RN license endorsement to CA

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 13, 2016

If you are planning to work only in California, go ahead and register with the CA BRN for licensure. You don't have to live in CA to get a CA nursing license, and you can take the NCLEX at your local testing center. Timeframe for getting licensed can take several weeks.

Also, the NCLEX is going to be the same no matter what state you take it in because there are no state-specific versions. Last, getting a license locally and then endorsing it over will cost more time and money than if you just applied for CA licensure directly.

As far as getting licensed, BONs generally have the same requirements for licensure, so it's not as though one state will be easier to get licensed in as opposed to another.

HOWEVER...

If you attended an online or for-profit school to get licensed, or attended school outside of the country, then you may want to check with the CA BRN to see if your program meets their educational requirements. For example, CA will not accept Excelsior grads either by direct licensure or endorsement. Often, foreign grads are missing a required course or two and need to take it before they can get licensed. And it doesn't matter if you were able to get licensed in another state/country: if your educational program isn't up to CA snuff, you're not getting a CA license.

Hope this helps.