Compact State Licensure

[Marleybsnrn]

I recently moved to Oahu (military husband) and Hawaii is not a compact state as of right now. I have always held a (RN) multi-state license. I just applied for a Hawaii license and I was wondering if we happen to move back to the mainland in a couple years to another compact state, will I still be able to obtain my original compact license?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

If you keep paying to renew the one you had before you went to Hawaii, it will still be in force, and you can take it from there.

[chare]

As GrnTea stated, as long as you renew your original license it remains active and valid. However, as you are no longer a resident of that state it grants single state privileges in that state only.

If you relocate to a compact state when you leave Hawaii, whether your new license grants you multi-state privileges depends upon where you claim residency as you must establish residency in the compact state in order for your license to grant multi-state privileges.

Even if you have a compact license, when you relocate to another compact state, and establish residency in that state, you still have to apply for licensure; however you can work for either 30 or 90 days, depending upon which state you relocate to, on your current compact state license. Aside from this unless you want to travel to a compact state or live near the border with another compact state and want to work across the state line it's not otherwise helpful.