Nursing License from New York to California: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: California Board of Registered Nursing ↗
A nursing license transfers from New York to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Registered Nursing, verify your New York license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Neither New York nor California participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so this is a classic endorsement move: California's board verifies the license you already hold and issues its own. Nothing about New York speeds it up or slows it down — the timeline below is California's standard out-of-state queue.
What changes, New York → California
| New York (current) | California (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Application fee | $143 (licensure and first registration fee (Form 1); optional limited permit $35; NYSED RN checklists list no fingerprint background check) | $350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license) |
| Processing time | NYSED does not publish processing times for RN licensure applications | 10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available) |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions | California Board of Registered Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — California sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm California's current requirements on the California Board of Registered Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the California Board of Registered Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based DOJ and FBI background check via California Live Scan or fingerprint hard card.
- Request license verification through Nursys or submit the Verification of License form.
- Have official transcripts sent directly from your nursing school.
- Hold a current, active RN license in another state, US territory, or Canada.
- Apply online through the BreEZe system.
- Pay the fees ($350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license)) and allow 10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does California accept a New York nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from New York to California by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the California Board of Registered Nursing, verify your New York license, and meet California's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from New York to California?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
$350 (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license) (US-educated endorsement application ($750 if internationally educated); + $49 fingerprint hard card if out of state (Live Scan vendor fees vary); optional $100 temporary license).
How long will it take?
10–13 weeks (initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available) — initial evaluation mandated within 90 days; board processing page (June 2026) was reviewing US endorsement applications received about 10-12 weeks earlier; temporary license available.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- California BRN — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Endorsement Application Fees & Instructions (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California BRN — Processing Times ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — RN Pathway #3 (licensed in another state) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — RN License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — How do I apply for Licensure by Endorsement? ↗ (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]