Getting licensed in a different state and endorsing in California, a timeline.

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Specializes in PCU/SDU.

Hi guys, 

We all know getting licensed in California (CA) takes forever. If you, like me, went to nursing school in a different state and is wondering if it's better to get your license in that state and then endorsing in CA, read this. My experience was in Nebraska (NE), so I can't speak for other states. I'm writing this post because I searched for this information and couldn't find it anywhere. Now, I have lived it and I am here to put this information out there in hopes to help someone. 

First caveat, it's going to be more expensive, so first figure out what is your priority time vs money. On that note, NE waves its fees for veterans, their spouses and family of active military. It also waves fees for people under 24yo. 

I went to school in NE after being frustrated trying to get in Nursing School in CA. My graduation date was August 20th. I sent in my application (very simple, paper based application) June 28th (however, I have friends who didn't send there application until beginning of August and they got their ATT just two days after me). On the application, I chose to get a single state license (in order to get a multi state license you need to be a resident of NE and I was not). 

NE state was amazing, within two weeks I got an e-mail from them confirming that I understood that in order to practice in CA I had to endorse my license. There responses were super fast, and even before I sent in my application, anytime I sent an e-mail asking a question, I would get a response in 10 min at the most. They confirmed over e-mail that my application was good and they were just waiting for my transcripts.

The transcripts were sent out on August 21st. On August 24th, I got my ATT. I scheduled my exam for Sept 7th (in CA) at 8am. I finished the exam at 1030am and at 1251pm I got an e-mail from the state of NE congratulating me on passing the NCLEX and the number of my license. SAME DAY. 

I applied for endorsement in CA on Sept 9th, did my fingerprints on Sept 11 and got my endorsed license on Oct 5th. The whole CA deal with fingerprints and application for temp license cost me $525. I made the mistake of paying for the temporary license that I never got. They just straight up gave me the license almost one month later. A friend of mine who is a veteran got her temp license three days after application. 

This is my experienced. Time was more important than money for me because I had a job lined up and I didn't want to wait too long to take the NCLEX. I think it was worth it and the only thing I would change is I wouldn't apply for the temp license in CA. 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

Best of luck!

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Hi!

I am graduating nursing school in December. I went to school in SC, but my fiance lives in CA. I will be moving out there in January. So you recommend applying for my license in SC, then getting endorsed in CA?

Can I take the NCLEX in CA, but "sit" for it in SC?

I have been trying to find out the best way to do this. I would rather get my license faster.

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Specializes in PCU/SDU.

Hi,

I don't know long it takes in SC, but if it's any faster than California and money is not a problem for you, that's what I would do. One of my classmates also from California decided to get her license through CA instead of NE and she just got her ATT last week (mid October). I personally did not want to wait that long to test. 

And yes you can sit for the NCLEX anywhere in the US. 

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California board of nursing is atrociously bad. I applied for RN back in March, completed and submitted in May, however I didn’t know that my transcripts from my other program were not sent, I had to call a state assemblyman’s office to contact the board directly and then, in August, they finally told the assemblyman’s office that I was missing a transcript. I immediately made sure the transcript was sent (still in August), it’s now November and they have not looked at the transcript….it takes the board 3 months just to look at one document…4 months to evaluate an entire file and still they didn’t get back to me regarding what was missing (I had to track their answer down through an almost literal “act of congress”). It’s now November and I’m waiting for an application to be approved, which was submitted at the beginning of May. I don’t even have the words to describe the level of frustration…even the state assemblyman’s office stated “this is ridiculous”. My advice, call your state assembly person, and this is just to receive communication from them. 

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Specializes in CNA.

Hi did you have any trouble meeting the course requirements for communications? I took a small groups communication class in Washington State, but I'm worried it won't suffice. 

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I live in CA and I'm finishing my prereqs at my local CC. I was just accepted into "University of Nebraska Medical Center - Omaha, College of Nursing" for Fall 2023. 

Please clarify.... you took the NCLEX in CA or NE? I want to work in CA after finishing my degree. Also you said you can only get the multi-state license if you're a resident of NE, but I was told....

