Kansas Nurse License Compact
After you earn your nursing degree, you will need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) before you can become licensed to practice nursing in Kansas.
Practical Nursing program graduates take the NCLEX-PN exam. Associate Degree and Bachelor’s Degree program graduates take the NCLEX-RN exam.
The Kansas State Board of Nursing regulates nurse licensing and ensures the safe practice of nursing in Kansas.
Kansas is a Compact State
Kansas is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). This means that Kansas nurses can obtain a single multistate license that allows them to practice in all other compact member states without applying for additional licenses.
As of 2026, the active NLC member states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Guam also allows nurses with multistate licenses to practice there.
States NOT in the Compact
Notable non-compact states where you would still need an individual license include California, Oregon, and New York. Minnesota, Michigan, Hawaii, Alaska, and a few others also remain outside the compact
Important Clarification
The compact is about practice privileges. It does not automatically "guarantee" licensure in every participating state. The NLC does allow eligible RNs and LPNs to hold one multistate license in their Primary State of Residence and practice across other participating compact states without obtaining separate single-state licenses. NLC license holders still need to meet the uniform eligibility requirements (background check, no felony convictions, active unencumbered license, etc.) to qualify.
