Nursing License from New York to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Kentucky accept a New York nursing license?
A nursing license transfers from New York to Kentucky by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Kentucky Board of Nursing, verify your New York license, and meet Kentucky'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 Kentucky is a member. Endorse into Kentucky, 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 Kentucky
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Kentucky. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
New York to Kentucky (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Kentucky 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 Kentucky.
The others get: compact multistate — already covered (39).
- NLC membership
New York is not in the NLC; Kentucky is an NLC member state.
Because they are not both active members, the NLC does not cover this move.
A multistate license issued by Kentucky does not cover practice in New York.
- Application fee
Kentucky lists $165 for an out-of-state applicant and New York lists $143 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Kentucky lists up to 3 weeks; New York has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Kentucky and New York carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Kentucky (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 → Kentucky
| New York (current) | Kentucky (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) | $165 (endorsement application, non-refundable; + IdentoGO background check fee and $30 Nursys verification fee) |
| Processing time | NYSED does not publish processing times for RN licensure applications | up to 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) |
| Licensing authority | New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions | Kentucky Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Kentucky's current requirements on the Kentucky Board of Nursing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Kentucky Board of Nursing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check through IdentoGO.
- Pass the Kentucky Jurisprudence Exam with a score of 80% or higher.
- Verification of your original state license through Nursys ($30 fee paid to Nursys).
- If licensed more than 5 years and you have not practiced 500 hours in the past 5 years, complete 120 hours of continuing education from an approved provider.
- 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 Kentucky?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- Kentucky Board of Nursing — RN Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Kentucky Board of Nursing — Fees for Licensure Applications and Services (PDF) ↗ (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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