Nursing License from Hawaii to Ohio: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Ohio accept a Hawaii nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from Hawaii to Ohio by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Ohio Board of Nursing, verify your Hawaii license, and meet Ohio's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
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 Ohio is a member. Endorse into Ohio, 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's different between Hawaii and Ohio
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Ohio. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Hawaii to Ohio (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Ohio to Hawaii (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Hawaii matter?
Coming from Hawaii matters here: only 11 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Ohio.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
Hawaii is not in the NLC; Ohio is an NLC member state.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Ohio does not cover practice in Hawaii.
- Application fee
Ohio lists $75 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; Ohio has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Ohio and Hawaii carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Ohio (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
- 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 → Ohio
| Hawaii (current) | Ohio (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 (reciprocity) application; + eLicense system transaction fee and BCI/FBI fingerprinting costs paid to vendors) |
| Processing time | 3–4 weeks (board states processing is normally 15-20 working days for complete applications; one single-employer temporary permit available) | board does not publish a stated range; application is void and fee forfeited if incomplete for one year |
| Licensing authority | Hawaii Board of Nursing | Ohio Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Ohio sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Ohio's current requirements on the Ohio Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Ohio Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete a BCI (state) and FBI (federal) fingerprint-based criminal records check.
- Provide verification of your original licensure by examination and of a current, valid, unrestricted license via Nursys or directly from that NCSBN jurisdiction.
- Submit documentation of 2 contact hours of Category A continuing education on the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Board rules.
- Provide evidence of completing an RN pre-licensure education program approved by the Board or another NCSBN jurisdiction.
- 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 Ohio?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Ohio BON — RN Licensure by Endorsement application instructions (official sample application, eLicense) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards of nursing (Ohio listed) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 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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