I'm Confused: License Question

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Surgical, Community Health.

I am an RN in California. If I want to apply to be licensed by endorsement in another state (in WI, for example), am I no longer registered in CA? I guess I am asking if you can be licensed in two states at once. Thanks!

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Specializes in Surgical, Community Health.

PS. Sorry I spelled Licensed wrong!

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Yes, you can be in both.

However, if you move to the other state you must convert your license to a regular one there. You can still keep the old state one as long as you pay for it.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

It is a common misunderstanding that nurses "transfer" their licenses from one state to another. They don't. They obtain a second, or third or fourth one.

If you are licensed in one state, and apply for licensure in a second state, your initial license remains active so long as you maintain it, by keeping the BON informed of your correct address, completing CEUs and/or current practice and paying your renewal fee. If you ever decide that you no longer want to keep a license current, you need to notify the BON and complete the paper work necessary to place it on inactive status. If you fail to do so, your license will lapse, possibly resulting in fines or fees if you ever wish to reinstate it.

A very wise nursing instructor once advised us to keep our initial license current throughout our working lives. If you ever move or need to apply for a new license, the new state will always contact the state in which you were initially licensed. If your initial license is current, it is typically easier and quicker to endorse it to another state.

I've been licensed and worked in 6 states. I hold 2 current licenses, one in my state of residence and my original license. The others I have placed on inactive status as we've moved.

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Specializes in Surgical, Community Health.

Great thanks for your help CrunchRN and Jolie!

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Is it the same for lpns?

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Specializes in LTC/Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.
Is it the same for lpns?

as far as I know. Wisconsin has a "multi state" license...not sure what that means exactly, but my LPN license and my RN license both had that on it.

I was licensed as an LPN in both WI and MN, and now licensed as an RN in both of those states, as I hold jobs in both of those states.

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