Emergency Licensing by State
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.
Alabama April 9th 2021
- Licensed nurses can work in Alabama without a state-specific license for a period of 30 days after the Governor declares a state emergency
- A temporary license is required if a Nurse is to practice over 30 days. Required to submit electronically.
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- No Renewal Extension
- Alabama Board of Nursing Link
- 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
- Alaska Board of Nursing Link
- Courtesy Licensing still active
- “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 Link
Arkansas March 31 2021
- Implemented an expedited licensing process
- Licensing Fees Waived
- No renewal extension
- Licensure wait time ~24 hours
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Arkansas Board of Nursing Link
- Out of State Waiver
- No renewal extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification Link
- California Board of Nursing Link
Colorado April 14th 2021
- Any license (multi or single-state) will be accepted
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- Colorado Board of Nursing Link
Connecticut April 20th 2021
- Valid license from another state is accepted
- 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 Link
Delaware March 21st 2021
- Valid license from another state waiver: https://dpr.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/93/2020/03/Medical-Personnel-Request-Form.pdf
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Delaware Board of Nursing Link
Washington, D.C. March 31st 2021
- Licensed nurses can work in D.C. without a state-specific license
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Washington, D.C. Board of Nursing Link
Florida April 27th 2021
- Valid license from another state can work for 30 days
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- Florida Board of Nursing Link
Georgia April 6th 2021
- Temporary Permit: https://sos.ga.gov/PLB/acrobat/Forms/38%20Application%20-%20Temporary%20Permit%20Application%20COVID-19.pdf
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Georgia Board of Nursing Link
Hawaii April 13 2021
- Out of state licenses in good standing are permitted to work
Idaho March 28th 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Temporary licenses offered
- Expedited online process
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- Idaho Board of Nursing Link
Illinois April 4th 2021
- Emergency temp licenses expired
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- No Renewal Extension
- Illinois Board of Nursing Link
Indiana March 31st 2021
- Valid license from another state is permitted to work
- Expedite fingerprints processing
- Nurse Licensure Compact: YES
- Indiana Board of Nursing Link
Iowa April 4th 2021
- Valid license from another is permitted to work
- Renewal Update: Any license expiring in 2020 will not be considered inactive until 7/1/2021
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Iowa Board of Nursing Link
Kansas March 31st 2021
- Valid license from another state is permitted to work
- No renewal extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Kansas Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Registry Form : https://kbn.ky.gov/covid-19/Documents/registry-application.pdf
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Kentucky Board of Nursing Link
Louisiana March 31st 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Renewal Extension Update : License may be extended past renewal date with written request to BON.
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Louisiana Board of Nursing Link
Maine April 15th 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Maine Board of Nursing Link
Maryland April 30th 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Renewal Update: Licenses set to expire will have until the 30th day to renew after emergency has ended
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- Maryland Board of Nursing Link
- Expedited online process of “reciprocal licensure” https://onlineservices.hhs.state.ma.us/mylicense%20enterprise/
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification Link
- Massachusetts Board of Nursing Link
- Out of State Licensure expires 4/2/2021 all temporary licensees must meet all requirements by this date.
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Michigan Board of Nursing Link
Minnesota April 14th 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Minnesota Board of Nursing Link
- Temporary license FAQ
- RN/LPN Disaster Waiver Application; APRN Disaster Waiver Application
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Mississippi Board of Nursing Link
Missouri March 31st 2021
- 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)
- The BON will automatically extend any unexpired temporary permit for 6 months.
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Missouri Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work once registered with the state board
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- No Renewal Extension
- Montana Board of Nursing Link
- Out of State Licensed Nurses are permitted to work
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Nebraska Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- 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 Link
New Hampshire March 26th 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Expedited online process
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- New Hampshire Board of Nursing Link
New Jersey April 19th 2021
- 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
- Any valid multi-state license from any state will be accepted
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- New Jersey Board of Nursing Link
New Mexico April 2nd 2021
- 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
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- New Mexico Board of Nursing Link
New York March 24th 2021
- Any valid/active license from any state will be accepted, does not need to register with the New York Board of Nursing
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification Link
- New York Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- 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
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- North Carolina Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- North Dakota Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Renewal Extension Update: Licenses extended until 7/1/2021
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Ohio Board of Nursing Link
Oklahoma April 30th 2021
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON by completing application via Endorsement via online portal.
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Oklahoma Board of Nursing Link
Oregon May 2nd 2021
- Valid license from another state can apply with the state’s BON must complete waiver: https://www.oregon.gov/osbn/Pages/LicenseExceptions.aspx
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Oregon Board of Nursing Link
Pennsylvania May 20th 2021
- 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
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Pennsylvania Board of Nursing Link
Rhode Island April 14th 2021
- Out of State licensees only need submit a completed application and statement verifying their license status for a 90 day permit.
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Rhode Island Board of Nursing Link
South Carolina March 29th 2021
- 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
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- South Carolina Board of Nursing Link
South Dakota June 30th 2021
- license from another state can apply with the state’s BON (license to be honored for 90 days)
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- South Dakota Board of Nursing Link
Tennessee April 28th 2021
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- Tennessee Board of Nursing Link
Texas April 5th 2021
- Any valid license from any state will be accepted
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- BON Verification Link
- Texas Board of Nursing Link
- 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
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Utah Board of Nursing Link
Vermont April 15th2021
- 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/
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- Vermont Board of Nursing Link
- Government waives requirements of fees, CEUs, and reactivation of licenses for APRNs, RNs, and LPNs
- Waiver: https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/media/dhpweb/docs/nursing/forms/Request%20for%20Temp%20License%20under%20EO%2051.pdf
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Virginia Board of Nursing Link
- Any valid license from any state are permitted to work
- Nurse Licensure Compact: No
- BON Verification Link
- Washington Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- 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 Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Waiver: https://dsps.wi.gov/Documents/fmEO2020-1.pdf
- No Renewal Extension
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Wisconsin Board of Nursing Link
- Valid license from another state are permitted to work
- Nurse Licensure Compact: Yes
- Wyoming Board of Nursing Link