Nursing License from Maine to Connecticut: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Connecticut accept a Maine nursing license?
Yes — both Maine and Connecticut are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Maine is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Connecticut now; if you are moving your residence to Connecticut, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Connecticut your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Maine and Connecticut are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Connecticut while living in Maine — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Connecticut means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Connecticut and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What's different between Maine and Connecticut
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Connecticut. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Maine to Connecticut (this page): Compact multistate — already covered.
Connecticut to Maine (the reverse move): Compact multistate — already covered.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Maine matter?
Maine gets Connecticut's most common result: 39 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get the same one, so for most movers the origin does not change the answer.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (11).
- NLC membership
Maine and Connecticut are both NLC member states.
A multistate license issued by Maine covers practice in Connecticut, and one issued by Connecticut covers practice in Maine.
- Application fee
Connecticut lists $180 for an out-of-state applicant and Maine lists $75 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Connecticut and Maine carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Connecticut (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; all RN licenses held (current or expired) are verified through Nursys
- Maine (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
What changes, Maine → Connecticut
| Maine (current) | Connecticut (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $75 (endorsement application, non-refundable; + $52 criminal background check and $30 Nursys verification fee) | $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement) |
| Processing time | applications processed in the order received; no timeframe published by the board | no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application |
| Licensing authority | Maine State Board of Nursing | Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Connecticut 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 Connecticut: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing (licensing administered by the Department of Public Health) when you move.
- Declare Connecticut as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Connecticut'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
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Maine to Connecticut?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Connecticut: $180 (endorsement application fee; Nursys verification fee additional; no fingerprint background check listed for RN endorsement).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (no overall time published; a 120-day temporary permit is issued within 15 business days of a complete, approved application).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- CT DPH — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nursys — participating boards (Connecticut) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maine State Board of Nursing — Licensing by Endorsement/Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine State Board of Nursing — RN Endorsement Licensure Requirements (rev 7/2025, PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com