Nursing License from Connecticut to Maine: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Maine accept a Connecticut nursing license?
Yes — both Connecticut and Maine are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Connecticut is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Maine now; if you are moving your residence to Maine, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Maine 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 Connecticut and Maine are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Maine while living in Connecticut — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Maine means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Maine and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What's different between Connecticut and Maine
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Maine. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Connecticut to Maine (this page): Compact multistate — already covered.
Maine to Connecticut (the reverse move): Compact multistate — already covered.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Connecticut matter?
Connecticut gets Maine'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
Connecticut and Maine are both NLC member states.
A multistate license issued by Connecticut covers practice in Maine, and one issued by Maine covers practice in Connecticut.
- Application fee
Maine lists $75 for an out-of-state applicant and Connecticut lists $180 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Maine and Connecticut carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Maine (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
- Connecticut (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; all RN licenses held (current or expired) are verified through Nursys
What changes, Connecticut → Maine
| Connecticut (current) | Maine (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement) | $75 (endorsement application, non-refundable; + $52 criminal background check and $30 Nursys verification fee) |
| Processing time | no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application | applications processed in the order received; no timeframe published by the board |
| Licensing authority | Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) | Maine State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maine 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 Maine: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Maine State Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Maine as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Maine'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 Connecticut to Maine?
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 Maine: $75 (endorsement application, non-refundable; + $52 criminal background check and $30 Nursys verification fee).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (applications processed in the order received; no timeframe published by the board).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Maine State Board of Nursing — Licensing by Endorsement/Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine State Board of Nursing — RN Endorsement Licensure Requirements (rev 7/2025, PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- CT DPH — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards (Connecticut) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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