Nursing License from Hawaii to New York: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does New York accept a Hawaii nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Hawaii to New York by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, verify your Hawaii license, and meet New York's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your out-of-state license is verified to NYSED through Nursys (or Form 3 if your state does not participate).
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither Hawaii nor New York participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: New York's board verifies the license you already hold and issues its own. Nothing about Hawaii speeds it up or slows it down — the timeline below is New York's standard out-of-state queue.
What's different between Hawaii and New York
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into New York. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Hawaii to New York (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
New York to Hawaii (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Hawaii matter?
Coming from Hawaii does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into New York.
- NLC membership
Neither Hawaii nor New York is in the NLC.
- Application fee
New York lists $143 for an out-of-state applicant and Hawaii lists $186–$254 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Hawaii lists 3–4 weeks for the reverse move; New York has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
New York and Hawaii carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- New York (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; your out-of-state license is verified to NYSED through Nursys (or Form 3 if your state does not participate)
- Hawaii (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your original licensure and exam scores are verified through Nursys or directly by your original state board
What changes, Hawaii → New York
| Hawaii (current) | New York (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| 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) | $143 (licensure and first registration fee (Form 1); NYSED's $35 limited permit is only for applicants who have never taken the NCLEX-RN, so it is not available to nurses already licensed by exam; NYSED RN checklists list no fingerprint background check) |
| Processing time | 3–4 weeks (board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available) | NYSED does not publish processing times for RN licensure applications |
| Licensing authority | Hawaii Board of Nursing | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New York sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New York's current requirements on the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete NYSED-approved infection control coursework.
- Complete an approved child abuse identification and reporting course, or qualify for an exemption.
- Have your nursing school send Form 2 (Certification of Professional Education) and official transcript directly to NYSED.
- Demonstrate good moral character.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Hawaii to New York?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- NYSED Office of the Professions — RN Pathway #3 (licensed in another state) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — RN License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — How do I apply for Licensure by Endorsement? ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Hawaii DCCA — Application for License (Endorsement or Without Exam), NSG-02/NSG-07 with fee schedule ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Hawaii Board of Nursing — Application Forms and Publications ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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