Nursing License in Non-Compact States: Cost and Timeline by State
By CircleRN Team | Published 2026-10-26 | 9 min read
10 states and DC don't accept a multistate nursing license. Endorsement fees, fingerprints, temporary licenses and processing times by state, October 2026.
As of October 2026, a multistate nursing license does not let you work in 10 states and the District of Columbia: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Oregon and DC. In each one you need that state's own license by endorsement, and the board fees we could verify run from $50 in Illinois to $375 in Alaska. California, the only one of these boards that posts a live processing queue, has a posted mandatory timeframe for U.S. endorsement of 10 to 12 weeks; on October 22, 2026 it was working on applications received September 16 to 30.
This guide is the other half of our Nurse Licensure Compact guide: that one covers where a multistate license works, this one covers what it costs and how long it takes where it does not. Every figure comes from the state board's own site, and where a board does not publish something, we say so. To check one pair of states, where you live and where you would work, use the license compact checker.
Which states are not in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
According to NCSBN's compact map, these jurisdictions do not accept a multistate RN or LPN/VN license as of October 2026:
- No compact law and no pending bill: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New York and Oregon.
- Bill pending, not law: Michigan (HB 4246) and the District of Columbia (B69).
- Enacted but not yet in effect: Massachusetts. The law passed, but the map lists it as awaiting implementation, so a multistate license does not cover work there yet. The Massachusetts board says it is targeting NLC implementation for May 2027.
Connecticut and Pennsylvania are listed as full compact states. Among the territories, the map lists Guam as partially implemented, the U.S. Virgin Islands as awaiting implementation, and American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands as having no pending compact legislation. NCSBN's implementation chart says a multistate license already lets you practice in Guam, but not yet in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Compact status changes, so check nursecompact.com before you sign.
How much does a nursing license cost in non-compact states?
These are the RN license by endorsement fees each board published as of October 2026, for a nurse already licensed in another U.S. state. Fingerprint vendor charges and the Nursys verification fee are extra unless the row says otherwise.
| State | RN endorsement fee | Fingerprints and background check | Temporary license | Published processing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $375 total ($200 application, $100 license, $75 fingerprint processing) | FD-258 fingerprint card; processing fee included in the $375 | Temporary permit, 6 months, nonrenewable, no extra fee | Not published (the board says it "varies by program") |
| California | $350 | Live Scan inside California, or a fingerprint card from out of state with a $49 processing fee ($399 total) | $100, valid 6 months; fingerprint results must clear first | Mandatory timeframe of 10 to 12 weeks for U.S. endorsement; on October 22, 2026 it was working on applications received September 16 to 30. Temporary license: 2 to 3 week mandatory timeframe, working on requests received October 1 to 15 |
| District of Columbia | $280, including the criminal background check | Fieldprint appointment, scheduled after you pay | Letter of Supervised Practice, 90 days, under RN supervision (older board document; confirm) | Not published; the board asks you to wait 30 business days before checking status |
| Hawaii | $186 for a license issued July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027; $236 with a temporary permit | Fieldprint; you pay Fieldprint directly (amount not stated) | Temporary permit with a job offer from one Hawaii employer, valid up to 1 year with the combined application | Normally 15 to 20 working days for a complete application |
| Illinois | $50; $75 with a temporary permit | Required through a licensed fingerprint vendor; the vendor sets the fee | $25, valid 6 months | Not published; the board asks you to wait 6 weeks before asking about status |
| Massachusetts | $275, plus $30 per license verified through Nursys | None listed on the reciprocity page | None listed; you can work once your license number appears on the board's site | Not published |
| Michigan | Check with the board | Check with the board | Check with the board | Check with the board |
| Minnesota | $140 total ($105 application, $35 criminal background check) | Required; the board emails a fingerprint packet after you apply | Temporary permit, 60 days or until the board grants your license, cannot be extended | Not published |
| Nevada | $100 | $40 at the board or by mailed card; private vendor fees vary. Results can take up to 4 months | One-time courtesy license, 6 months, cannot be extended | About one week to process applications and documents; the permanent license waits for fingerprint results |
| New York | $143 (license and first registration) | Not mentioned on the endorsement pages | None for licensed nurses, except military spouses, who can request a temporary practice permit; the $35 limited permit is only for applicants who have not taken the NCLEX | Not published |
| Oregon | $295 plus a $9 surcharge | Fieldprint (amount not stated) | None listed in the endorsement directions | Not published |
So for the most searched states: a California license costs $350, or $399 if you fingerprint outside California, plus $100 if you want a temporary license. A Hawaii license costs $186 for the 2026 to 2027 licensing year, or $236 if you add a temporary permit. An Oregon license costs $304 with the surcharge, before Fieldprint. Boards verify your current license through Nursys, which charges its own fee; DC's checklist lists it at $30.
