Nurse Licensure Compact

What is New?

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The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) increases access to care while maintaining public protection at the state level.

The NLC has specific licensure requirements referred to as  “Uniform Licensure Requirements (ULRs).” Under the NLC, in order to receive a license with multi-state privilege, applicants must meet all ULRs in accordance with Virginia Code § 54.1-3040.3 C. Applicants must attest to having met these requirements at the time of initial application and at every renewal.

The NLC is a modern licensure solution for the 21st century, allowing for nurses living in compact states to practice in all other compact states with a single multi-state license. Learn more about the NLC here.
Important NLC Rule Changes Learn more about the NLC here. 

Important NLC Rule Changes

Implementation Map

New states are in the process of implementing the NLC. The Implementation Map has up-to-date membership information.

Implications

Virginia implemented enhancements to the Nurse Licensure Compact on January 19, 2018. The enhancements include additional member states and 11 ULRs. Nurses with a multi-state license issued prior to January 19, 2018, were grandfathered into the enhanced NLC. New applicants for multi-state licensure residing in compact states must meet the 11 ULRs.

The NLC authorizes Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Nurses (licensed) and residing in a compact state to practice in other compact states without the necessity of obtaining an additional license.  The NLC facilitates nursing practice among the compact states by requiring the nurse to maintain a license in his/her Primary State of Residence which grants “multi-state privilege” to practice in other compact states.

• Primary State of Residence (PSOR) / Home State is defined by the Compact as: “The compact state which is the nurse’s primary state of residence. Proof of residency, such as a current driver’s license or other legal document which shows your current address, may be required.”
  
  
•  Per the NLC, acceptable documents (evidence) of proof of Virginia residency are:
• a current Virginia Driver’s License;
• Virginia Voter Registration Card; or,
• DD Form 2058 (Active Duty Military / Military Spouse Only)

The privilege to practice in compact states requires that the nurse practice according to the laws and regulations of each state in which the nurse practices or provides care (i.e., the state in which the patient is located at the time care is rendered), either physically or electronically. Nursing practice is not limited to patient care and includes all nursing practice as defined by each compact state’s practice laws. Click here to read Virginia Laws and Regulations governing the practice of Nursing.

Exceptions (Federal Government/Military Staff)

• Federal government employees and military staff practicing exclusively in federal and military systems are required to hold only one current active license from any state.  Proof of employment may be required for issuance of the license. 
• Federal employees or military nurses practicing in a civilian health system are bound by the laws and rules of the Nurse Licensure Compact.
• Federal government/military employees may be issued only one multi-state privilege license at a time, if proof of residency in compact state provided; if no proof provided, a single-state license may be issued regardless of where nurse resides.
• What You Need to Know: Federal/Military Nurses and Spouses

Nurse Licensure Compact Resources

• The Nurse Licensure Compact Explained a video from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing: Fast Facts about the NLC (PDF document)

• Legal Memorandum to Employers Regarding Accepting Multi-state Licenses: See the legal opinion issued December 11, 2018 and adopted by the NLC which establishes that an employer’s refusal to honor a multi-state license or requiring prospective employees to apply for licenses in more than one compact state clearly violates the NLC.

• Declaration of Primary State of Residence Form (PDF document)

If you would like additional information concerning the Nurse Licensure Compact, please click here to view the NLC Toolkit on NCSBN's website.

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