Nursing License from Georgia to Wisconsin: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Wisconsin Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both Georgia and Wisconsin are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Georgia is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Wisconsin now; if you are moving your residence to Wisconsin, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Wisconsin your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Georgia and Wisconsin are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Wisconsin while living in Georgia — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Wisconsin means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Wisconsin and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Georgia → Wisconsin
| Georgia (current) | Wisconsin (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $75 (non-refundable endorsement application fee; fingerprint fee paid separately to GAPS/Idemia) | initial endorsement fee is charged in the LicensE portal at application; no current public DSPS schedule lists it; optional temporary permit + $10 |
| Processing time | board states applications are processed in order received; complete applications may be reviewed at a scheduled board meeting — no numeric range published | DSPS does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Georgia Board of Nursing | Wisconsin Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Wisconsin Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Wisconsin as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Wisconsin'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
Does Wisconsin accept a Georgia nursing license?
Yes — both Georgia and Wisconsin are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Georgia is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Wisconsin now; if you are moving your residence to Wisconsin, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Wisconsin your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Georgia to Wisconsin?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Wisconsin: initial endorsement fee is charged in the LicensE portal at application; no current public DSPS schedule lists it; optional temporary permit + $10 (initial endorsement fee is charged in the LicensE portal at application; no current public DSPS schedule lists it; optional temporary permit + $10).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (DSPS does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Wisconsin DSPS — Registered Nurse (endorsement section) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — #3087 Credentialing Information for RN/LPN Licensure (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — How-to Guide, Registered Nurse (Endorsement Checklist and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nurse Licensure Compact — official site ↗ (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]