
Emergency Licensing by State
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DECEMBER 23, 2020
Emergency orders and licensing requirements have been updated. However, note that while the following changes have occurred, each healthcare facility is managing differently what their exact requirements entail; facilities facing a rapid-response crisis may be implementing these waiver changes, but generally, licensing is still required and in most cases will be expedited.
You can see the status of all states below:
Note that some states are no longer following Emergency Declaration licensing and WILL require a local state license.
- Licensed nurses can work in Alabama without a state-specific license for a period of 30 days after the Governor declares a state emergency
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- No Renewal Extension
- Alabama Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Courtesy Emergency License for Out of State Medical Personnel: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardofNursing.aspx
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Licensing Period extended 2/28/2021
- Alaska Board of Nursing
- “temporary waiver of professional licensure requirements necessary[…] to address the state of emergency.”
- 48 Hour Emergency Temp License: https://www.azbn.gov/news-and-events/48-hour-emergency-temporary-license
- 90 Day Emergency Temporary Waiver Renewal: https://www.azbn.gov/azbns-emergency-response-to-the-covid-19-pandemic
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Arizona Board of Nursing
- Implemented an expedited licensing process
- Licensing Fees Waived
- No renewal extension
- Licensure wait time ~24 hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Arkansas Board of Nursing
- Out of State Waiver
- No renewal extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification
- California Board of Nursing
- Any compact license (multi or single-state) will be accepted
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- License Expiration Bump Period for New Applicants: All new applicants who are issued a license within 120 days of the upcoming renewal expiration date will be issued a license with the next expiration date.
- BON Verification
- Colorado Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state may work for a period of 60 consecutive days.
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Fast Track Renewal : https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/DCP/pdf/Applications_Added_2017/Online-Fast-Track-Instructions-Oct17-pdf.pdf?la=en
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Connecticut Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state waiver: https://dpr.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/93/2020/03/Medical-Personnel-Request-Form.pdf
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Delaware Board of Nursing
- Licensed nurses can work in D.C. without a state-specific license
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Washington, D.C. Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- No Renewal Extension
- BON Verification
- Florida Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Temporary Permit: https://sos.ga.gov/PLB/acrobat/Forms/38%20Application%20-%20Temporary%20Permit%20Application%20COVID-19.pdf
- Licensure wait time ~24 hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Georgia Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Expedited online process
- Licensure wait time ~1-2 days
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- No Renewal Extension
- BON Verification
- Idaho Board of Nursing
- LPNs, RNs, and APRNs can receive a temporary practice permit good until May 31, 2021 https://www.idfpr.com/Renewals/Apply/Forms/F2398.pdf
- Licensure wait time ~1 week
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- No Renewal Extension
- Illinois Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Expedite fingerprints processing
- No Renewal Extension
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: YES
- Indiana Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply
- Renewal Update: Any license expiring in 2020 will not be considered inactive until 7/1/2021
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Iowa Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply expires 1/26/2021
- No renewal extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Kansas Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Registry Form : https://kbn.ky.gov/covid-19/Documents/registry-application.pdf
- Licensure wait time ~1-2 days
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Kentucky Board of Nursing
- Temporary licensing and credentialing for healthcare providers willing to assist from out of state : http://www.lsbn.state.la.us/Portals/1/Documents/Forms/DisasterPermitAffidavit.pdf
- Renewal Extension Update : License may be extended past renewal date with written request to BON.
- Licensure wait time ~1 week
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Louisiana Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON using this form: file:///C:/Users/B/Downloads/COVID-19%20Application.pdf
- Renewal Update : Licenses will have 30 days after expiration of emergency to renew
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Maine Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Renewal Update: Licenses set to expire will have until the 30th day to renew after emergency has ended
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- Maryland Board of Nursing
- adopted a policy to expedite the processing of reciprocal license applications for nurses that are licensed in another state to meet needs in the event of a declared public health emergency
- Expedited online process of “reciprocal licensure” https://onlineservices.hhs.state.ma.us/mylicense%20enterprise/
- Renewal Update: If a license is expiring March 2020 it will be extended to December 31 2020
- Licensure wait time ~24 hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification
- Massachusetts Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Michigan Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Minnesota Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Temporary license FAQ
- RN/LPN Disaster Waiver Application; APRN Disaster Waiver Application
- Licensure wait time ~1-3 days
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Mississippi Board of Nursing
- Expedited licensure applications: anyone who graduated nursing school after December 16, 2019 but has not yet taken the NCLEX (has not been denied licensure) can practice as a graduate nurse pending the results of their first licensing exams or 180 days (whichever comes first)
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Missouri Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Emergency Application Instructions Link: http://boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/Portals/133/COVID-19/2020_How%20to%20Create%20Your%20EBiz%20Account_4172020_C19ERP.pdf?ver=2020-04-17-151338-517
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- No Renewal Extension
- Montana Board of Nursing
- Renewal Update: Renewals are on hold until 12/31/2020. The Board will send renewal notices with 90 days to renew.
