Nursing License from District of Columbia to Michigan: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Michigan Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from District of Columbia to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Nursing, verify your District of Columbia license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither District of Columbia nor Michigan participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: Michigan's board verifies the license you already hold and issues its own. Nothing about District of Columbia speeds it up or slows it down — the timeline below is Michigan's standard out-of-state queue.
What changes, District of Columbia → Michigan
| District of Columbia (current) | Michigan (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $280 (combined application + criminal background check fee, Visa/MasterCard only; + $30 Nursys verification fee) | $212.9 ($212.90 combined application fee + 2-year license fee; fingerprint background-check vendor fee paid separately) |
| Processing time | ~6 weeks (board asks applicants to allow 30 business days after applying before checking application status) | board does not publish an endorsement processing timeline |
| Licensing authority | District of Columbia Board of Nursing | Michigan Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Michigan sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Michigan's current requirements on the Michigan Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Michigan Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check (instructions emailed after applying via MiPLUS).
- Complete a one-time human trafficking victim identification training.
- Complete 2 hours of implicit bias training within the 5 years before licensure.
- Submit verification of licensure from every state where you hold or ever held a license.
- Have final official transcripts sent directly from your nursing program to the Bureau.
- Demonstrate English language proficiency.
- Pay the fees ($212.9 ($212.90 combined application fee + 2-year license fee; fingerprint background-check vendor fee paid separately)) and allow board does not publish an endorsement processing timeline.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Michigan accept a District of Columbia nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from District of Columbia to Michigan by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Michigan Board of Nursing, verify your District of Columbia license, and meet Michigan's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from District of Columbia to Michigan?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$212.9 ($212.90 combined application fee + 2-year license fee; fingerprint background-check vendor fee paid separately) ($212.90 combined application fee + 2-year license fee; fingerprint background-check vendor fee paid separately).
How long will it take?
board does not publish an endorsement processing timeline — board does not publish an endorsement processing timeline.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Michigan LARA/BPL — Michigan Nursing Licensing Guide ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA — Board of Nursing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC Health — RN Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC Board of Nursing — Registered Nurse Endorsement Requirements (PDF) ↗ (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]