Is there any way to get your initial RN license in a different state?

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Hi, I currently live in NYS and am going to school here. I am graduating in December and my fiancé and I are planning on moving to N.C. right after I pass my NCLEX. I’m wondering if anyone possibly knows if there’s a way I can apply to get my initial license in N.C. instead of getting it in NYS?? Any help would be much appreciated, thanks so much!!

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Yes, absolutely. You just need to apply for your license through the BON of the state you wish it to be in. My husband did that - he went to school in IL and applied to the AZ BON for his license.

You can also schedule to take your test in whatever state you want - doesn't have to be in the state where you will be living or working. You could go on a Vegas vacation and take your exam there.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

Apply to N.C. BON for initial liscensure as a new grad. Have your school send transcripts to N.C. BON. Send your NCLEX scores to N.C. BON. Follow any other steps NC application requires.

NCLEX can be taken wherever is convenient to you, it does not have to be your state of residency. You can take it in NY and send scores to NC, or graduate and take in in NC after you move.

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When you're close to the end of your nursing program, your nursing school administrative office will most likely provide a NCLEX application form for you to fill in that gets handed right back to the office once you've completed the form. On that form, you'll find an option to select the state you'd like to be licensed after you pass the NCLEX. When you receive your authorization to test (ATT), you can take the exam anywhere in this country and will receive a NC license when you pass.

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yes you can get your license wherever you send all of your information to as far as boards go we had several in my class sit for boards in other states

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Thank you all so much!!! You’ve been so helpful ?

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Specializes in ICU.

That's what I did too. It did take a little longer for the BON in my state to verify my education from NYS though, and the SUNY school I went to took their time sending the info out too. It ended up taking a little longer to take my NCLEX out of state compared to my classmates who took it in NY.

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