Transfer Your Nursing License to New Jersey: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my nursing license transfer to New Jersey?
New Jersey is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in New Jersey immediately, with no new application while you live in that other state; moving your residence to New Jersey means applying by endorsement. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the New Jersey Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Moving to New Jersey from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
NLC member — multistate license honored
Whether you need to do anything at all depends on the license in your pocket. If you hold a multistate license and your primary residence stays in another compact state — a travel contract, a border commute, telehealth — New Jersey requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to New Jersey, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the New Jersey Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — an active multistate license from another compact state is honored in New Jersey without an endorsement application unless New Jersey becomes the primary state of residence. Paper applications must be notarized; an online application with credit-card payment is also offered.
New Jersey requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys or directly by your previous state boards |
|---|---|
| Fees | $200 (total due at application — $120 license fee + $75 nonrefundable application fee + $5 mandatory Alternative to Discipline fee; + $58.69 Morpho Trust fingerprint-card fee for applicants outside the metropolitan NJ area) |
| Processing time | board does not publish an endorsement processing timeline |
Comparing New Jersey with other states? Check RN endorsement requirements by state in the Endorsement Requirement Finder.
Step by step
- Confirm New Jersey's current requirements on the New Jersey Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New Jersey Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete a fingerprint-based criminal history background check.
- Provide verification of licensure in good standing from your original state and every state where you have ever been licensed, via Nursys or directly from those boards.
- Submit a signed passport-style photograph taken within the past six months.
- Submit proof of U.S. citizenship, naturalization, or lawful immigration status.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into New Jersey:
Nearby states
Nursing license transfer into the states bordering New Jersey:
New Jersey for other professions
- Cosmetology / Barber in New Jersey
- Real Estate in New Jersey
- Contractor in New Jersey
- Teaching in New Jersey
- CPA / Accounting in New Jersey
- Electrician in New Jersey
- Plumber in New Jersey
- Engineering in New Jersey
- Pharmacy in New Jersey
- Physical Therapy in New Jersey
- Psychology in New Jersey
- Counseling in New Jersey
- Social Work in New Jersey
- Occupational Therapy in New Jersey
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in New Jersey?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys or directly by your previous state boards. No state requires a second NCLEX.
Is New Jersey in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — New Jersey is an NLC member as of 2026-10-29. A multistate license from another member state is valid in New Jersey without any application, as long as your primary residence stays in a member state.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- NJ Board of Nursing — Instructions for Licensure by Endorsement (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NJ Board of Nursing — Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
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