We could not load the Michigan board's pages, so we left that row blank rather than copy figures from other sites. Check with the Michigan board directly before you apply.
How long does a nursing license by endorsement take?
Most non-compact boards do not publish a processing time. Of the ones that do, as of October 2026:
- California posts its queue weekly. California's posted mandatory timeframe for U.S. endorsement is 10 to 12 weeks; on October 22, 2026 it was working on applications received September 16 to 30. Temporary licenses have a 2 to 3 week mandatory timeframe, and it was working on requests received October 1 to 15.
- Hawaii says a complete application normally takes 15 to 20 working days, and that an incomplete one will be delayed.
- Nevada says applications and documents are processed in about one week, but it will not issue the permanent license until fingerprint results arrive from the state and the FBI, which it says can take up to four months. That is why it tells applicants to fingerprint right away.
Alaska, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and Oregon do not publish a processing time on the pages we read. Illinois and DC only say how long to wait before asking about your status: 6 weeks for Illinois, 30 business days for DC. Treat those as the earliest point to follow up, not as a promise.
Which non-compact states offer a temporary nursing license?
Most of them do, and a temporary license is often what actually lets you start on time. The terms differ:
- Alaska: a temporary permit valid six months, nonrenewable, with no additional fee. Nurses who previously held an Alaska RN license must reinstate instead.
- California: a $100 temporary license valid six months. You must file the endorsement application first, and fingerprint results must clear before it is issued.
- Hawaii: a temporary permit only if you already have a job with a single Hawaii health care employer, who must certify it. Filed with the endorsement application, it lasts until you are licensed, up to one year. A standalone permit lasts up to six months.
- Illinois: a $25 temporary permit valid six months, or until your license is issued or the state says it intends to deny it.
- Minnesota: a temporary permit valid 60 days or until the board grants your license. It cannot be extended or renewed.
- Nevada: a one-time courtesy temporary license valid six months. It cannot be extended or reissued.
- DC: a board instruction document describes a 90-day Letter of Supervised Practice under an RN's supervision, requested in person. The document is undated and the board's page notes that a past waiver has ended, so confirm it is still offered.
New York has no general temporary license for nurses licensed elsewhere. Its limited permit is for applicants who have not taken the NCLEX; the one exception in its law is for military spouses, who can request a temporary practice permit. Oregon's endorsement directions list none. Massachusetts lists none, but says you can start work once your license number appears on the board's website. For Michigan, check with the board.
Is there LPN reciprocity in non-compact states?
Not in the sense of automatic recognition. The compact covers LPN/VN licenses the same way it covers RN licenses, so the compact states are effectively the "reciprocity" states for LPNs too. In the non-compact states above, an LPN or LVN applies for a license by endorsement just as an RN does.
Fees can differ by license level. Oregon charges $230 for an LPN by endorsement, Nevada $90 and New York $143. Hawaii, Minnesota and Nevada use the same endorsement packet and temporary permit rules for RNs and LPNs. For other states, check the LPN application on the board's site.
How do I know if my nursing license is multistate?
Look it up on Nursys QuickConfirm at nursys.com. The compact administrators say it is free and shows whether a license is single-state or multistate. Their travel nurse FAQ says to open QuickConfirm, search for yourself, and choose "Where does this nurse have the authority to practice as an RN or LPN/VN?" to see a map of the states your licenses cover.
Living in a compact state does not make your license multistate automatically. If your home state is in the compact but QuickConfirm shows a single-state license, contact your board about converting it. To see whether a particular assignment needs a new license, check your home state and the work state with our license compact checker.
