Nursing License from California to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Colorado accept a California nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from California to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; all current and previously held licenses are verified through Nursys.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This direction has a silver lining. California is outside the compact, so you have been carrying a single-state license — but Colorado is a member. Endorse into Colorado, establish it as your primary residence, meet the uniform licensure requirements, and the license you receive is multistate: one application turns into practice privileges across the whole compact.
What's different between California and Colorado
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Colorado. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
California to Colorado (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Colorado to California (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from California matter?
Coming from California matters here: only 11 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Colorado.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
California is not in the NLC; Colorado is an NLC member state.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Colorado does not cover practice in California.
- Application fee
California lists $350 for the reverse move; Colorado has no verified fee figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Processing time
California lists 10–12 weeks for the reverse move; Colorado has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Colorado and California carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Colorado (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; all current and previously held licenses are verified through Nursys
- California (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
What changes, California → Colorado
| California (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license) | endorsement fee not published on a public board page — shown inside the DPO Online Services portal at application; + fingerprint vendor fee (IdentoGO/Colorado Fingerprinting) |
| Processing time | 10–12 weeks (board processing-times page (updated 10/22/2026) lists a 10-12 week timeframe for US endorsement applications, processed in date order received; temporary license available (2-3 weeks)) | board publishes no overall processing time; applications referred for Board program review typically take a minimum of three weeks (the Board meets monthly); fingerprint results stay available to the Division for only 90 days |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Registered Nursing | Colorado Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based FBI and CBI criminal background check (results are available to the board for only 90 days, so print close to applying).
- Request verification of ALL current and previously held nursing licenses through Nursys (Pennsylvania licenses are verified directly by that state's board).
- Hold or have held an active RN license in another US state or jurisdiction.
- Apply online through DPO Online Services and declare your primary state of residence for a multistate license.
- If you have not worked on an active nursing license in the last 2 years, demonstrate continued competency (for example, a board-recognized refresher course).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from California to Colorado?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Colorado DPO — Nursing Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards (Colorado) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — Registered Nurse Initial Application Preview (endorsement requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Colorado DPO — Fingerprinting and Background Check ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Colorado DPO — Nursing FAQs ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Colorado DPO — Nurse Licensure Compact ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- California BRN — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- California BRN — Endorsement Application Fees & Instructions (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- California BRN — Processing Times ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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