Nursing License from California to Wyoming: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Wyoming State Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from California to Wyoming by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wyoming State Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Wyoming's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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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 Wyoming is a member. Endorse into Wyoming, 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 changes, California → Wyoming
| California (current) | Wyoming (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) | $135 (endorsement application (WSBN Rules ch. 5, effective 5/26/2026); + $60 DCI background check and 2.4% card processing fee; optional $25 temporary permit) |
| Processing time | 10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available) | 6–9 weeks (board states 45-60 days once ALL documents are received (DCI fingerprint processing is 15-30 days of that); one-time 90-day temporary permit available) |
| Licensing authority | California Board of Registered Nursing | Wyoming State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wyoming sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Wyoming's current requirements on the Wyoming State Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Wyoming State Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active RN license in another state.
- Nursys license verification (board verification form only if your state does not participate in Nursys).
- Submit two fingerprint cards for a DCI and FBI criminal background check.
- Apply and pay through the Wyoming Nurse Portal (credit/debit card only).
- Pay the fees ($135 (endorsement application (WSBN Rules ch. 5, effective 5/26/2026); + $60 DCI background check and 2.4% card processing fee; optional $25 temporary permit)) and allow 6–9 weeks (board states 45-60 days once ALL documents are received (DCI fingerprint processing is 15-30 days of that); one-time 90-day temporary permit available).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Wyoming accept a California nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from California to Wyoming by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wyoming State Board of Nursing, verify your California license, and meet Wyoming's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from California to Wyoming?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$135 (endorsement application (WSBN Rules ch. 5, effective 5/26/2026); + $60 DCI background check and 2.4% card processing fee; optional $25 temporary permit) (endorsement application (WSBN Rules ch. 5, effective 5/26/2026); + $60 DCI background check and 2.4% card processing fee; optional $25 temporary permit).
How long will it take?
6–9 weeks (board states 45-60 days once ALL documents are received (DCI fingerprint processing is 15-30 days of that); one-time 90-day temporary permit available) — board states 45-60 days once ALL documents are received (DCI fingerprint processing is 15-30 days of that); one-time 90-day temporary permit available.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Wyoming State Board of Nursing — Licensing (fee rules linked on page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Endorsement Application Fees & Instructions (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Processing Times ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]