"Nebraska is a "Nurse Licensure Compact" state (currently with 38 states). California is not. First I will pass the board exams in NE and then transfer the license to CA using the "license by endorsement" application. Or I could sit for the boards in California. Probably easier to sit for the boards in the weeks after graduation in Nebraska and then transfer the license."

I was thinking after completing the license by endorsement for CA I would then be "licensed" for 39 states.

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You can only have a Compact license if you are a legal resident of a Compact state. If you are a legal resident of Nebraska, and you apply for a Nebraska multistate license then you will be able to work in 36 states (soon to be 37 when Pennsylvania implements the NLC) and Guam, as long as you remain a legal resident of Nebraska. In order to practice in California, you will need a single state California license. 

California has, in the past, had a bill to join the NLC. There is still legislative support for more Compact bills . Membership in the NLC, however, will probably take some time. The good news is that the state of Washington will likely pass the Compact in the next few months. This will make it the first West Coast state to join. Other West Coast states may be motivated to do the same.

300 Washington nurses wrote to their congressmen asking for membership in the NLC. If you want to live in California and have a Compact license, write to your representative. Your voice does make a difference.

Best of luck to you with your studies!

 

visit www.NCSBN.org for more info

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Specializes in PCU/SDU.
Jeanne98 said:

Hi did you have any trouble meeting the course requirements for communications? I took a small groups communication class in Washington State, but I'm worried it won't suffice. 

I did pre reqs in California. I did not have any trouble with that. 

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Specializes in PCU/SDU.
CloCloAA said:

I live in CA and I'm finishing my prereqs at my local CC. I was just accepted into "University of Nebraska Medical Center - Omaha, College of Nursing" for Fall 2023. 

Please clarify.... you took the NCLEX in CA or NE? I want to work in CA after finishing my degree. Also you said you can only get the multi-state license if you're a resident of NE, but I was told....

"Nebraska is a "Nurse Licensure Compact" state (currently with 38 states). California is not. First I will pass the board exams in NE and then transfer the license to CA using the "license by endorsement" application. Or I could sit for the boards in California. Probably easier to sit for the boards in the weeks after graduation in Nebraska and then transfer the license."

I was thinking after completing the license by endorsement for CA I would then be "licensed" for 39 states.

I took the NCLEX in California (meaning I sat for the exam in California), but for a single state Nebraska license. After I got the NE license I endorsed it in California. 

Like the other poster said above, you can only get a multi-state license if you are a resident of NE which I was not. So I got the single state license which they allow non residents to get. 

If cost is not a problem for you, I recommend applying for a single state NE license. You can state in NE to sit for the exam or return to CA (or go to NY or Hawaii if you want. The NCLEX is a national exam, you can sit for it anywhere in the country. You do not have to take the exam in the state you are getting licensed). It will be much faster. 

Let me know if you have any more questions.

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Specializes in Internal/Family Medicine.
Getinmybelly said:

California board of nursing is atrociously bad. I applied for RN back in March, completed and submitted in May, however I didn't know that my transcripts from my other program were not sent, I had to call a state assemblyman's office to contact the board directly and then, in August, they finally told the assemblyman's office that I was missing a transcript. I immediately made sure the transcript was sent (still in August), it's now November and they have not looked at the transcript....it takes the board 3 months just to look at one document...4 months to evaluate an entire file and still they didn't get back to me regarding what was missing (I had to track their answer down through an almost literal "act of congress”). It's now November and I'm waiting for an application to be approved, which was submitted at the beginning of May. I don't even have the words to describe the level of frustration...even the state assemblyman's office stated "this is ridiculous". My advice, call your state assembly person, and this is just to receive communication from them. 

Hi, I'm currently in the process of obtaining a CA license and it's been almost a year. Did they issue your license yet?

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Specializes in Skilled nursing.
N.Scb said:

Hi, I'm currently in the process of obtaining a CA license and it's been almost a year. Did they issue your license yet?

Did you receive your California license? Where are you endorsing from? I've been waiting 8 months due to the scandals in Florida.

 

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@getingmybelly    What's the contact for the state assembly that you reached out to in CA 

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