Nursing License from Idaho to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Arizona State Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both Idaho and Arizona are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Idaho is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arizona now; if you are moving your residence to Arizona, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arizona 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 Idaho and Arizona are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Arizona while living in Idaho — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Arizona means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Arizona and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Idaho → Arizona
| Idaho (current) | Arizona (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | fee not verifiable on an accessible official page — dopl.idaho.gov refused connections during research; DOPL announced fee decreases effective January 2025, so third-party figures are unreliable; confirm the current fee in the DOPL nurse portal | $150 (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee) |
| Processing time | no processing range verifiable from accessible official sources | 4–12 weeks (permanent license issues only after fingerprint results — approx. 30 days electronic, 8-12 weeks hard card; temporary license approx. 30 business days) |
| Licensing authority | Idaho Board of Nursing (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) | Arizona State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona 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 Arizona: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Arizona State Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Arizona as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Arizona'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 Arizona accept a Idaho nursing license?
Yes — both Idaho and Arizona are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Idaho is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Arizona now; if you are moving your residence to Arizona, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Arizona your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Idaho to Arizona?
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 Arizona: $150 (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee) (RN/LPN endorsement application; + $50 background-check fee; optional $50 temporary license; card payments add a $2 or 2.2% processing fee).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (4–12 weeks (permanent license issues only after fingerprint results — approx. 30 days electronic, 8-12 weeks hard card; temporary license approx. 30 business days)).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Arizona BON — Apply for a License (RN/LPN endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arizona BON — Agency Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Idaho DOPL — Board of Nursing ↗ (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]