Transfer Your Nursing License to Pennsylvania: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my nursing license transfer to Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania is a Nurse Licensure Compact state: a multistate license from another compact state works in Pennsylvania immediately, with no new application while you live in that other state; moving your residence to Pennsylvania means applying by endorsement. Nurses from non-compact states (California, New York, and the other non-members) apply to the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement — the NCLEX is not retaken.
Moving to Pennsylvania 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 — Pennsylvania requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Pennsylvania, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — Pennsylvania fully implemented the NLC on July 7, 2025 and is now issuing multistate licenses. A multistate license from another compact state is honored without a PA application unless PA becomes the primary state of residence.
Pennsylvania requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Fees | $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) |
| Processing time | board's licensure guide states no fixed timeframe; delays are reduced by having schools and boards send documents directly to the Board |
Comparing Pennsylvania with other states? Check RN endorsement requirements by state in the Endorsement Requirement Finder.
Step by step
- Confirm Pennsylvania's current requirements on the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Fingerprint-based FBI criminal background check for all new applicants.
- Complete 3 hours of Board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting continuing education (Act 31).
- Verification of licensure from each state or jurisdiction where you hold a license.
- Graduation from an approved professional nursing education program in the U.S. or Canada, or one deemed equivalent to the Pennsylvania program of study.
- 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 Pennsylvania:
Nearby states
Nursing license transfer into the states bordering Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania for other professions
- Cosmetology / Barber in Pennsylvania
- Real Estate in Pennsylvania
- Contractor in Pennsylvania
- Teaching in Pennsylvania
- CPA / Accounting in Pennsylvania
- Electrician in Pennsylvania
- Plumber in Pennsylvania
- Engineering in Pennsylvania
- Pharmacy in Pennsylvania
- Physical Therapy in Pennsylvania
- Psychology in Pennsylvania
- Counseling in Pennsylvania
- Social Work in Pennsylvania
- Occupational Therapy in Pennsylvania
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Pennsylvania?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.
Is Pennsylvania in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Pennsylvania is an NLC member as of 2026-10-29. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Pennsylvania 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.
- PA Department of State — Nurse Licensure Compact (implementation and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- PA Department of State — Nursing Licensure Guide (background check, Act 31 CE, verifications) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- 49 Pa. Code § 21.5 — Fees (licensure by endorsement $120) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
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