Licensure by Examination in Another State

kmccrary4 · Oct 13, 2021

Hello all. I am a nursing student who will graduate in May 2022. I currently live in Missouri but am planning to move to and work in Colorado (they are both compact states). I've been researching the easiest way to obtain my license in Colorado right out of graduation, but there seems to be no easy way to do it. My initial thought was to apply for licensure by examination in the state of Colorado (through the board of nursing of course) while still declaring my Primary State of Residency in MO since I won't be able to have a Colorado driver license until I live in CO for 90 consecutive days. Is that going to be acceptable?

Most people are telling me that I should just get a MO multistate license and go through the endorsement process. However, there are kinks to that. I can't start the endorsement process until I have a CO driver license, and I can't have a CO driver license until I've lived in the state for 90 consecutive days.

Another probable issue is that I will be working at a camp from the end of May to the beginning of August in CO and will not have a permanent residency (apartment, house, etc.) during that time. This is a complication because I can't start the endorsement process until I've lived in CO for 90 consecutive days.

Sorry for the long post, but if there's anybody here that can please explain in detail how I can do this the easiest way possible while following all the rules I would greatly appreciate it. It seems like they make it so hard these days.

Thanks!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Oct 13, 2021

5 hours ago, kmccrary4 said:

My initial thought was to apply for licensure by examination in the state of Colorado (through the board of nursing of course) while still declaring my Primary State of Residency in MO since I won't be able to have a Colorado driver license until I live in CO for 90 consecutive days. Is that going to be acceptable?

If you plan to move to CO after graduation and have no intention to work as a nurse in MO, apply for your initial license (license by exam) in CO. You would be wasting your money with the other route. You would be paying all the licensure fees for MO and then immediately apply to CO and pay all their fees.

You are moving to CO in May, so your permanent residence is in CO. As long as the camp has a mailing address where you can receive your mail, you should be good. You do not need a CO drivers license to get a single state CO nursing license.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 13, 2021

Agree 100% with NICU Guy. Use your camp address to apply for initial license, then upon moving to next residence notify the board immediately.

Updated link for more info: https://dpo.colorado.gov/Nursing

Best wishes in starting your career. Check out our Camp forum: https://allnurses.com/camp-c54/ I just completed my 5th yr as Summer camp nurse so feel free to PM me for info.

chare · Oct 14, 2021

10 hours ago, kmccrary4 said:

... My initial thought was to apply for licensure by examination in the state of Colorado (through the board of nursing of course) while still declaring my Primary State of Residency in MO since I won't be able to have a Colorado driver license until I live in CO for 90 consecutive days. Is that going to be acceptable?

If you haven't done so, you should contact the CO BON, via email, regarding this issue as most NLC states will not issue you any license if you are a resident of another NLC state. There was a discussion here a few months ago regarding one NLC state, AZ I believe, that would allow someone relocating to that state from another NLC state to apply for licensure in that state. I am unsure whether this was unique to this state, or with all NLC states.if

As for obtaining a CO driver's license, you have to apply within 30 days of becoming a resident. In addition to residing in CO for 90 days, you can also establish residency, as far as applying for your driver's license by being gainfully employed in CO.

10 hours ago, kmccrary4 said:

Most people are telling me that I should just get a MO multistate license and go through the endorsement process. However, there are kinks to that. I can't start the endorsement process until I have a CO driver license, and I can't have a CO driver license until I've livED in the state for 90 consecutive days.

I think that you are going to find that obtaining initial licensure in MO, and then endorsing your license to CO is going to be the easiest, and possibly fastest,, way to do this. Regardless of the timeline in establishing residency and applying for licensure in CO, if you contact the CO BON and begin the endorsement processas soon as possible, you can work using your MO until your CO license is issued.

Best wishes.

Epidural, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2021

All of this advice is excellent. You have a few choices: take the NCLEX in Missouri, and obtain a compact Missouri license. When you move to Colorado and establish residency there, immediately apply for a compact Colorado license. You can work as a RN in Colorado with your compact Missouri license.

Or: If you are 100% sure that you will be working in Colorado as a camp nurse when you graduate (this is a year in the future-things could change), then request a Colorado license. You will not be eligible for a compact Colorado license until you actually move there.

Something to consider: which Board of Nursing processes paperwork faster. Some BONs take longer than others to issue RN licenses.

Good luck to you!

Enarra, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2022

eh long post I got lost reading anyways easiest way I feel is to to take the NCLEX in the state you already have residency in now. then apply for endorsement aka pay the fee for whatever state you want to go to.