RN & LPN/VN · Before your next assignment
Those are different tasks. Start with the question you need answered so you do not mistake a license lookup for a step in a new state’s application.
For nurses researching RN or LPN/VN practice across U.S. states. A compact-state map describes jurisdictions; it does not confirm whether your individual license is multistate. This guide does not cover APRN authority.
01 · Check your current license
NCSBN directs nurses who are unsure to Nursys QuickConfirm at no cost. Use the participating board’s record to check your license rather than inferring its status from where you live or work.
A lookup does not convert a single-state license into a multistate license. For an application or conversion, follow your board’s requirements.
Open Nursys QuickConfirm →02 · Apply to another state
Read the receiving board’s application instructions first. Nursys offers a separate service to send verifications from participating states to the U.S. board you are applying to.
Do not assume a QuickConfirm result replaces the verification that board requests. Sending verification also does not mean the receiving board has issued a license.
Find “Request verification when applying to a new state” →Review Nursys access terms before using its services, including requirements for employer access. CompactRoute does not search individual records, collect license numbers or send verifications.
Check the nurse, issuing board, license type and number. Nursys notes that license-number formats vary; a formatting mismatch can prevent a record from appearing.
An active license and multistate status answer different questions. NCSBN defines a single-state license as valid only in its issuing state. Being licensed in an NLC state alone does not establish multistate authority.
Nursys shows when a board updated its information. Boards supply the data; Nursys does not independently change or verify each submission. Review the current record and any restrictions, and take unresolved questions to the board.
A newly issued license may not be uploaded yet, a board may not participate, or a record may be missing. Check board participation and contact the board or use Nursys’ missing-record process. A failed search is not proof that someone is unlicensed.
Official guidance consulted October 31, 2026. This is the consultation date, not a new verification of every state’s rules or any individual license. The two-route layout and reading sequence are CompactRoute’s editorial organization.
Availability depends on participating boards and current submissions. Follow the relevant board’s current requirements for applications, residence changes and permission to practice. This page does not determine employment clearance, payer credentialing or individual eligibility.