Transferring license

Nurses General Nursing

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If you are licensed in one state (ie: PA) and you apply for a license in another state (NY), does your PA license still remain valid?

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You'll need to check your BON site to make sure, but as long as you pay the annual fee and meet the CE requirements, it should stay valid.

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If you continue to renew it, yes.

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Licenses don't "transfer" -- you apply for a separate, individual license in the "new" state based on the fact that you are already licensed in another state as evidence you are competent and safe to practice in the new state. This is referred to as licensure by "endorsement." Your license in the "old" state is entirely unaffected by this (unless we're talking "compact" states, which is a slightly different kettle of fish), and remains active and valid. You can choose whether or not to renew the "old" license when it's due to expire, and can maintain as many active licenses as you're willing to pay for.

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If you are licensed in one state (ie: PA) and you apply for a license in another state (NY), does your PA license still remain valid?

I am so glad you asked this question... I am in the same situation. I am licensed in Alabama and endorsing into Oklahoma, my question is (probably something I should know) can you use the same CE's that you submit for Alabama that you do in Oklahoma to keep your license active ( I know Im making this confusing) like if you go to a cont. edu. class, can you swipe your license 2x (once for OK and then AL)? My next question is .....I know that you have to work a certain amount of hours to keep your license active ...so in order to keep my license in Alabama, will I have to work a certain amount of hours here as well?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I am so glad you asked this question... I am in the same situation. I am licensed in Alabama and endorsing into Oklahoma, my question is (probably something I should know) can you use the same CE's that you submit for Alabama that you do in Oklahoma to keep your license active ( I know Im making this confusing) like if you go to a cont. edu. class, can you swipe your license 2x (once for OK and then AL)? My next question is .....I know that you have to work a certain amount of hours to keep your license active ...so in order to keep my license in Alabama, will I have to work a certain amount of hours here as well?

Your continuing ed can be submitted for both states AS LONG AS both states recognize the body offering the accreditation for the CE ( you need to make sure your state BON recognizes the right of the company offering the continuing ed). Not a big deal to find out, most states have it on their internet site where you can obtain CE's from. That's one thing travel nurses do...make sure the CE's they take are recognized by all the state BON's where they hold licensure. Having said all that, you need to make sure your state doesn't have additional special requirements; ie, in Michigan, in addition to our regular CE's, we have to have one CE per licensure renewal cycle in pain managment. No biggie to obtain.

As to the hours working requirement, you need to check with the BON in Alabama if you actually need to work in state to maintain licensure...when I had multi-licensure, with the states I had carried, you just had to be working somewhere and not have been under any restrictions. If you don't plan on working in Alabama for a while, it may behoove you to check on placing your license on inactive status...just less of a hassle. But only you can decide what's best for you. It's not usually that big of a deal to reactivate it. Good luck. .

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I am so glad you asked this question... I am in the same situation. I am licensed in Alabama and endorsing into Oklahoma, my question is (probably something I should know) can you use the same CE's that you submit for Alabama that you do in Oklahoma to keep your license active ( I know Im making this confusing) like if you go to a cont. edu. class, can you swipe your license 2x (once for OK and then AL)? My next question is .....I know that you have to work a certain amount of hours to keep your license active ...so in order to keep my license in Alabama, will I have to work a certain amount of hours here as well?
If I am not mistaken, I believe that Oklahoma is one of the states that has absolutely no CEU requirement for its nurses. You simply pay the renewal fee, and you're good to go.
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