Nursing License from Pennsylvania to West Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses ↗
Yes — both Pennsylvania and West Virginia are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Pennsylvania is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in West Virginia now; if you are moving your residence to West Virginia, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare West Virginia 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 Pennsylvania and West Virginia are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in West Virginia while living in Pennsylvania — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to West Virginia means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into West Virginia and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What changes, Pennsylvania → West Virginia
| Pennsylvania (current) | West Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $120–$180 ($120 single-state endorsement / $180 multistate endorsement (multistate requires PA primary residence); + fingerprinting costs; $105 to convert an existing PA license to multistate) | $125 (board fee item is 'Endorsement With Temp Permit'; + 0.25% online transaction fee; background-check fees paid separately) |
| Processing time | board's licensure guide states no fixed timeframe; delays are reduced by having schools and boards send documents directly to the Board | board does not publish a processing timeframe; the $125 endorsement fee includes a temporary permit |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing | West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — West Virginia 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 West Virginia: apply for licensure by endorsement with the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses when you move.
- Declare West Virginia as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete West Virginia'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
Does West Virginia accept a Pennsylvania nursing license?
Yes — both Pennsylvania and West Virginia are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Pennsylvania is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in West Virginia now; if you are moving your residence to West Virginia, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare West Virginia your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Pennsylvania to West Virginia?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to West Virginia: $125 (board fee item is 'Endorsement With Temp Permit'; + 0.25% online transaction fee; background-check fees paid separately) (board fee item is 'Endorsement With Temp Permit'; + 0.25% online transaction fee; background-check fees paid separately).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (board does not publish a processing timeframe; the $125 endorsement fee includes a temporary permit).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- WV RN Board — Licensing (fee schedule, endorsement, Nurse Portal) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WV RN Board — RN and APRN Licensure Requirements (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Department of State — Nurse Licensure Compact (implementation and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- PA Department of State — Nursing Licensure Guide (background check, Act 31 CE, verifications) ↗ (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]