Dual Licenses

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Hello to all nurses, aspiring nurses, nursing students and all that are in between, this is my first post! :thankya:*Thank you for welcoming me* I was wondering:confused:..when a newly graduated student goes to sit for boards is there anyway they can sit to have a license in more than one state? Meaning..if i graduate from a Louisiana LPN or RN program, would I be able to hold a license for both Louisiana and Texas??...I have been told this is possible, but only if the states are neighboring--like LA/TX or GA/FL etc. How true is this and if so, how do you go about obtaining such a license?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

No, the states do not have to be neighboring. If you live in a state that participates in the Nursing License Compact, your state of residence would be an NLC license that you would be able to work in any of the other NLC states with the single license as long as you maintain a permanent residence in the original state. My sister lives in VA, a compact state. If she chooses she can cross the border and work in MD (another compact state) without obtaining a new license as long as she maintains her VA license. She can also travel to another compact state and work short term with her VA license.

there are many nurses who have/maintain licenses in multiple states. I know several who have a NY, NJ or PA license and a license in FL as they split their time between two states. Mid atlantic states are definitely not adjacent to FL!

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Thanks so much for the reply, i appreciate it! Do you know how to find out what the compact states are and where can you get the NLC license? Im in school in Louisiana but want to practice in Texas, but still have the option to go between the two without switching my license from place to place....

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Here's an allnurses.com article about NLC. Texas is a NLC, but LA is not. It depends on your primary/permanent residence. You can maintain your license in both states by following the renewal requirements for each state.

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/overview-nursing-compact-763693.html

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