Nursing License from California to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Maryland accept a California nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from California to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is 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 Maryland is a member. Endorse into Maryland, 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 Maryland
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Maryland. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
California to Maryland (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Maryland 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 Maryland.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
California is not in the NLC; Maryland is an NLC member state.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Maryland does not cover practice in California.
- Application fee
Maryland lists $230 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; Maryland has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
California and Maryland carry the same exam note for a licensee arriving from another state; any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
What changes, California → Maryland
| California (current) | Maryland (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) | $230 (endorsement application; optional 90-day temporary license $70 ($300 if both); CJIS fingerprinting fee paid separately to the fingerprinting vendor) |
| 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 does not publish a timeline; 90-day temporary license available while the application is pending |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Registered Nursing | Maryland Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check through Maryland CJIS Live Scan.
- Submit the endorsement application within 48 hours of completing fingerprinting.
- Have official transcripts from every nursing program emailed to the Board directly from a digital credentialing service.
- Upload a digital passport-style photograph.
- Hold an active RN license in another state.
- 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 Maryland?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Maryland Board of Nursing — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nurse Licensure Compact — official commission site ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com