Can you apply for more than one license when you sit for NCLEX?

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Hi folks,

I am (hopefully) going to graduate from nursing school this May. I am interested in several jobs in a few different states right now. My school has kind of been on my back about deciding which state I want to apply for licensure in when I sit for boards. However, I have not decided, and I am in between 2 or 3 states right now. One of them is Illinois, particularly the Chicago area, which is supposedly notoriously late when getting back to you about job applications. So, my question is, when I sit for the boards and have to declare what state I want my license in, can I get multiple licenses, or can I only apply for one? And then I would have to apply for another license if I decided I wanted to work in a state different from the one I applied for during NCLEX. Please let me know if you have any info about this. Sorry if this has been discussed already; I couldn't find it.

Thanks,

Ryan

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Usually you can take it in only one state. Then do reciprocity from there, which is an entire other application, fees etc. There are several states that do a compact agreement, which means if you are licensed in that state, you can work in the others that are in the agreement without having to get reciprocity. Unfortunately, illinios is not on that list.

If any of the states on the site are on your list, I'd go with that one, then do reciprocity as needed.

https://www.ncsbn.org/158.htm

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Usually you can take it in only one state. Then do reciprocity from there, which is an entire other application, fees etc. There are several states that do a compact agreement, which means if you are licensed in that state, you can work in the others that are in the agreement without having to get reciprocity. Unfortunately, illinios is not on that list.

If any of the states on the site are on your list, I'd go with that one, then do reciprocity as needed.

https://www.ncsbn.org/158.htm

(Please note that you can't get a "compact" license unless you live in the compact state to which you're applying -- if you don't live there, you just get a regular, traditional license that is only good in that state and doesn't have "compact privileges." There isn't really any advantage to applying for licensure in a compact state unless you live there.)

The reason one can't apply for licensure in more than one state when you take the NCLEX is that that is backwards from how the process works. You're not taking the NCLEX and then applying to states for a license -- you're applying for licensure in the state of your choice, and then that state authorizes you to write the NCLEX as part of your application process.

ETA: Welcome to allnurses! :balloons:

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

I'm glad you know more than me!

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I'm glad you know more than me!

;) .

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