Transferring from Florida to Massachusetts or New York?

PixieRN1 · Oct 4, 2017

Easy peasy answer...no need to become licensed at all in Florida if you won't be living there. Just apply for your initial licensure in the state you plan on practicing in. It's a waste of time and money to do otherwise.

If you plan on practicing in Florida at all first, you apply for your initial licensure there, a licensure by exam (the NCLEX). When you want to relocate, merely apply to your new state's BON for licensure by endorsement instead. Supply whatever papers they need. You have to pay all their fees as well, of course. Then you inactivate your Florida license.

Happy nursing

HeySis, BSN, RN · Oct 4, 2017

Neither of those states (Massachusetts or New York) are a compact state. Which means simply getting it endorsed may not be so simple.

I lived and went to nursing school in NYS. Half of my classmates were from Pennsylvania. Our instructor told everyone to get their NYS license then transfer to PA if they wanted to work there..... but the costs for a PA license were a lot less so some people got their license through PA.... a month later they tried to transfer to a NYS license and had to take another 500 hour class and then re-sit. This was a long time ago (first group to do computerized NCLEX, but still had to wait 6-8 waits for the results via snail mail) but it was still the same test and everyone sat for it in the same testing center.

Things may have changed, but NYS has resisted becoming a compact state, it seems in perpetual standstill in the state legislature.

So I agree, if your not going to work in Florida, sit for the boards for the state you plan on working in.... make sure that state will take the hours/classes that your school completes.

You can contact the states BON and ask questions to get the info you want. On the flip side, even before compact state was a thing, I was told that a NYS license would be accepted and endorsed by any other state in the US... again years ago. My NYS license transferred easily to Idaho and Utah, just small fees involved and simple application.

Original NLC | NCSBN This website has info on compact states and contacts for each states BON.

From NYS BON NYS Nursing: Frequently Asked License Questions

"I am licensed in another state as a nurse. Does New York State issue nursing licenses by endorsement?

Answer: Yes. The New York State Education Department grants licenses "by endorsement" to qualified clinical nurse specialists, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses licensed in other states. License applications are available on this website. Please note that New York State is not a "Nursing Compact State". Proof of acceptable education and verification of license from all states where you hold a license is required."

This is why you need to check to make sure your school meets the requirements.

EllaBella1, BSN · Oct 4, 2017

I'm the opposite, went to school in NY and moved to Florida immediately after school to practice. I only hold a FL license, never bothered to get a NY license. I kinda regret not obtaining my NY license, since NY has more requirements to get it in terms of mandatory education. If I were to try to get a NY license now I would have to retake my child abuse/mandatory reporting certification courses. NY will never become a compact state. They are too resistant and want to set their own education/CE requirements. I would suggest getting a FL license first and then applying for endorsement to NY, just know that you will have to take some online CE hours/mandatory courses to transfer it.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2017

If you plan on moving right back up north, you simply apply to the state in which you wish to be licensed when you take NCLEX. NCLEX is a national exam. There is no need to get a license in Florida if you never intend to use it. It's a waste of money.