PA RN license transfer to CA

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 23, 2013

I obtained a California RN license by endorsement in 2011 and the entire process took 7 weeks from start to finish. Keep in mind I had my fingerprints completed through Live Scan (not the old fashioned fingerprint cards), which speeds up the process.

Although I am originally from California, I have been practicing in Texas for the past 7 years due to the sluggish job market on the West Coast. I have 7 years of nursing experience, but it is the wrong mix of experience because I have never worked in an acute care hospital, so I have been unable to secure employment in CA for the time being.

bieralynn · May 23, 2013

Thanks guys! I start nursing school in Pittsburgh in September. I'll be in PA another two years. My boyfriend will be moving out there soon and I just wanted to know what everybody thought. I hope I will be able to find a job.

DayLight117 · Oct 29, 2013

Hey, I'm preparing to apply for my CA license, when during the process do I obtain a fingerprint card? I'm going to have to do it the old fashioned way with the hard copy.

tokidoki7, ASN, RN · Jul 24, 2014

bumping! Where is everyone getting their fingerprints done?

JMCP · Feb 27, 2015

Ok, thanks! I wasn't aware I could just skip the test in PA and take the NCLEX in CA.

question is why on ***'s holy earth would you come to california to look for a job as a new grad? do you have 3mos to a year to get a job?

eljolyn · May 30, 2016

Hey guys!

I'm currently in the (terrible) process of applying for licensure by endorsement in CA. I applied at the beginning of February and still haven't heard anything back yet. Through some detective work, I've found out that CA has really strict laws about classes required for an RN license. I'm really nervous about the status of my application as I need to move to San Francisco by the end of the year. I definitely don't have time to take any additional classes and apply for my license again. My question is: how have your experiences been with this process? Has anybody been denied licensure? I went to an RN school and I'll be finished with my BSN at the end of August. Any info would be really helpful! Thanks!