Nursing License from New York to Iowa: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Iowa accept a New York nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from New York to Iowa by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Iowa Board of Nursing, verify your New York license, and meet Iowa's endorsement requirements. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This direction has a silver lining. New York is outside the compact, so you have been carrying a single-state license — but Iowa is a member. Endorse into Iowa, establish it as your primary residence, meet the uniform licensure requirements, and the license you receive is multistate: one application turns into practice privileges across the whole compact.
What's different between New York and Iowa
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Iowa. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
New York to Iowa (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Iowa to New York (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from New York matter?
Coming from New York matters here: only 11 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Iowa.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
New York is not in the NLC; Iowa is an NLC member state.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Iowa does not cover practice in New York.
- Application fee
Iowa lists $119 for an out-of-state applicant and New York lists $143 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Iowa and New York carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Iowa (this move): NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys
- New York (the reverse move): NCLEX is not retaken; your out-of-state license is verified to NYSED through Nursys (or Form 3 if your state does not participate)
What changes, New York → Iowa
| New York (current) | Iowa (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | Licensure by endorsement | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $143 (licensure and first registration fee (Form 1); NYSED's $35 limited permit is only for applicants who have never taken the NCLEX-RN, so it is not available to nurses already licensed by exam; NYSED RN checklists list no fingerprint background check) | $119 (board collects $169 total: $119 endorsement application + $50 criminal history background check) |
| Processing time | NYSED does not publish processing times for RN licensure applications | board's current endorsement and licensure pages publish no processing time; application status is tracked in the Board of Nursing online portal |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions | Iowa Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Iowa sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Iowa's current requirements on the Iowa Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Iowa Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based criminal history background check (digital fingerprinting through Fieldprint).
- Official nursing program transcript submitted directly to the board by your school.
- Verification of your original state of licensure through Nursys.
- Complete a refresher course if you have not held an active license in any jurisdiction within the previous five years.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from New York to Iowa?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Iowa DIAL — Apply for a Nursing License by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Iowa DIAL — Nursing Licensure Fees and Fee Waivers ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Iowa DIAL — Nurse Licensure Compact ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — RN Pathway #3 (licensed in another state) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — RN License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYSED Office of the Professions — How do I apply for Licensure by Endorsement? ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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