Working in Georgia on an out-of-state nursing license
Last verified against Georgia Board of Nursing.
The five facts
- Compact status
- Member (implemented), January 19, 2018
- Endorsement fee
- $75 (+$50 to add multistate)
- Temporary permit
- Unclear — see below
- Processing
- Applications are processed in order received; anything needing Board review must arrive 15 days before a Board meeting. Licensing guides report roughly 20 business days (secondary estimate). (not a board figure)
Check your own licence against Georgia
Your Texas multistate license already authorizes practice in Georgia.
- No Georgia application, fee, or verification is required.
- You practice under Georgia'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
Georgia honors it. You can work in Georgia today, in person or by telehealth, with no Georgia application, fee, or verification. You follow the Georgia nurse practice act while your patient is located in Georgia.
If you move your primary residence to Georgia you have 60 days after the move to apply for a Georgia license by endorsement (NLC Rule 402(2), effective January 2, 2024). Your former multistate license is deactivated when the Georgia license issues — you do not hold two.
Licensure by endorsement in Georgia
- 01
Open a GOALS (Georgia Online Application Licensing System) account
Create your GOALS (Georgia Online Application Licensing System) account and start the RN licensure-by-endorsement application with the Georgia Board of Nursing.
- 02
Request Nursys verification
Request license verification through Nursys for every state that applies to you. Georgia accepts Nursys verification.
- 03
Complete fingerprints and the background check
Georgia requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check: Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS) through Idemia; register the same day you apply.
- 04
Clear the course requirements
Georgia mandates no additional course at endorsement.
- 05
Pay the application fee
The endorsement fee is $75 (+$50 to add multistate). Confirm the amount on the board's fee page before you pay.
- 06
Plan for the wait
The board's public pages do not describe an endorsement temporary permit. Confirm with the board before relying on one.
- 07
Wait for the permanent license
Applications are processed in order received; anything needing Board review must arrive 15 days before a Board meeting. Licensing guides report roughly 20 business days (secondary estimate). (not a board figure) Verify the license on the board's public lookup, then store the expiration in Trust.
Graduation within 4 years, or 500 documented practice hours within 4 years, or a board-approved re-entry program.
Georgia requires a valid U.S. Social Security number on the endorsement application.
Requires a Secure & Verifiable Document and an Affidavit of Citizenship.
Nursys verification of the original license, not just the current one.
What it costs, all in
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Endorsement application | $75 (+$50 to add multistate) |
| Multistate (compact) upgrade | $50 |
| GAPS/Idemia fingerprinting | varies |
| Nursys verification — current AND original licensure | $30 |
How long it takes
Applications are processed in order received; anything needing Board review must arrive 15 days before a Board meeting. Licensing guides report roughly 20 business days (secondary estimate). (not a board figure)
The board's public pages do not describe an endorsement temporary permit. Confirm with the board before relying on one.
The Georgia Board of Nursing publishes no processing commitment, so treat any timeline you read — including this one — as an estimate.
EMTs and paramedics
Georgia — EMS Compact: Member (operational), since May 8, 2017.
If your home state is also an operational member and you are not relocating, your EMT, AEMT, or Paramedic license carries a privilege to practice in Georgia with no application and no fee — provided you are 18 or older, unrestricted, working under a physician medical director, and affiliated with an EMS agency authorized in Georgia. Moving there means applying for a Georgia license.
After you’re licensed
A new license starts a new renewal clock. The Georgia 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 Georgia a compact state?
Yes. Georgia 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 Georgia 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 Georgia application or fee is required, and you practice under Georgia's nurse practice act while your patient is there. Moving your residence to Georgia starts a 60-day clock to apply by endorsement.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Georgia?
The Georgia Board of Nursing endorsement fee is $75 (+$50 to add multistate). Budget for the extras too: Multistate (compact) upgrade $50, GAPS/Idemia fingerprinting (varies), Nursys verification — current AND original licensure $30.
Does Georgia offer a temporary permit while my endorsement is pending?
The board's public pages do not describe an endorsement temporary permit. Confirm with the board before relying on one.
How long does Georgia RN endorsement take?
Applications are processed in order received; anything needing Board review must arrive 15 days before a Board meeting. Licensing guides report roughly 20 business days (secondary estimate). (not a board figure) Treat it as an estimate, not a board commitment.
Do I need fingerprints for a Georgia nursing license?
Yes. Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS) through Idemia; register the same day you apply
What courses does Georgia require before it issues an endorsement license?
Georgia mandates no additional course at endorsement.
Do I need recent nursing practice to endorse into Georgia?
Graduation within 4 years, or 500 documented practice hours within 4 years, or a board-approved re-entry program.