Nursing License from Kentucky to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Colorado Board of Nursing ↗
Yes — both Kentucky and Colorado are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Kentucky is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Colorado now; if you are moving your residence to Colorado, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Colorado your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Kentucky and Colorado are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Colorado while living in Kentucky — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Colorado means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Colorado and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Kentucky → Colorado
| Kentucky (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $165 (endorsement application, non-refundable; + IdentoGO background check fee and $30 Nursys verification fee) | endorsement fee not published on a public board page — shown inside the DPO Online Services portal at application; + fingerprint vendor fee (IdentoGO/Colorado Fingerprinting) |
| Processing time | ~3 weeks (board states licenses may be issued within 14 business days after all documents are received; up to 3 months with disciplinary/conviction disclosures; 6-month temporary permit available) | board publishes no processing time; background check results only reach the board within 90 days of printing |
| Licensing authority | Kentucky Board of Nursing | Colorado Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado 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 Colorado: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Colorado Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Colorado as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Colorado'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 Colorado accept a Kentucky nursing license?
Yes — both Kentucky and Colorado are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Kentucky is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Colorado now; if you are moving your residence to Colorado, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Colorado your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Kentucky to Colorado?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; all current and previously held licenses are verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Colorado: endorsement fee not published on a public board page — shown inside the DPO Online Services portal at application; + fingerprint vendor fee (IdentoGO/Colorado Fingerprinting) (endorsement fee not published on a public board page — shown inside the DPO Online Services portal at application; + fingerprint vendor fee (IdentoGO/Colorado Fingerprinting)).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (board publishes no processing time; background check results only reach the board within 90 days of printing).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Colorado DPO — Nursing Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Nursys — participating boards (Colorado) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky Board of Nursing — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky Board of Nursing — Fees for Licensure Applications and Services (PDF) ↗ (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]