The demand for flexible, highly skilled nurses continues to grow across the United States. With rising patient volumes, persistent workforce shortages, and the growing popularity of travel assignments, the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) has never been more relevant. In 2025, several states and territories took steps to expand their participation, offering new opportunities for both nurses and healthcare employers. This latest expansion ensures that more professionals can use a multistate license to practice across state lines without the delay of obtaining a separate state license for each assignment.
This blog updates your understanding of the Nurse Licensure Compact, highlighting the latest expansion of the compact and legislative shifts in 2025, revealing new mobility avenues for nurses and a more agile recruitment horizon for healthcare organizations.
The 2025 Update: Expansion of the Nurse Licensure Compact
The expansion of the nurse licensure compact in 2025 marks a significant milestone since the original compact was first introduced. Pennsylvania fully implemented the NLC on July 7, 2025, enabling its nurses to apply for a multistate license and practice in all compact states or serve as a destination for travel nurses placed from other states.
As of mid-2025, 43 states have enacted the compact, joining the ranks of fully participating nursing compact states, including Alabama, Florida, Texas, and many others.
Meanwhile, implementation is pending in:
- Connecticut (effective October 1, 2025)
- Massachusetts
- Guam
- The U.S. Virgin Islands have all enacted but not yet operationalized the compact.
Why This Matters
The 2025 expansion is not just about convenience. It is about improving efficiency in healthcare delivery, addressing shortages, and enabling professionals to respond where they are most needed. By simplifying nursing licensure, the compact reduces administrative barriers that prevent nurses from filling critical gaps in care.
For the individual professional, it means more career options, faster hiring, and greater flexibility. For employers, it provides a wider recruitment pool and a better chance of sustaining safe staffing levels. Together, the expansion creates a stronger, more mobile, and more responsive nursing workforce.
What the NLC Offers Nurses in 2025
The nurse licensure compact offers a streamlined way for professionals to secure opportunities across state lines. Instead of applying for a new license in each jurisdiction, qualified nurses can hold one multistate license and practice in all compact states. For those looking to become a travel nurse or take on assignments in multiple states, this is a career-transforming benefit.
For example, nurses with a compact license can transition between hospitals in different participating states without delay. This is particularly valuable in areas near state borders, where healthcare facilities often recruit from both sides. Nurses living near state lines can now accept shifts in another state without going through a long credentialing process.
It also benefits those who may need to move to another compact state due to family or career changes. With uniform licensure requirements and the enhanced nurse licensure compact model, they can continue their nursing career seamlessly without facing barriers.
The Employer Perspective: A Broader Recruitment Pool
For hospitals and clinics, the NLC expansion strengthens access to care by creating a larger pool of available professionals. Employers in compact nursing states can recruit more quickly, especially when facing urgent nurse staffing shortages. This is especially important in addressing the nursing shortage of 2025, where immediate access to skilled staff is essential to maintaining safe and effective nursing care.
The enhanced compact also allows healthcare leaders to plan strategically. Instead of being limited to local talent, organizations can attract travel nurses and other professionals who hold a multistate license, significantly improving workforce flexibility.
How Nurses Can Apply for a Multistate License in 2025
Applying for a multistate license remains clear and methodical:
1. Confirm Your Eligibility
To qualify, you must reside in an NLC member state and designate it as your primary state of residence (the state listed on your tax return). You must also meet the uniform licensure requirements (ULRs), which include passing the NCLEX-RN exam, completing background checks, and meeting educational standards.
2. Find Your State’s Board of Nursing (BON)
Locate your state Board of Nursing (BON) website. This is where you’ll find the application forms, instructions, and state-specific details.
3. Choose Your Application Pathway
- New graduates in member states may obtain their first multistate license post-NCLEX.
- Upgrading allows current single-state licensees in compact states to convert to a multistate license.
- License by Endorsement enables easy transfer when relocating between compact states.
4. Submit Your Application
Apply via the BON website, submit required documentation including driver’s license proof, fees, and background checks, and await issuance.
Once your multistate license is issued, you gain the privilege to practice in multiple states without further delay. This empowers nurses to switch roles and employers to onboard more efficiently.
The Future of Multi-State Nursing Practice
Looking ahead, more states are expected to join the new compact, further expanding opportunities for nurses and employers alike. Nursing associations, including the Association of Colleges of Nursing and state-specific groups like each state nursing association, continue to advocate for broader adoption to address the nursing shortage and improve patient outcomes.
As more states and the District of Columbia explore adoption, the nursing compact states will continue to grow. This means more professionals can hold a multistate license and practice in other states, ultimately strengthening the nursing workforce and enhancing access to care nationwide.
Conclusion
The Nurse Licensure Compact has evolved into one of the most important tools in modern healthcare recruitment. The 2025 expansion demonstrates the commitment of compact member states to streamline mobility and improve patient care. Nurses now have more freedom to practice in multiple states, while employers gain access to a larger talent pool that can cross state borders with a single credential.
As the NLC continues to grow, both professionals and healthcare organizations will find it to be a vital pathway to addressing the ongoing nursing shortage and ensuring timely nursing care for communities nationwide.
Expand Your Reach with Verovian Nursing Recruitment Agency
Take advantage of the 2025 Nurse Licensure Compact expansion and open doors to flexible, rewarding opportunities across multiple states. Whether you’re a nurse ready to travel or a healthcare employer seeking qualified staff, Verovian Healthcare Recruitment Agency connects the right professionals with the right roles. Our team ensures smooth placements, career growth, and workforce solutions that matter. Start your journey today with Verovian, where nursing careers meet limitless opportunities.
