Arizona is a compact state for nursing, allowing Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) with a multi-state license to practice across state lines. This participation increases nurse workforce mobility and expands patient access to care, especially in telehealth. Understanding the regulatory framework is important for any nurse seeking to work in multiple jurisdictions, as the rules govern how a license is obtained and maintained.
What is the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)?
The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an interstate agreement allowing a nurse to hold one multi-state license and practice in all other member states. This framework reduces regulatory barriers that previously required nurses to apply for a separate license in every state where they wished to work. The original NLC was updated and replaced by the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), which incorporated modernized public safety provisions, including required background checks. The eNLC is the current standard and grants the privilege to practice both physically and electronically in other compact states.
The NLC is not a national license; it relies on each state enacting the model legislation into its own law. It applies specifically to RNs and LPNs, but not to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), who must still obtain separate state licenses. The system functions by authorizing the nurse’s home state to issue a license recognized by all other participating states.
Arizona’s Status as an Enhanced Compact State
Arizona is a full participant in the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), authorizing the mutual recognition of licenses. A nurse who legally resides in Arizona and obtains a multi-state license can practice in any other compact state without needing additional licensure. Conversely, nurses holding a multi-state license issued by another compact state are automatically granted the privilege to practice in Arizona. The Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN) administers the NLC within the state and ensures compliance with the compact’s provisions.
The Crucial Role of Primary State of Residence (PSR)
The concept of Primary State of Residence (PSR) is central to the compact system, determining which state’s nursing board issues the multi-state license. A nurse can only hold one multi-state license, and it must be issued by the compact state where they declare legal residency. Legal residency is established by documents such as a current driver’s license, voter registration card, or federal income tax return, not property ownership. If a nurse’s PSR is a non-compact state, they are ineligible for a multi-state license and must obtain a single-state license in any compact state where they wish to practice.
Proving PSR is a mandatory part of the application process. This requirement ensures that the issuing state has the legal authority to regulate the nurse and forms the foundation of the NLC’s mutual recognition model. Once issued, the multi-state license grants the nurse practice privileges across all other compact states.
Obtaining an Arizona Multi-State License (If AZ is Your PSR)
A nurse whose Primary State of Residence is Arizona must apply to the Arizona State Board of Nursing for a multi-state license via examination or endorsement. Applicants must meet eleven uniform licensure requirements (ULRs) set forth by the eNLC. These include graduating from a board-approved education program and successfully passing the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN examination. A required provision of the Enhanced NLC is the submission to a state and federal fingerprint-based criminal background check.
The applicant must also verify they hold an active, unencumbered license, meaning it is not subject to discipline. Furthermore, the nurse must have no disqualifying felony conviction or misdemeanor convictions related to nursing practice. The Arizona State Board of Nursing website is the official source for the application process, required forms, and fees, detailing steps for both initial licensure and endorsement.
Practicing in Arizona with an Out-of-State Compact License
Nurses who hold a multi-state license issued by another compact state do not need to apply for an Arizona license to practice within the state. Their existing multi-state license grants them a “privilege to practice” in Arizona. Nurses must verify their license status is multi-state, typically through the Nursys database.
When practicing in Arizona under another state’s multi-state license, the nurse is subject to the Arizona Nurse Practice Act (NPA) and all state laws governing nursing practice. The nurse must adhere to Arizona’s specific scope of practice and standards of care while working there. The Arizona State Board of Nursing retains the authority to take disciplinary action, including revoking the nurse’s privilege to practice within Arizona, even though the license was issued elsewhere.
Maintaining Compliance and Understanding Limitations
Maintaining a multi-state license requires ongoing compliance with the Primary State of Residence (PSR) requirements, including meeting continuing education and renewal mandates. The most significant responsibility involves changes in legal residency, as the license is tied directly to the nurse’s PSR. If a nurse permanently changes their PSR to another compact state, they must apply for a new multi-state license in the new state within 60 days of the move.
This 60-day window requires the nurse to submit an application for licensure by endorsement in the new state. Failure to apply within this period constitutes a violation of the NLC rule and can lead to disciplinary action. Any disciplinary action taken against a license or privilege to practice by any compact state is shared with and recognized by all other compact states through a national database.