Nursing License from Arizona to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Connecticut accept an Arizona nursing license?
Yes — both Arizona and Connecticut are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Arizona is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Connecticut now; if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Connecticut your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Arizona and Connecticut are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Connecticut while living in Arizona — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Connecticut means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Connecticut and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What's different between Arizona and Connecticut
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Connecticut. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Arizona to Connecticut (this page): Compact multistate — already covered.
Connecticut to Arizona (the reverse move): Compact multistate — already covered.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Arizona matter?
Arizona gets Connecticut's most common result: 39 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get the same one, so for most movers the origin does not change the answer.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (11).
- NLC membership
Arizona and Connecticut are both NLC member states.
A multistate license issued by Arizona covers practice in Connecticut, and one issued by Connecticut covers practice in Arizona.
- Application fee
Connecticut lists $180 for an out-of-state applicant and Arizona lists $150 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Arizona lists 4–12 weeks for the reverse move; Connecticut has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Connecticut and Arizona carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Connecticut (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; all RN licenses held (current or expired) are verified through Nursys
- Arizona (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
What changes, Arizona → Connecticut
| Arizona (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $150 (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee) | $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement) |
| Processing time | 4–12 weeks (permanent license issues only after fingerprint results — approx. 30 days electronic, 8-12 weeks hard card; temporary license approx. 30 business days) | no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application |
| Licensing authority | Arizona State Board of Nursing | Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
- If you are moving your primary residence to Connecticut: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) when you move.
- Declare Connecticut as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Connecticut's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Arizona to Connecticut?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Connecticut: $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified Arizona 2026-07-21, Connecticut 2026-10-29.
- CT DPH — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards (Connecticut) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Arizona BON — Apply for a License (RN/LPN endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arizona BON — Agency Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources Arizona 2026-07-21, Connecticut 2026-10-29
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com