Nursing License from California to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Connecticut accept a California nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from California to Connecticut by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health), verify your California license, and meet Connecticut's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; all RN licenses held (current or expired) 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 Connecticut is a member. Endorse into Connecticut, 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 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
California to Connecticut (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Connecticut 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 Connecticut.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
California is not in the NLC; Connecticut is an NLC member state.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Connecticut does not cover practice in California.
- Application fee
Connecticut lists $180 for an out-of-state applicant and California lists $350 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
California lists 10–12 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 California 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
- California (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
What changes, California → Connecticut
| California (current) | Connecticut (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) | $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement) |
| 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)) | no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Registered 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 Connecticut's current requirements on the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current RN license from a US state or territory that required passing the NCLEX (non-NCLEX licensees must apply by examination instead).
- Arrange verification of all RN licenses held, current or expired, through Nursys (written verification form for non-participating states).
- Apply online through the eLicense portal — paper applications are not accepted.
- 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 Connecticut?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- CT DPH — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards (Connecticut) ↗ (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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