Nursing license

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I do not know much about the details of getting a nursing license. I plan on attending an ADN program in either CT or NC, however I do not plan on staying in either location after I graduate. If I take the NCLEX exam in one state, does that only make me licensed in that state and if so how do you go about getting another license in another state? Do you retest for every state?

Reno1978, BSN, RN

1,133 Posts

Specializes in SRNA.

Once you graduate from nursing school, you can apply to take NCLEX-RN. You can choose to send your results to whatever board of nursing you want to apply for your license in. For example, you go to school in CT and want to move to CA...apply for your first license from CA. Also, you can take the exam at any test center that proctors the NCLEX (so you can test in CT before you move to CA)

You do not need to get your initial license in the state you went to school in. If you have an active license and move to another state later, you can apply for a license in the new state by endorsement and you do not need to retest for every state. The NCLEX-RN is a national exam.

babyNP., APRN

1,922 Posts

Specializes in NICU.

When you take the test, you will have applied to the state BON in which you wish to practice.

It doesn't matter where you take the test since it's all the same.

I attended school in Washington state, took the NCLEX in Oregon, and have my first job in Washington D.C., as an example.

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