What happens to my multistate license if I move to a non-compact state?
It becomes a single-state license. Per NCSBN's moving guidance, when you change your legal residence to a non-compact state, the multistate license from your old state is changed to a single-state license, and you are responsible for telling your old board your new address. You then apply by endorsement in your new state, and you can start that application before you move.
Your primary state of residence is a legal status, not where you happen to be working. The compact uses documents like your driver's license, voter registration and federal tax return, and owning property in a compact state does not count. A contract in California does not by itself make California your primary state of residence, but getting a California driver's license or registering to vote there could. NCSBN recommends renewing your home state driver's license and voting absentee in your home state while on assignment. Your residence also affects taxes; see travel nurse tax home rules.
How early should I apply for a license before a travel contract?
Apply as soon as you are seriously considering a state, before you have an offer. Boards do not set a lead time, but their own numbers show why. California's posted mandatory timeframe for U.S. endorsement is 10 to 12 weeks; on October 22, 2026 it was working on applications received September 16 to 30. Either way, applying after a two-week offer window closes leaves you depending on the temporary license. In Nevada, fingerprint results can take up to four months, and the permanent license waits for them.
A few practical points from the boards' instructions:
- Fingerprint in the order the board asks. California and Oregon say not to fingerprint before you apply, Minnesota emails your fingerprint packet after you apply, and Nevada says to fingerprint right away.
- California says a Nursys verification expires 90 days after you request it, so request it after you submit the application.
- Applications expire. Hawaii and Nevada say an application is good for one year from receipt.
- Fees are generally nonrefundable, including Hawaii's combined permit fee if you turn out not to qualify.
- Hawaii's temporary permit requires an employer, so you need the job first for that route.
If you already know which non-compact state you want, holding its license before you search makes you easier to place. Browse open travel assignments by state to see where demand is.
Who pays for a travel nurse's state license?
It depends on the agency and the contract. Some agencies reimburse license fees, some only for a signed assignment in that state, and some do not. No board or federal source tracks this, so ask before you apply: whether they reimburse, which costs count (application, fingerprints, Nursys verification, the temporary license), whether they pay upfront or after you start, and whether you repay it if the contract ends early. Get the answer in writing.
If you pay yourself, the board fee is usually the smallest cost. The bigger risk is time: a license that arrives a week after the start date can cost you the contract.
Bottom line
Ten states and DC are outside the compact for practical purposes as of October 2026, and each needs its own license by endorsement. Board fees are modest, from $50 in Illinois to $375 in Alaska, and most of these states offer a temporary license. The real constraint is time: only California, Hawaii and Nevada publish processing times, and California's posted mandatory timeframe for U.S. endorsement is 10 to 12 weeks; on October 22, 2026 it was working on applications received September 16 to 30. Apply early, fingerprint as soon as the board allows, and confirm with your agency in writing who pays.
For where a multistate license does work, read our 2026 compact guide, and check a specific move with the license compact checker.
Sources
- NCSBN, Nurse Licensure Compact: participating jurisdictions map, implementation chart (NLC_Map.pdf), FAQs, Moving Scenarios fact sheet and Travel Nurse FAQ
- Alaska Board of Nursing, RN License by Endorsement application (Rev. 07/21/2025)
- California Board of Registered Nursing, fees, processing times, temporary licenses and fingerprint instructions
- DC Board of Nursing and its RN endorsement requirements checklist (Rev. 9/22)
- Hawaii Board of Nursing, application forms, including the RN/LPN endorsement application and the combined temporary permit and endorsement application
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, RN endorsement application packet
- Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, apply for a nursing license by reciprocity and the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)
- Minnesota Board of Nursing, RN and LPN licensure by endorsement instructions
- Nevada State Board of Nursing, RN/LPN endorsement instructions (revised 1/2025) and fee schedule
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, RN licensure for nurses licensed in another state
- Oregon State Board of Nursing, LPN or RN by endorsement directions and OAR 851-002-0010, fee schedule
Fees and processing times were read on each board's site in October 2026 and change without notice. Confirm the current figure with the board before you pay.