Nursing in Compact States

Nurses General Nursing

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I will finally be graduating in May 2018, and I am starting to look into all I will need to do to apply for licensing, signing up for NCLEX etc.

I currently live in, and will be graduating in Virginia. In August 2018, my husband and I will be moving. He will be transferring within his company to an office in South Carolina, to take over for a retiring employee.

My question is, since both Virginia and South Carolina are part of the Compact, is it fine for me to go ahead and apply for my licensing and everything through Virginia? Or since I will be working in South Carolina, and most likely will not be working in Virginia at all, should I go through South Carolina?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

Wherever you plan to practice is where you should seek licensure.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

If your permanent address will be in the new state then I think I would just apply directly with them

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As you are currently a resident if Virginia, I think that you will find you are going have to apply for licensure there. If you reside in a compact state, you have to apply there, as opposed to applying in another, non-resident compact state.

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The compact rules state you can only be licensed in one "compact state" at a time, and it must be your home state. If you apply for SC licensure while living in VA, your application will be rejected. You will need to apply for licensure in VA and then apply for licensure by endorsement in SC -- unless, of course, you move to SC before you apply for licensure. It depends on the timing of your graduation and your move.

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Thank you all so much for this information

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