California license by endorsement

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by L&DWendy
Aug 24, '12   Views: 16,176   Comments: 35

  1. Any advise would help! I have order a fingerprint from California BON three times over the past six weeks. There is a form to submit on their website. After each submission it says allow two weeks for delivery. Still no card!! I have tried calling the BON a dozen times. Every time it says we are having a large volume of calls, we can not accept your call. Try again later and then it disconnects. I am so frustrated. I want to take an assignment the first of the year so I wanted to getting everything settled early knowing it can take a while to get my license.Is anyone else having the same issue?Has any got a license by endorsement by using a fingerprint card from their home state?Thank you for any help you can offer.
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    About L&DWendy

    Joined: Jul '12; Posts: 4; Likes: 1

    35 Comments

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  3. by SheilaORN
    Aug 24, '12
    I requested one and received within a wk, did not have a problem with it. When I went to get my fingerprints done, those people even have the cards there, dunno if you have to buy them or they will provide for free. I'm in tx. Just got my lic on Mon super excited. Good luck
  4. by eleectrosaurus
    Aug 24, '12
    Not sure about the specifics of a fingerprint card, but if you or maybe a friend can go directly to the office in sacramento I know they process paperwork on the spot rather than mailing and sitting in a queue.

    Calling in.. yes, what a pain. Call at 8:00am sharp PST and you'll probably get through.
  5. by dreamworx07
    Aug 24, '12
    I also got mine right away, no problems. Check with your police department or fingerprint agency. The ones around me all have the blank cards.
  6. by L&DWendy
    Aug 25, '12
    Thank you. So what I'm understanding is the fingerprint card is the same in every state so I don't need to wait for the one from California, I can just use the one at my local police station in Florida.
  7. by dreamworx07
    Aug 25, '12
    The one I received from Cali was the same that I had to use for GA, which I picked up at a police station in FL. So those three states use the same one....
  8. by NedRN
    Aug 25, '12
    If you really have three months, you should be OK. However, doing everything by mail can sometimes take months. The usual issue is submitted fingerprint cards cannot be read, and they have to be redone. If you can afford the time and money for a short trip to California, your odds substantially increase by doing the LiveScan fingerprints anywhere in California. From PanTravelers excellent board resource, the best times to call are indeed 8 am to 8:30 am PST, as well as 4 to 5 pm.

    For those interested in the fastest possible CA license (again from PanTravelers):

    Walk through: only after fingerprint initiated background check complete including California DOJ and FBI. Also requires receipt by board of current license verification or Nursys. Best case scenario is 3 days for a background check with an average time of one week if you use LiveScan fingerprinting available only inside the State of California.
    Tips for fastest processing:
    • Do the LiveScan in California prior to an application.
    • Do the online application (ignore the online warning not to do it if you want a temp)
    • Call the board the next day and ask if the application has been received. Also ask if they can see that the background check has been initiated.
    • If it has been at least two days since the LiveScan, ask to speak to an evaluator. Only the board evaluators can access the background details.
    • When the background check is complete, walk in for a temp on the spot.
  9. by RNFiona
    Dec 9, '12
    How long did it take you to receive your license?
  10. by L&DWendy
    Dec 9, '12
    RNFlona-Still waiting! I received a letter from the board saying I was missing General Psychology on my transcript. In Florida you can take Sociology or Psych, I took Sociology. Well in California, General Psych. is required. Even though I have been a nurse for years I had to go enroll in a Psych class. I actually just took my final Thursday. According to the BON, once they receive my updated transcript I should have my license in three weeks or so.This has been such a long frustrating experience. I hope traveling is worth it.
  11. by RNFiona
    Dec 9, '12
    Are you serious? That's ridiculous. Why do they want to see your school transcripts anyway if you are already licensed as an RN in another state? The only state I where I ever had to provide that information was my initial state of licensure. Luckily I have psych lol
  12. by cosmicmama
    Dec 9, '12
    It took me four weeks to get my fingerprint cards. I sent them back that day and am hoping to have a quick turnaround, even though I've already accepted an assignment in Arizona. Unfortuately, LiveScan was not an option for me as I live all the way in NC.
  13. by NedRN
    Dec 9, '12
    Quote from RNFiona
    Are you serious? That's ridiculous. Why do they want to see your school transcripts anyway if you are already licensed as an RN in another state? The only state I where I ever had to provide that information was my initial state of licensure. Luckily I have psych lol
    There are several states that require transcripts. If you were educated in NY or California, many waive the transcript requirements. This is really a holdover from the old days when there was no national oversight over the syllabus or licensure exam that continues needlessly. However, some schools in certain states still don't have the curriculum California requires so some nurses are not eligible for licensure there. But you can get a temp there that is good potentially for over a year if you delay getting transcripts!
  14. by BluntForceTrauma
    Dec 10, '12
    Be prepared to wait at least 4-6 weeks even if you take a short trip to Sacramento and do the live scan fingerprints and go to the board office in person...I know several nurses that took a trip out there because they were told it would be quicker and only got their license 1.5 weeks before I got mine (I sent everything via mail).

    They cannot issue a license until the background check has been fully completed by the FBI (which can take as long as 6-8 weeks or longer). Also, since there have been many strikes in CA in the past few months, the board has seen a tremendous increase in applicants.

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