Nurse Licensure Compact Information

Effective January 1, 2024, Rhode Island will rejoin the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). This will impact RNs and LPNs who are currently licensed in Rhode Island or who are applying for initial licensure. Licenses issued after January 1, 2024, to qualified Rhode Island residents will be Multistate Licenses (MSL) and will allow the licensee to practice in Rhode Island and any other participating Compact State.

There are four groups of licensees that will be impacted:

• Anyone applying for a Rhode Island RN or LPN license for the first time and who does not plan to start practicing immediately in Rhode Island should consider waiting until after January 1, 2024, to apply. 
• Anyone who is currently licensed in Rhode Island and Rhode Island is the licensee’s Primary State of Residency(PSOR), the licensee will apply for an MSL at the next license renewal. If a licensee needs an MSL before the scheduled renewal date (i.e. there is an employment opportunity in a Compact State), the licensee can submit an MSL application prior to the scheduled renewal date. An MSL application that is submitted before the scheduled renewal date may require payment of additional licensure fees. If an applicant does not qualify for an MSL, the applicant may still practice in Rhode Island with a Single-State License(SSL). 
• Anyone currently licensed in Rhode Island and whose PSOR is a Compact State should verify that they have an MSL issued by the PSOR. If the licensee has an MSL issued by the PSOR, no further action is necessary. The licensee’s Rhode Island license will be changed to inactive status, and the licensee can continue to practice in Rhode Island under an MSL. If a licensee’s PSOR is a Compact State, but they are not licensed under the NLC, they must download and complete a NLC Status Form and return it to the Office of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education.

• Anyone who is currently licensed in Rhode Island and whose PSOR is not a Compact State, their license status in Rhode Island will not change, and no further action is necessary. The Rhode Island SSL will remain active and is subject to renewal at the scheduled date. 

For further information, please refer to these quick reference charts:

First Time Applicants for Rhode Island Licensure