TRAVEL NURSING

Travel Nursing RN State Licensing Resource

Written By: Kathleen Gaines

MSN, RN, BA, CBC

4 Min Read Published April 27, 2025

Temporary Licenses
Travel Nurse Licensure Resources By State

Obtaining a nursing license, whether initial or through endorsement can be confusing and overwhelming, especially since each state has its own set of individual requirements and timeframes.

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With the expansion of the Enhanced Nursing Compact License (eNLC), working in multiple states or accepting travel nursing assignments quickly is much easier. Nurses can obtain licensure in their state of residence and also work in an additional 31 states, with more pending legislation.

Pro tip: Timeframes for license processing can change without notice. It’s best to apply as soon as possible to ensure your license is issued in plenty of time.

Types of Temporary Travel Nurse Licenses

There are two different types of temporary nursing licenses. Let's dive into each one.

Traditional Temporary License

These are issued in some states, but only if an individual has a confirmed job offer and needs to start before a permanent license is issued. These licenses are valid for roughly one year. To obtain a temporary license, there are additional fees and required paperwork. Temporary licenses can be a good option for travel nurses if they plan on working in a state for a brief period of time and not returning. A temporary license will simply expire, while a permanent license requires renewal fees.

Walkthrough Temporary License

There are only a few states that issue a walkthrough temporary license. The state boards of nursing issue these licenses same-day, sometimes as quickly as an hour. Walkthrough temporary licenses are typically valid between 30 days and six months, depending on the issuing state.

It’s important to discuss with your travel nurse recruiter the different licensing options and which are the best for your current travel nurse assignment.

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Travel Nurse Licensure Resources By State

State	Permanent License Turnaround	Temporary License Turnaround	Compact	Walkthrough	License by Endorsement	LiveScan or fingerprint card required
Alabama	Processed once all documents are received	1 week	Pending (Jan. 2020)	No	Yes	No
Alaska	10 business days	Varies based on individual	No	No	Yes	Yes
Arizona	1-2 months	48 hours for walk-in / 30 days by mail	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Arkansas	3-5 business days	4 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
California	10-12 weeks	3-4 weeks	No	No	Yes	Yes
Colorado	6 weeks	2-4 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Connecticut	5-7 days once all documents are received	3 weeks	No	No	Yes	Fingerprint card required
Delaware	4-6 weeks	2-4 weeks	Yes	No	No	Fingerprint card required
District of Columbia	3 weeks	3 weeks	No	No	Yes	Yes
Florida	30 days	No temporary license	Yes	No	No	Yes
Georgia	15 business days	No temporary license	Yes	No	No	Yes
Hawaii	15-20 business days	Same day to 48 hours	No	No	Yes	No
Idaho	Processed once all documents are received	3-5 days	Yes	No	No	Yes
Illinois	4-6 weeks	2-4 weeks	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Indiana	2-4 weeks	1 week	Pending (April 2024)	No	Yes	Yes
Iowa	5-10 business days, but up to 8 weeks during high volumes	Same as permanent license with low volumes, otherwise 1-2 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Kansas	6-8 weeks	2 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Kentucky	2 weeks	2-3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Louisiana	4-6 weeks	Same day for walk-in	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Maine	1-2 weeks	2 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Maryland	4-6 weeks	2-3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Massachusetts	4-6 weeks	No temporary permit	Pending (April 2025)	No	Yes	No
Michigan	4-6 weeks	No temporary permit	No	No	Yes	Yes
Minnesota	Varies	5 days	No	No	Yes	Fingerprint card required
Mississippi	7-15 business days	5-7 days	Yes	No	No	Yes
Missouri	10-12 business days	2 weeks	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Montana	30-60 days	2 weeks	Yes	No	No	Fingerprint card required
Nebraska	4-5 weeks	2-3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Fingerprint card required
Nevada	2-4 weeks	2-3 weeks	No	No	Yes	Yes
New Hampshire	4-6 weeks	4-6 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
New Jersey	Processed once all documents are received	No temporary permit	Pending (April 2025)	No	Yes	Yes
New Mexico	Processed once all documents are received	3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
New York	6-8 weeks	No temporary permit	No	No	Yes	No
North Carolina	6-8 weeks	2 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
North Dakota	7-10 business days	1-2 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Ohio	4-6 weeks	2 weeks	No	No	Yes	Yes
Oklahoma	Varies	3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Oregon	3-6 weeks	No temporary permit	No	No	Yes	Fingerprint card required
Pennsylvania	8-10 weeks	5 weeks	Pending (April 2025)	No	Yes	Fingerprint card required
Rhode Island	1 week	4 weeks	No	No	No	Fingerprint card required
South Carolina	10-14 business days	Same day or up to 2 weeks	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
South Dakota	4-6 weeks	1-2 weeks	Yes	Yes	No	Fingerprint card required from Board of Nursing
Tennessee	6 weeks	4-6 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Texas	2 weeks	2-3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Utah	2-4 weeks	No temporary permit	Yes	No	No	Yes
Vermont	3-5 business days	Same day	No	No	Yes	Fingerprint card required
Virginia	4-6 weeks	3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Washington	3 weeks	3 weeks	No	No	Yes	Fingerprint card required
West Virginia	7-10 days	2-3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Wisconsin	10-15 business days	2-4 weeks	Yes	No	No	Yes
Wyoming	Up to 90 days	2-3 weeks	Yes	No	No	Fingerprint card required