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May 10, 2023
Travel nursing provides an exciting opportunity to travel the country while working in the nation’s top hospitals, but figuring out nursing license requirements for each state can be overwhelming.
The good news: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) developed the Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC), which is an agreement between states that allows nurses to have one license and the ability to practice in all the states that participate in the program. Over recent years, additional states have been added to the eNLC making it easier for travel nurses when applying for positions and nurses living near a state border.
The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) has been around since 2000 to assist with the nursing shortage and make travel across state borders easier and more accessible to nurses. This has been extremely helpful for nurses looking to start work in the travel nursing space. It was updated in 2018 to the Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact (eNLC) and includes standards for licensure, which the original compact license lacked. The eNLC allows nurses to hold one license to practice in participating states without having to pay additional licensing fees or experiencing delays due to licensing issues.
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Multi-state licenses are simple and easy to use but do hold one caveat: In order to apply for the compact license, the applicant MUST have permanent residence in one of the current eNLC states. Unfortunately, travel nurses that do not hold residency in one of participating states will still need to apply for individual state nursing licenses. Information regarding each state’s individual license can be found on their state’s webpage.
You must claim residency in an eNLC participating state in order to apply for a compact license. (Your primary residence refers to the state where you file your tax returns, vote, and/or have a driver’s license.) As a non-resident of an eNLC state, you can apply for licensure by endorsement, but will only be issued a single-state license instead of the compact license. Nurses can hold multiple single-state licenses.
This may be confusing, so here are a couple of examples:
Example #1: A nurse has primary residence and obtained their license in the state of Colorado, but wants to take a travel nursing job in Arizona. Because Colorado and Arizona both participate in the eNLC, there is no need to obtain an additional nursing license — the nurse can start the position in Arizona immediately. (The nurse’s current licensing information is confirmed by the employer from a national database known as Nursys, and the nurse is required to complete a criminal background check and fingerprinting for the state of Arizona.)
Example #2: A nurse has primary residence and licensure in Kentucky, but wants to take a travel nursing job in Alaska. Kentucky participates in the eNLC, but Alaska does not. The nurse must obtain a single-state license for Alaska before starting their assignment.
Currently, 39 states participate in the eNLC. In order to be eligible for a multi-state nursing license, a nurse must meet these requirements:
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Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) 2023
Pro tip: If you know the specific state you’d like to travel to, then visit its state board of nursing website or ask your recruiter about licensing in that state specifically.
Travel nurse staffing agencies may refer to some states as “walk-through states,” which refers to states that issue licensure by endorsement or “temporary licenses.” Temporary licenses are mainly used for nurses who are looking to move to another state or have accepted a job and are waiting for their permanent licensing application to be processed. These types of licenses are often used during nursing strikes too. For example, obtaining a license in California can take several months, but temporary licenses are processed more quickly so the demand for nurses during strikes can be met.
Temporary licenses are typically good for 30 days to six months. If the nursing assignment is longer than the length of the temporary license, then a permanent license is required. Temporary licenses can only be obtained once per state and not all states allow temporary licenses.
Current “walk-through” states include:
Multi-state licenses are particularly great for travel nurses because they prevent unwanted downtime between assignments. It also makes those nurses highly coveted by hospitals and agencies, because they will not have to wait for licensure and can be immediately available. There is an eNLC database that hospitals and agencies can access to see if a nurse holds a compact license. This could mean the difference in obtaining a placement quickly.
Also, there are fewer license fees! With the implementation of the compact license, there is a single fee that covers all of the states included in the license.
The licensing fee and requirements for licensure by endorsement and permanent licensing are similar. Those fees and requirements include:
Note: Some states also require two letters of reference and proof of work history when applying for licensure by endorsement.
Travel nursing agencies will often assist in paying for nursing licenses or license renewals. They can even help with paperwork and make the process more streamlined for you.
The cost of licenses can add up quickly for travel nurses especially when working in states that don’t participate in the eNLC.
Pro tip: Some states allow nurses to suspend their licenses for a nominal fee. Then to reinstate the license, it’s another small fee.
For example, if a nurse holds a primary nursing license in Washington and wants to take a travel nursing assignment in Oregon (neither of which participate in the eNLC), then they must apply for a permanent license in Oregon. To obtain a single-state license, the nurse must fill out an application, pay the licensing fees, and complete a background check and fingerprinting — this process may take several weeks.
If the same nurse wants to renew their Oregon license after two years, then they must complete the required continuing education hours and pay the renewal fees. Technically, this nurse should also maintain their Washington nursing license as it’s their primary residence. This means paying the renewal fees and completing any continuing education requirements for Washington as well.
While individual state nursing boards do not require certifications such as Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), hospitals do require nurses to have these certifications. That means travel nurse staffing agencies will require that these certifications be up to date before submitting your travel nurse contract to a hospital.
Moving between compact states has never been easier. Nurses can stop working at a job in Arizona on a Friday and start working in Texas on a Monday. Travel nurses do not have to fill out any additional paperwork and the license is immediately effective.
If a nurse plans on changing their permanent residence to a different compact state than the original issuer of the license, they should apply for a change of address on the state’s Board of Nursing website. This can be important during the renewal process. While the nursing compact license is one renewal form, the number and type of continuing education hours will depend on the state that originally issued the license.
Obtaining a nursing license can take as little as two days in states like Hawaii or as long as six months in California or Ohio. (California and Ohio currently have the longest wait times for permanent licenses.) Travel nurses may have to take contracts in other states while they wait for their licenses to be approved. It’s important to plan ahead if there are non-compact states on your desired list of places to travel. Typical wait times for nursing licenses for non-compact states:
Currently, Alaska and California are not part of the eNLC nor do they have legislation pending. While Hawaii is not part of the eNLC and there is no legislation pending, the first steps are being taken to start the process. As hot spots for travel nurses, single-state licenses are required. For this reason, travel nurses interested in working in these states should apply well in advance while working in current compact nursing states. Registered Nurses can be licensed in numerous states at the same time.
If working as a travel nurse and figuring out licensing still seems daunting, don’t fret. Travel nurse agencies and recruiters are knowledgeable on the topic and in some states can help nurses expedite the licensing process.
Nurses with compact licenses have increased flexibility and can start new contracts immediately in other compact states with minimal paperwork and fees. This opens the door for more employment opportunities for nurses. The impact of the eNLC extends beyond the flexibility for nurses, though. It also increases access to care for patients and allows hospitals to hire the best nurses for a position by removing the limitation of geographical licensures.
If you’re considering travel nursing, then ensure your license is up to date and get ready for your next adventure.
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