Georgia to Florida compact license?

ChrisMMS · Jul 30, 2018

GA and FL are both compact states.

Current Compact States: ID, MT, WY, UT, AZ, CO, NM, TX, OK, NE, SD, ND, IA, MO, AR, WI, MS, TN, KY, WV, VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, MD, DE, NH, ME.

States joining in 2019: KS

States pending Legislation: LA, IL, MN, MI, NY, NH, MA, CT, RI

Argo · Jul 30, 2018

There is nothing "iffy" about it. They are compact but your personal license may not be "multi state" if you didnt change it when they became an eNLC state.

Bel-AirBritt · Jul 30, 2018

Thank you!

Bel-AirBritt · Jul 30, 2018

Argo, I did in fact find it iffy that multiple sources had conflicting information on whether Florida had become a compact state or not. That's all I was asking.

Last I checked we're all adults here. No need to be rude and petty.

Argo · Jul 30, 2018

Lol. Im not sure how that was rude. Maybe change perspective a little?

Bel-AirBritt · Jul 30, 2018

Answering a question without getting hung up on the way I asked it would be the adult and mature thing to do. But it looks like explaining that to you is a lost cause. I got a legitimate answer from somone else. So good day.

NedRN · Jul 30, 2018

I agree, nothing iffy about either state's status. Easy to confirm on the official compact site, and that is easy to Google. Curious, what are the iffy sources you found?

DowntheRiver · Jul 30, 2018

Chiming in here, and I'm a Florida nurse. Hate to say it, but if you go to the FL BON website there is nothing "iffy" about whether or not we're a compact state.

chare · Jul 31, 2018

Argo, I did in fact find it iffy that multiple sources had conflicting information on whether Florida had become a compact state or not. That's all I was asking.
[...]

Actually, Argo's response was most appropriate. Both FL and GA are members of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). However, if you were licensed in either state when it joined the eNLC, your license didn't automatically grant multi-state privileges, and if you wanted a multi-state license you had to complete a separate application to upgrade your license. Had you applied for multi-state privileges on your GA license, when you relocated to FL and applied for licensure there, you would have been allowed to work on your GA license until such time as your FL license was issued, at which time GA would inactivate it. If your GA license was a single state license only, it would not have been valid for use in FL, and you would have to apply for, and been issued your GL license prior to working. This is likely where the conflicting or "iffy" information comes from.

Best wishes.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jul 31, 2018

Even if they are both compact, I'd recommend getting your FL license by endorsement ASAP. For some compact states, your 'multi-state' status is inactivated as soon as you permanently move out of state. Therefore, if your permanent residence is in GA, your license is 'multi-state' and you can work temporarily in FL (for instance as a traveler). However, once you change your permanent address to FL, your GA license may automatically revert back to 'single-state,' meaning that you could only legally work in GA.

I don't know if the GA BON has that rule, but I've worked in other compact states where my compact 'multi-state' status was removed as soon as I changed my legal address with the BON.

elkpark · Jul 31, 2018

Even if they are both compact, I'd recommend getting your FL license by endorsement ASAP. For some compact states, your 'multi-state' status is inactivated as soon as you permanently move out of state. Therefore, if your permanent residence is in GA, your license is 'multi-state' and you can work temporarily in FL (for instance as a traveler). However, once you change your permanent address to FL, your GA license may automatically revert back to 'single-state,' meaning that you could only legally work in GA.
I don't know if the GA BON has that rule, but I've worked in other compact states where my compact 'multi-state' status was removed as soon as I changed my legal address with the BON.

It's not "some" compact states. The compact rules specify that you can only be licensed in one compact state at a time, and it must be your "home" state, the state in which you reside. When you move from one state to another, unless you are somehow maintaining a permanent residence in the previous state, you must apply for licensure in your new state, and the previous license automatically becomes inactive The OP mentions that s/he moved from Georgia to Florida. Unless s/he is somehow maintaining a permanent residence in GA, s/he will need to apply for licensure in FL.