- Out of State Licensed Nurses are permitted to work without single state license.
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Nebraska Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Waiver to work during Emergency : https://nevadanursingboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Notification-of-Waiver.pdf
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- No Renewal Extension
- Nevada Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Expedited online process
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- New Hampshire Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Waiver for temporary emergency license : https://njconsumeraffairs.state.nj.us/NJBoards-TempLicense/
- Partially implemented nurse licensure compact: nurses holding compact licenses will currently find their licenses valid in New Jersey (for at least 180 days)
- Any valid multi-state license from any state will be accepted
- No Renewal Extension
- Licensure wait time ~24 hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- New Jersey Board of Nursing
- Any valid license from any state will be accepted and will not need a New Mexico license until upwards of 30 days thereafter
- No Renewal Extension
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- New Mexico Board of Nursing
- Any valid/active license from any state will be accepted, does not need to register with the New York Board of Nursing
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification
- New York Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Retired nurses (within five years) can return to work, and nursing students who have graduated but not yet taken the NCLEX can practice as graduate nurses
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- North Carolina Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- North Dakota Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON by applying for Endorsement via online portal
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Renewal Extension Update: Licenses extended until 7/1/2021
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Ohio Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON by completing application via Endorsement via online portal.
- No Renewal Extension
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Oklahoma Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON must complete waiver: https://www.oregon.gov/osbn/Pages/LicenseExceptions.aspx
- Licensure wait time ~1 week
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Oregon Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON instructions: https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/Nursing/Documents/Board%20Documents/INSTRUCTIONS-FOR-OUT-OF-STATE-NURSES-TO-OBTAIN-TPP.pdf
- Extension Renewal Update: Temporary permits extended until 90 days after emergency ends
- Licensure wait time ~1-3 days
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Pennsylvania Board of Nursing
- Any valid license from any state will be accepted (permits 90-day license to practice that can be extended once) https://health.ri.gov/applications/Emergency90DayTempLicense.pdf
- Requiring healthcare workers to complete 7 days of quarantine before working following inter-US travel
- Licensure wait time ~1-2 days
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Rhode Island Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON waiver: https://llr.sc.gov/nurse/pdf/UPDATED%20Emergency%20License%2010_26_20.pdf
- Expedited online process (requires 1 business day)
- No Renewal License Extension
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- South Carolina Board of Nursing
- Submitted 1135 waiver; Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON (license to be honored for 90 days)
- Licensure wait time ~24 hours
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- South Dakota Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- No Renewal Extension
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- Tennessee Board of Nursing
- Any valid license from any state will be accepted, nurses must be submitted using this process via the Texas Board of Nursing
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification
- Texas Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON to receive a DOPL Time-limited Emergency License (lasting for up 180 days)
- No Renewal Extension
- Licensure wait time ~1-2 days
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Utah Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON (licensure lasts 90 days and can be renewed until the state of emergency is over) waiver: https://sos.vermont.gov/opr/about-opr/covid-19-response/out-of-state-licensees-temporary-licensees-telehealth/
- Renewal Extension Update: Emergency Waivers Valid 3/31/2021
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Vermont Board of Nursing
- Government waives requirements of fees, CEUs, and reactivation of licenses for APRNs, RNs, and LPNs
- Waiver: http://www.dhp.virginia.gov/media/dhpweb/docs/nursing/forms/Request%20for%20Temp%20License%20under%20EO%2051.pdf
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Virginia Board of Nursing
- Any valid license from any state can submit
- NO Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification
- Washington Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Waiver: https://wvrnboard.wv.gov/Documents/COVID%20Nurses%20Working%20in%20WV%20on%20Other%20State%20License.pdf
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- West Virginia Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Waiver: https://dsps.wi.gov/Documents/fmEO2020-1.pdf
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Wisconsin Board of Nursing
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON
- Emergency Order Extended 4/30/2021
- Licensure wait time <1 day
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Wyoming Board of Nursing