Transfer Your Nursing License to Rhode Island: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my nursing license transfer to Rhode Island?
Rhode Island honors multistate licenses under the Nurse Licensure Compact — compact nurses who live in another member state need no Rhode Island application, while those relocating here apply by endorsement. From a non-compact state such as California or New York, the path is licensure by endorsement through the Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education, without retaking the NCLEX.
Moving to Rhode Island 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 — Rhode Island requires nothing from you. If you are actually moving to Rhode Island, you are changing your primary state of residence, and that means an endorsement application to the Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education to re-home your multistate license.
NLC member — Rhode Island rejoined the Nurse Licensure Compact effective 2024-01-01; a multistate license from another compact state is honored without a RI application unless RI becomes the primary state of residence. Applications are filed online via the RIDOH licensing portal (healthri.mylicense.com).
Rhode Island requirements at a glance
| Exam | NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys |
|---|---|
| Fees | $135 (Professional (Registered) Nurse initial application, endorsed/reciprocal, per RIDOH fee regulation 216-RICR-10-05-2 (effective 2026-03-25); national criminal records check (BCI/FBI) fees paid separately by the applicant) |
| Processing time | up to 13 weeks (regulation requires the Board to act on each application within 90 days of its submission (216-RICR-40-05-3 § 3.3.4(E))) |
Comparing Rhode Island with other states? Check RN endorsement requirements by state in the Endorsement Requirement Finder.
Step by step
- Confirm Rhode Island's current requirements on the Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Rhode Island Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Statement of good standing submitted to the Board by the licensing agency of each state where you hold or have held a license.
- Rhode Island BCI criminal records review (submit the BCI no-disqualification notification or authorize a report to the Department).
- Hold a current license as a professional nurse, obtained by examination or endorsement, in another state, territory, or DC.
- 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 Rhode Island:
Nearby states
Nursing license transfer into the states bordering Rhode Island:
Rhode Island for other professions
- Cosmetology / Barber in Rhode Island
- Real Estate in Rhode Island
- Contractor in Rhode Island
- Teaching in Rhode Island
- CPA / Accounting in Rhode Island
- Electrician in Rhode Island
- Plumber in Rhode Island
- Engineering in Rhode Island
- Pharmacy in Rhode Island
- Physical Therapy in Rhode Island
- Psychology in Rhode Island
- Counseling in Rhode Island
- Social Work in Rhode Island
- Occupational Therapy in Rhode Island
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake the NCLEX to get licensed in Rhode Island?
No. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys. No state requires a second NCLEX.
Is Rhode Island in the Nurse Licensure Compact?
Yes — Rhode Island is an NLC member as of 2026-10-29. A multistate license from another member state is valid in Rhode Island 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.
- RI Code of Regulations 216-RICR-40-05-3 — Nurses (licensure by endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- RI Code of Regulations 216-RICR-10-05-2 — Fee Structure for Licensing (effective 2026-03-25) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- RI Department of Health — Nurses (licensing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
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