Moving after graduation!!

beachbum3 · Mar 22, 2008

I'm moving out of state immediately after graduation in May and will be taking the NCLEX for the state I will be living in, after I move. (Graduate May 16, job starts June 2). Check out the BON website for Wisconsin to see what their requirements are to sit for boards. In my case (and I think most states) as long as I graduate from an accredited school of nursing in the US I am eligible to sit for boards in the state I'm moving to.

The alternative is to take your exam for Florida licensure and then transfer the license to Wisconsin (will take more time, and cost more money). You shouldn't have to take the test twice.

NursKris82 · Mar 22, 2008

You can run into all kinds of problems when taking your test in a different state than the one you went to school in. They may have different requirements and policies. A girl I knew went to school in MI, then moved to FL without taking her test. When she got to FL, they required that she be fingerprinted and have this big background check because she was from oo state. Then something happened with the fingerprints and she had to send them again. That doesn't mean that's always the case, but it is this case. I think it's better just to wrap it up where you're at. The NCLEX is national so you defeinitely don't have to retake it. I would continue to search for posters who have changede states to see what the liscensure procedures entails. I heard that it's almost nothing since it's a national and not a state test.

motyandproudofit · Mar 22, 2008

How long after you graduate can you take take the test?

NursKris82 · Mar 22, 2008

How long after you graduate can you take take the test?

I don't know if it's the same everywhere, but in MI your school has to turn in some paperwork to the state and you have to mail one piece of paperwork t the state and the other to the BON- that doesn't take long, but then you have to wait 4-6 weeks for the all your paperwork to be reviewed and approved so you're authorized to test. That takes the longest. Also, it may be a while before you can get in to take your test, a couple weeks to a couple months. That's in MI, I'm not sure how any pther does, but I'm sure it's similiar.

Hope this helped.

suzanne4, RN · Mar 22, 2008

When you are from out of state and planning to write the exam for the new state, then it is usually longer before you will get approval to test. They have to check out your transcipts and make sure that they meet the requirements for licensure in that state. You are not applying for the NCLEX exam, but for licensure and the exam is only one step of it, and the final step.

It is always better to write the exam before you actually move. Best to get it done while you are in familiar surroundings and do not have to concern yourself with so many new things all at once. The state that you write it for has no bearing on the physical location of where you write the exam.

We have seen things moving very smoothly for some, and not for others. To say that there are going to be issues with all other states from the one that you went to school in is not accurate in my opinion either. You also need to find out how long the endorsement procedure is for the new state as well if you were to get licensed where you went to school first. And please be aware that not all programs meet licensure requirements for all fifty states.