Nurse Licensure Compact

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement that allows mutual recognition (reciprocity) of a nursing license between member U.S. states ("compact states").

It applies to both registered and practical nurses and is also referred to as a multi-state license.

A license obtained in a compact state that is not one's state of legal residency is not recognized by the other compact members, so nurses who are legal residents of non-compact states must obtain licenses for each compact state in which they wish to practice.

[2][3] As of February, 2025, the 41 NLC states are: Five other states and the District Of Columbia all have active NLC bills.

They are: Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York, and Oregon.