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Working in Tennessee on an out-of-state nursing license

Last verified against Tennessee Board of Nursing.

The five facts

Compact status
Member (implemented), January 19, 2018
Endorsement fee
$115
Temporary permit
Unclear — see below
Processing
Allow six weeks for processing. Only military personnel and spouses may be expedited.
Portal
LARS

Check your own licence against Tennessee

Today

Your Texas multistate license already authorizes practice in Tennessee.

  • No Tennessee application, fee, or verification is required.
  • You practice under Tennessee'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

Tennessee renewal rules

Data as of September 2, 2026.

Full Tennessee pageTrack the new license in Trust

Nothing you enter here is stored. Trust keeps credentials on your phone, not on our servers.

If you hold a multistate license

Tennessee honors it. You can work in Tennessee today, in person or by telehealth, with no Tennessee application, fee, or verification. You follow the Tennessee nurse practice act while your patient is located in Tennessee.

If you move your primary residence to Tennessee you have 60 days after the move to apply for a Tennessee license by endorsement (NLC Rule 402(2), effective January 2, 2024). Your former multistate license is deactivated when the Tennessee license issues — you do not hold two.

Licensure by endorsement in Tennessee

  1. 01

    Open a LARS account

    Create your LARS account and start the RN licensure-by-endorsement application with the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

  2. 02

    Request Nursys verification

    Request license verification through Nursys for every state that applies to you. Tennessee accepts Nursys verification.

  3. 03

    Complete fingerprints and the background check

    Tennessee requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check: Biometric criminal background check via IdentoGO, results sent directly by the vendor (Rule 1000-01-.04).

  4. 04

    Clear the course requirements

    Tennessee mandates no additional course at endorsement.

  5. 05

    Pay the application fee

    The endorsement fee is $115. Confirm the amount on the board's fee page before you pay.

  6. 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.

  7. 07

    Wait for the permanent license

    Allow six weeks for processing. Only military personnel and spouses may be expedited. Verify the license on the board's public lookup, then store the expiration in Trust.

Tennessee requires a valid U.S. Social Security number on the endorsement application.

Notarized Declaration of Citizenship form — digital signatures are not accepted.

Passport-size photo signed and dated within 3 months.

If you declare residence in another compact state and hold a multistate license, Tennessee will hold your application for up to a year until you declare Tennessee as your primary state of residence.

What it costs, all in

ItemAmount
Endorsement application$115
IdentoGO fingerprinting (OCA # RN=1703)varies
Nursys verification$30

How long it takes

Allow six weeks for processing. Only military personnel and spouses may be expedited.

The board's public pages do not describe an endorsement temporary permit. Confirm with the board before relying on one.

EMTs and paramedics

Tennessee — EMS Compact: Member (operational), since April 19, 2016.

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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee. Moving there means applying for a Tennessee license.

How Trust works for EMS clinicians

After you’re licensed

A new license starts a new renewal clock. The Tennessee RN renewal guide covers the cycle length, the CE the board counts, and the fee — read it once, then let Trust hold the date.

Add your Tennessee license to Trust

Questions people ask

Is Tennessee a compact state?

Yes. Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee application or fee is required, and you practice under Tennessee's nurse practice act while your patient is there. Moving your residence to Tennessee starts a 60-day clock to apply by endorsement.

How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Tennessee?

The Tennessee Board of Nursing endorsement fee is $115. Budget for the extras too: IdentoGO fingerprinting (OCA # RN=1703) (varies), Nursys verification $30.

Does Tennessee 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 Tennessee RN endorsement take?

Allow six weeks for processing. Only military personnel and spouses may be expedited.

Do I need fingerprints for a Tennessee nursing license?

Yes. Biometric criminal background check via IdentoGO, results sent directly by the vendor (Rule 1000-01-.04)

What courses does Tennessee require before it issues an endorsement license?

Tennessee mandates no additional course at endorsement.

Related states

All jurisdictions and the compact table

Sources

Last verified .