Working in Virginia on an out-of-state nursing license
Last verified against Virginia Board of Nursing.
The five facts
- Compact status
- Member (implemented), January 19, 2018
- Endorsement fee
- $190
- Temporary permit
- None
- Processing
- Approximately 30 business days to complete.
- Portal
- DHP Online Licensing
Check your own licence against Virginia
Your Texas multistate license already authorizes practice in Virginia.
- No Virginia application, fee, or verification is required.
- You practice under Virginia'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
Virginia honors it. You can work in Virginia today, in person or by telehealth, with no Virginia application, fee, or verification. You follow the Virginia nurse practice act while your patient is located in Virginia.
If you move your primary residence to Virginia you have 60 days after the move to apply for a Virginia license by endorsement (NLC Rule 402(2), effective January 2, 2024). Your former multistate license is deactivated when the Virginia license issues — you do not hold two.
Licensure by endorsement in Virginia
- 01
Open a DHP Online Licensing account
Create your DHP Online Licensing account and start the RN licensure-by-endorsement application with the Virginia Board of Nursing.
- 02
Request Nursys verification
Request license verification through Nursys for every state that applies to you. Virginia accepts Nursys verification.
- 03
Complete fingerprints and the background check
Virginia requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check: Fingerprint-based check exclusively through Fieldprint Virginia; register only after applying.
- 04
Clear the course requirements
Virginia mandates no additional course at endorsement.
- 05
Pay the application fee
The endorsement fee is $190. Confirm the amount on the board's fee page before you pay.
- 06
Plan for the wait
Virginia issues no temporary permit, so plan on the full processing time before your first shift.
- 07
Wait for the permanent license
Approximately 30 business days to complete. Verify the license on the board's public lookup, then store the expiration in Trust.
Virginia requires a valid U.S. Social Security number on the endorsement application.
Verification must come from the state where you took NCLEX, plus proof of primary state of residence.
What it costs, all in
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Endorsement application | $190 |
| Fieldprint fingerprinting | $35.95 |
| Nursys verification | $30 |
How long it takes
Approximately 30 business days to complete.
With no temporary permit, your first Virginia shift waits on the permanent license. Start Nursys verification and fingerprints the day you open the application — those steps set the pace, not the board’s review.
EMTs and paramedics
Virginia — EMS Compact: Member (operational), since March 1, 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 Virginia 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 Virginia. Moving there means applying for a Virginia license.
After you’re licensed
A new license starts a new renewal clock. The Virginia 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 Virginia a compact state?
Yes. Virginia 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 Virginia 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 Virginia application or fee is required, and you practice under Virginia's nurse practice act while your patient is there. Moving your residence to Virginia starts a 60-day clock to apply by endorsement.
How much does it cost to transfer an RN license to Virginia?
The Virginia Board of Nursing endorsement fee is $190. Budget for the extras too: Fieldprint fingerprinting $35.95, Nursys verification $30.
Does Virginia offer a temporary permit while my endorsement is pending?
No. Virginia issues no temporary permit to endorsement applicants — you wait for the permanent license.
How long does Virginia RN endorsement take?
Approximately 30 business days to complete.
Do I need fingerprints for a Virginia nursing license?
Yes. Fingerprint-based check exclusively through Fieldprint Virginia; register only after applying
What courses does Virginia require before it issues an endorsement license?
Virginia mandates no additional course at endorsement.