Nursing License from Hawaii to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Georgia Board of Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from Hawaii to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia Board of Nursing, verify your Hawaii license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This direction has a silver lining. Hawaii is outside the compact, so you have been carrying a single-state license — but Georgia is a member. Endorse into Georgia, 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, Hawaii → Georgia
| Hawaii (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $186–$254 (total varies by point in the 2-year licensing cycle ($40 application + $36 license + Compliance Resolution Fund $50-$100 + $60 Center for Nursing + $18 half-renewal when applicable); fingerprint fee paid directly to Fieldprint; optional temporary permit $50) | $75 (non-refundable endorsement application fee; fingerprint fee paid separately to GAPS/Idemia) |
| Processing time | 3–4 weeks (board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available) | board states applications are processed in order received; complete applications may be reviewed at a scheduled board meeting — no numeric range published |
| Licensing authority | Hawaii Board of Nursing | Georgia Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Georgia's current requirements on the Georgia Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Georgia Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal background check through GAPS/Idemia.
- Hold an active, unencumbered RN license in another U.S. jurisdiction.
- Have official transcripts sent directly to the board by your nursing school.
- Complete Nursys verification of both current and original licensure.
- Show 500 hours of RN practice in the last 4 years, graduation within 4 years, or complete a board-approved re-entry program.
- Pay the fees ($75 (non-refundable endorsement application fee; fingerprint fee paid separately to GAPS/Idemia)) and allow board states applications are processed in order received; complete applications may be reviewed at a scheduled board meeting — no numeric range published.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia accept a Hawaii nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Hawaii to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia Board of Nursing, verify your Hawaii license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Hawaii to Georgia?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$75 (non-refundable endorsement application fee; fingerprint fee paid separately to GAPS/Idemia) (non-refundable endorsement application fee; fingerprint fee paid separately to GAPS/Idemia).
How long will it take?
board states applications are processed in order received; complete applications may be reviewed at a scheduled board meeting — no numeric range published — board states applications are processed in order received; complete applications may be reviewed at a scheduled board meeting — no numeric range published.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- Hawaii DCCA — Application for License (Endorsement or Without Exam), NSG-02/NSG-07 with fee schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Hawaii Board of Nursing — Application Forms and Publications ↗ (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]