions are Guam (partial implementation) and the U.S. Virgin Islands (enacted, awaiting implementation).
Not in the NLC
These 10 jurisdictions do not belong to the compact:
- Alaska
- California
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Oregon
Massachusetts is pending
Massachusetts enacted the NLC in November 2024. It is not yet issuing multistate licenses or honoring the privilege to practice. The Massachusetts board's target implementation date is May 2027.
Recent additions
Pennsylvania implemented the NLC in July 2025, and Connecticut followed in October 2025. No new states enacted it in 2026 as of this update.
See the full state-by-state status on our nursing compact states page.
What the NLC means for CRNAs
It covers your RN license only
The NLC pertains to RN and LPN/VN licenses only. An APRN must hold an individual APRN license in each state where they practice.
So a multistate RN license alone does not let you work as a CRNA in another state. You still apply to each state's board for APRN licensure or recognition, and follow its rules on scope and prescribing.
It can still save you a step
Every state requires an RN license before it grants APRN authority. If you hold a multistate RN license, you may not need a separate RN license in each compact state.
Some boards say this directly. Washington, for example, accepts either a Washington RN license or an active multistate RN license from another state for its ARNP license. Check each board's APRN application before you assume.
A future APRN Compact would go further
A separate APRN Compact would create a multistate APRN license. It has been enacted in 4 states and needs 7, so it is not in effect yet.
Travel and locum CRNAs
If you take locum or travel assignments, the NLC cuts some of your paperwork. Some steps remain.
- Living in a compact state helps. Your multistate RN license covers the RN part in other compact states.
- You still need APRN licensure in each state. Build in time for each board's APRN application, background check and verification.
- Non-compact states need a full RN license too. In California, New York or Illinois, you apply for an RN license by endorsement. You also apply for APRN authority.
- Moving changes your home state. If an assignment leads you to change legal residence, the 60-day rule applies.
- Agencies sometimes get this wrong. The NLC publishes a legal memo for employers on this point. A multistate RN license holder does not need the remote state's RN license.
For the steps of getting licensed in a new state, see licensure by endorsement and temporary nursing licenses. Your board's contact details are on our board of nursing page.
FAQ
Can I get a multistate license if I live in California?
No. You can only hold a multistate license if your legal residence is in a compact state. California is not a member, so you would hold single-state licenses.
Does the NLC let me work as a CRNA in any compact state?
No. It covers your RN license only. You need APRN authority from each state where you practice as a CRNA.
How long can I work in another compact state?
There is no time limit, as long as you keep legal residence in the compact state that issued your license.
What happens when I move to another compact state?
You apply for a license by endorsement in your new home state within 60 days of moving. You can start before you move.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current rules with the board of nursing in each state.
Sources
- Nurse Licensure Compact, home page (43 jurisdictions, 60-day rule)
- NLC FAQs: APRNs, PSOR and moving
- NLC: Applying for licensure and uniform licensure requirements
- NLC: Nurses and the NLC (travel, telehealth, military)
- NCSBN NLC map (PDF)
- Mass.gov: The Nurse Licensure Compact
- Washington State Board of Nursing: ARNP license
- APRN Compact, SD Board of Nursing