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Discussion

CA license question

Hi,

I know there is a sticky on this subject and I tried going to the BRN website and I'm still confused. Hoping to hear from someone who has gone through the process...

I'm moving to CA from Wisconsin in January as a new RN. I am taking boards in WI in January, then moving to CA shortly after that. I was told by another student that it is easier to apply for a WI license, then go to Sacramento and transfer to a CA license. Is this true, or is it easier/more cost effective to apply directly to CA? I know I have to provide transcripts and fingerprints to CA, but do I have to have all of my prior conviction stuff to submit to CA again even if I had done that for my WI license?

If I take my boards on 1/11 and go up to Sacramento the following week, will I be able to get my license that day? WI is a state where you get your NCLEX results in a few days. Sorry, this is all so confusing to me and I want to do this the right way without delays and trying to avoid extra costs if possible. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Featured Replies

If you can still work at your present job for the month of December and don't need your license for Wisconsin right away, I would say just apply for your licensure in California. You won't be able to get your license right away if you move. It takes 6-8 weeks to transfer a license. (I just transfered my California license to Illinois) Once you move to California you're gonna have to wait the 6-8 weeks to get the license transfered so why not just go ahead and take the NCLEX in California so when you move you already have everything in place. On the other hand, if you need to go ahead and start working as a nurse in Wisconsin, take the NCLEX there and then immediately apply to transfer your license to California.

  • Author

i don't want to take boards in CA because I want to take them before i leave. i was told that if i went to sacramento, then i could get my temporary license that day.

Oh. Never thought of actually going to the BON. I live about 5-6 hours away from Sacramento so that didn't really cross my mind. That's actually a good idea, just verify with the BON that they will be able to do that for you the same day.

You can get issued a temporary license that same day by showing up at Sacramento, but I think you get the permanent license later once the board verifies your credentials. Also, you will endorse to California, not transfer your WI license (meaning you will hold licenses in each state).

I graduated in Missouri and took NCLEX and obtained initial licensure in California. Let me give you a timeline for my case in case you decide to go that route:

Dec. 16, 2006: Graduated nursing school

January 10, 2007: Application and all supporting documents sent to Sacramento (please note that I had already done livescan fingerprints before this date - highly recommend this because hard copies of fingerprints can hold up your application if they can't be read clearly. Also, my school didn't send out final transcripts any sooner than this date because of the holidays).

January 29, 2007: Application cashiered in Sacramento (they told me give it 6-8 weeks for processing)

February 2, 2007: Interim permit and ATT issued.

February 26, 2007: Took NCLEX

February 28, 2007: Permanent license issued

I had heard many horror stories about the board being slow, but I didn't find that to be true in my case. You just have to be very sure that you have all needed documentation so your application won't get held up. It also wasn't a big deal for me to hold off on working until I received the interim permit because I used that time to move and to study for NCLEX (which I passed on the first try with 75 questions). If you need to work right away then this might not be the best way for you to go because you can't work in California without a temporary license/interim permit.

  • Experts

If you apply to take the NCLEX in California you can work in California as an Interim Permitee. Speaking as a former manager, I think you need to make a decision as to where you want to have your first job. Employers are not going to be happy if they see you transferring from one job to another after only a few weeks and a move. I would be very hesitant to hire someone who I see is moving around from state to state in short periods of time. It indicates instability.

As for a conviction. . .any paperwork that you have you need to keep forever. With any license endorsement or job application the specifics of the conviction may or may not come up. The courts do not keep the specific paperwork after a certain length of time. Your conviction only becomes a line item on their records with no other supporting documentation. You will be asked to xerox and produce any records you have for the state boards and some employers. The more you have to support your case, the better.

  • Author

Hi,

Sorry, I need to clarify (see this is confusing which is why i have to ask!). I have accepted a position in CA as a new grad. I'm taking NCLEX in my home state BEFORE I move to CA. I don't currently work as an intern or anything like that.

Have you already graduated? If not, do you know the date that will be on your transcripts as your official graduation date?

I also went to school in WI and am in the process of trying to get approval to take the boards here in CA. The problem I am currently having is the date of my graduation on my transcripts is listed in January even though I have already completed my program. This date being in the future is holding up my application.

If I had not already spent the money to the CA BON I would turn around and apply to the WI BON instead as several of my classmates already have thier RN license and it is very disturbing to not know what is going on.

All that being said I'm curious to know what New Grad program you are starting as I am still having trouble finding a job!

Paula

  • Experts

To clarify a few things:

License are never transferred, you will be applying for License by Endorsement to get a license in CA, and will continue to retain your other license if you do get that one first.

The other thing to take into account is that you have had prior convictions and that is going to take longer for you to get approval for even a temporary license. You have to submit fingerprints before they will issue the temporary license to you.

Where you write the exam has nothing to do with the state that you are taking it for. The exam is a national exam and you could write it for CA provided that you get approval to do so. But doubt that you will with the timeframe that you have. Any time anything shows up with prior convictions, then it must go for special approval to a committee and they do not meet every week. All relavent documentation will need to be provided to them to make a decision. Just because the other state has issued an okay, there is no guarantee that CA will.

Suggest that you start the process right now with CA and do not wait until you get out here to make sure that they will permit you to get a license here. They are more strict than many other states, and you do not want to get an answer when it is too late.

You need to have a license in hand of some type before you will be permitted to begin work, either permanent or temporary. I would not wait to go to Sacramento, but start now. You do not have just a straight forward case, it will need special approval.

Best of luck to you.

  • Author

Thanks so much Suzanne...that is exactly what I needed to know. I will start the process ASAP to ensure I don't have any problems obtaining the temporary license.

Thanks everybody!

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