MO Student and Resident Wanting to Get a License and Work in CO

[ColleenT]

I am a nursing student in Missouri who will be graduating in May 2016. I plan on moving to Colorado to start my career sometime in June. I'm getting a lot of mixed information from advisors, professors, and State Boards about whether to apply for MO licensure or CO licensure.

Since they're both Compact states, should I just apply for my new license in MO, take my NCLEX in MO, and then pay to transfer my license to CO once I move and start applying for jobs?

Since they're Compact states, can I apply for a CO job with an MO license?

Can I even apply for a CO license if I don't have a primary residence in CO? Some information is making it sound like I have to hold primary residency in whatever state I apply, but if I have no intention of practicing in MO, can I just get a CO license now?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

It sounds like you can only be issued a compact license for the state in which you live. Therefore, if you were to apply for a license in Colorado before moving there, it would be a single state license valid for use only in CO.

Best bet is to look at the costs of obtaining licensure for both options.

There's also this, from Nurse Licensure Compact/NCSBN

[h=3]FROM ONE COMPACT STATE TO ANOTHER:[/h]You can practice on the former residency license for up to 30 or 90 days (states are individually implementing the 90 day rule). You will be required to:

• Apply for licensure by endorsement (It is recommended that nurses apply 1-2 months in advance of a move.)
  
• Pay any applicable fees
  
• Complete a declaration of primary state of residency in the new home state
  

You will be issued a new multistate license and the former is inactivated. You must notify the BON in the former residency state that you have moved out of state. Proof of residency may be required.

[h=3]EXAMPLE SCENARIO[/h]Mary is a licensed RN who has primary residence in Colorado. However, she lives near the four corners (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado). Since all of these states are participants, through the compact Mary can drive across these borders to practice, or practice electronically, without additional applications or fees.

Mary decides later to move and change her primary residence to New Mexico. She now has a 30-day grace period to practice on the same license. By the end of the 30 days, Mary will need to have received her new multistate license. Mary would be wise to apply in advance of the move.