Working in Arizona on an out-of-state nursing license
Last verified against Arizona State Board of Nursing.
The five facts
- Compact status
- Member (implemented), January 19, 2018
- Endorsement fee
- $150 (+ up to $50 background check; $50 optional temporary license)
- Temporary permit
- Not stated on board pages (commonly reported as 6 months), $50, issued allow 30 business days (board-stated).
- Processing
- Administrative completeness review within 30 business days; overall 150 business days without an investigation, 270 with one. Temporary licenses: allow 30 business days.
- Portal
- AZBN Nurse Portal
Check your own licence against Arizona
Your Texas multistate license already authorizes practice in Arizona.
- No Arizona application, fee, or verification is required.
- You practice under Arizona's nurse practice act while your patient is located there.
- Keep your Texas license active and unencumbered; a restriction in any state suspends the multistate privilege everywhere.
- Earliest start
- Today
- Fee
- $0
Data as of September 2, 2026.
Nothing you enter here is stored. Trust keeps credentials on your phone, not on our servers.
If you hold a multistate license
Arizona honors it. You can work in Arizona today, in person or by telehealth, with no Arizona application, fee, or verification. You follow the Arizona nurse practice act while your patient is located in Arizona.
If you move your primary residence to Arizona you have 60 days after the move to apply for a Arizona license by endorsement (NLC Rule 402(2), effective January 2, 2024). Your former multistate license is deactivated when the Arizona license issues — you do not hold two.
Licensure by endorsement in Arizona
- 01
Open a AZBN Nurse Portal account
Create your AZBN Nurse Portal account and start the RN licensure-by-endorsement application with the Arizona State Board of Nursing.
- 02
Request Nursys verification
Request license verification through Nursys for every state that applies to you. Arizona accepts Nursys verification.
- 03
Complete fingerprints and the background check
Arizona requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check: FD-258 card or electronic fingerprinting in Arizona; results take about 30 days electronic, 8–12 weeks by card. No permanent license until results arrive..
- 04
Clear the course requirements
Arizona mandates no additional course at endorsement.
- 05
Pay the application fee
The endorsement fee is $150 (+ up to $50 background check; $50 optional temporary license). Confirm the amount on the board's fee page before you pay.
- 06
Request the temporary permit
Request the temporary permit: Not stated on board pages (commonly reported as 6 months), $50, issued allow 30 business days (board-stated).
- 07
Wait for the permanent license
Administrative completeness review within 30 business days; overall 150 business days without an investigation, 270 with one. Temporary licenses: allow 30 business days. Verify the license on the board's public lookup, then store the expiration in Trust.
960 practice hours in the past 5 years, or a nursing degree in the past 5 years, or a board-approved refresher, or an advanced nursing degree in the past 5 years.
Arizona requires a valid U.S. Social Security number on the endorsement application.
All applicants upload citizenship/nationality documentation.
Arizona has a 48-hour emergency temporary license for nurses with a job offer in hand.
What it costs, all in
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Endorsement application | $150 (+ up to $50 background check; $50 optional temporary license) |
| Fingerprint background check | $50 |
| Temporary license | $50 |
| 48-hour emergency temporary license (needs a job offer letter within 7 days and 960 hrs/5 yrs) | $50 |
| Nursys verification | $30 |
How long it takes
Administrative completeness review within 30 business days; overall 150 business days without an investigation, 270 with one. Temporary licenses: allow 30 business days.
The temporary permit is the difference between waiting and working: Not stated on board pages (commonly reported as 6 months), $50, issued allow 30 business days (board-stated). No criminal history or discipline; fingerprints submitted. Multistate license holders should not request one — use the compact license while the endorsement is processed.
EMTs and paramedics
Arizona — EMS Compact: Enacted, not operational.
Arizona has enacted the EMS Compact but the privilege to practice is not live yet. SB 1235 signed May 22, 2026. Not yet operational; emscompact.gov indicates a late-2026 target. Until the Commission confirms operation, apply for reciprocity through the state EMS office.
After you’re licensed
A new license starts a new renewal clock. The Arizona RN renewal guide covers the cycle length, the CE the board counts, and the fee — read it once, then let Trust hold the date.
Questions people ask
Is Arizona a compact state?
Yes. Arizona is an implemented member of the Nurse Licensure Compact as of January 19, 2018, so a multistate license from another implemented member state authorizes practice there.
Can I work in Arizona with a multistate license from another state?
Yes, if your primary state of residence issued the multistate license and it is active and unencumbered. No Arizona application or fee is required, and you practice under Arizona's nurse practice act while your patient is there. Moving your residence to Arizona starts a 60-day clock to apply by endorsement.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Arizona?
The Arizona State Board of Nursing endorsement fee is $150 (+ up to $50 background check; $50 optional temporary license). Budget for the extras too: Fingerprint background check $50, Temporary license $50, 48-hour emergency temporary license (needs a job offer letter within 7 days and 960 hrs/5 yrs) $50, Nursys verification $30.
Does Arizona offer a temporary permit while my endorsement is pending?
Yes. Not stated on board pages (commonly reported as 6 months), $50, issued allow 30 business days (board-stated). No criminal history or discipline; fingerprints submitted. Multistate license holders should not request one — use the compact license while the endorsement is processed.
How long does Arizona RN endorsement take?
Administrative completeness review within 30 business days; overall 150 business days without an investigation, 270 with one. Temporary licenses: allow 30 business days.
Do I need fingerprints for a Arizona nursing license?
Yes. FD-258 card or electronic fingerprinting in Arizona; results take about 30 days electronic, 8–12 weeks by card. No permanent license until results arrive.
What courses does Arizona require before it issues an endorsement license?
Arizona mandates no additional course at endorsement.
Do I need recent nursing practice to endorse into Arizona?
960 practice hours in the past 5 years, or a nursing degree in the past 5 years, or a board-approved refresher, or an advanced nursing degree in the past 5 years.
Sources
Last verified .
- https://azbn.gov/licenses-and-certifications/apply-license
- https://azbn.gov/licenses-and-certifications/agency-fees
- https://www.azbn.gov/licenses-certifications/verification-for-endorsement
- https://azbn.gov/news/48-hour-emergency-temporary-license
- https://www.nursecompact.com/
- https://www.emscompact.gov/