License in two states

[Dalynsmom]

I just took my boards in IL and I received a job in IN. Is there a way to have a license in both states that are active. If so can someone please tell me how or who to contact. Thanks

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Yes, you can have licenses in as many states as you desire as long as you're willing to pay for them and complete the required CEUs. Contact that IN Board of Nursing and apply for license by reciprocity.

Also, I will admit that I know nothing about compact states because I do not live in one, but check to see if these states are as well.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Yes. You contact the IN board and tell them you are licensed in IL and want an IN licence by reciprocity. They will tell you how to do it and what they want.

They will very likely want an official school transcript (to be sure your school meets their requirements) and perhaps to have Nursys send them an official notification of your IL license. Some states want fingerprints, a CORI check, or other things. All of the above will cost you money-- your school will charge for the transcript, Nursys charges, the background checks and fingerprints can cost you ... And of course, the license itself will cost you.

ALL of this is completely unnecessary if IL and IN are both Compact states. (You can look that up.) Then just ask IN if there's anything else they want. If you are moving to IN you will have to change your state of residence with the board.

Start right away-- in some states it can take 8 weeks to get 'er done. No short cuts, do exactly what they want.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Because I had nothing else to do this afternoon (!) I looked up all the Compact states. IL and IN are not among them. So get cracking!

Compact states are:

AR

AZ

CO

DE

IA

KY

MD

ME

MO

MS

NC

ND

NE

NH

NM

RI

SC

SD

TN

TX

VA

[Jolie, BSN]

IL does not participate with Nursys. Once you file your application for Licensure by Endorsement in Indiana, you will have to contact the IL Dept. of Professional Regulation to request that they provide the Indiana Board of Nursing with the necessary information (graduation from an approved school of nursing, NCLEX scores, license history, etc.). There is a fee for this, which you must pay before your request will be processed. IL is notoriously slow in addressing these requests, so be prepared for several weeks' wait.

Once your Indiana license is issued, you will be the holder of 2 licenses. A very wise nursing insturctor advised my class to always keep our original nursing license current, unless we absolutely couldn't afford to do so, or were certain that we were ready to retire from the profession. The reason being that any time you move, decide to practice across state lines, or consider a tele-health position, and need an out-of-state license, the original state of licensure must provide the necessary information to the new state. They are much more diligent in doing so for current license-holders than those with inactive or lapsed licenses. IL is an excellent example of this. The state does not participate in the nursing compact, nor seems inclined to do so in the future, so you may find yourself needing to apply for multiple out-of-state licenses over your career.

Always keep your state boards of nursing current with your address so that you receive renewal notices. If you decide not to maintain a license that you don't anticipate using, formally place it on inactive status, rather than simply letting it lapse, which can cost you dearly if you subsequently need to re-new that license in the future.

Good luck with your job!

[happyinillinois]

You have to get endorsed in Indiana. Not hard, but takes about 3- 4 weeks to get all the paperwork together. Illinois doesn't play we'll with other states. I am licensed in both states. You can get a temporary license in Indiana while waiting. Go the Indiana Board of Nursing for instructions.