One of the core requirements of a travel nursing job is having a current state license from the destination you wish to travel to. Nursing licensure timeframes vary from state-to-state, making it easier to obtain a nursing license from some states over others. This table below out lines which states accept compact licensure and which ones offer expedited walk-through licensure, as well as the standard time frame to obtain a nursing license from the state's board of nursing. You may want to bookmark this page or print it using the icon below as nursing licensure timeframes may change throughout the course of the year.
| State | Compact | Walk Through | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2 weeks | ||
| ^Alaska | 2 weeks | ||
| ^Arizona |  |
|
License issued 48-72hrs after walk through |
| Arkansas | |
10 days for new | |
| ^California | 4-8 weeks | ||
| Colorado | |
4 weeks for new | |
| Connecticut | 2 weeks | ||
| Delaware | |
2 weeks for new | |
| District of Columbia | |
||
| ^Florida | 4-6 weeks (1-2 weeks if fingerprinting are done in-state) | ||
| Georgia | 4-6 weeks | ||
| Hawaii | |
Closed on Fridays | |
| Idaho | |
|
|
| Illinois | 4-6 weeks | ||
| Indiana | 2-3 weeks | ||
| Iowa | |
2-6 weeks for new | |
| Kansas | 2 weeks | ||
| Kentucky* | |
2 weeks for new | |
| Louisiana | |
Walk through is for temp license; 4-6 weeks otherwise | |
| Maine* | |
2 weeks for new | |
| Maryland* | |
|
|
| Massachusetts | 4-6 weeks | ||
| Michigan | 6-8 weeks | ||
| Minnesota | 4-6 weeks | ||
| Mississippi | |
|
|
| Missouri | |
|
|
| Montana | 1 week | ||
| Nebraska | |
|
|
| Nevada | 6-9 weeks | ||
| New Hampshire* | |
2-8 weeks for new | |
| New Jersey | 4-6 weeks | ||
| New Mexico* | |
2 weeks for new | |
| New York | 6-8 weeks | ||
| North Carolina* | |
2 weeks for new | |
| North Dakota | |
1 week for new | |
| ^Ohio* | 4-6 weeks | ||
| Oklahoma | 3-4 weeks | ||
| Oregon | 3 weeks | ||
| ^Pennsylvania | 2-3 weeks | ||
| Rhode Island | |
|
4+ weeks for new |
| South Carolina | |
|
2 weeks via mail |
| South Dakota | |
|
|
| Tennessee | |
4-6 weeks for new | |
| Texas* | |
2 weeks for new | |
| Utah | |
3 weeks for new | |
| Vermont | |
||
| Virginia | |
4 weeks for new | |
| Washington* | 4-5 weeks | ||
| West Virginia | 1-2 weeks | ||
| Wisconsin | |
2 weeks for new | |
| Wyoming | 2-3 weeks |
* Paperless
^ Special fingerprints or background check process
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