M State’s nursing programs are designed to prepare students for licensure in Minnesota and/or to apply for the multi-state Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) through North Dakota or South Dakota. The NLC allows students to obtain licensure through one state (e.g. North Dakota, or South Dakota) and then have practice rights in participating states without having to obtain additional licensure. Visit www.minnesota.edu/programs-and-degrees/nursing and click on 'DOE Requirements Nursing Program - States' for more information, or search for licensure requirements by state on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website.

Please note:

  • M State’s nursing programs meet Minnesota licensure requirements, however the state of Minnesota does not participate in the NLC.
  • This information is only for initial licensure by exam requirements for the state listed.
  • Students should contact the board of nursing in the state they would like to be initially licensed in for more specific information.
  • This information does not apply to transferring Minnesota RN Licensure to another state.

State licensing boards are listed below and the NC-SARA Professional Licensure Directory is a helpful resource to find more detailed state agency contact information.

StateState Licensing Board or DepartmentState Licensing RequirementsNotes
AlabamaAlabama Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
AlaskaAlaska Board of NursingMeetsPending legislation for NLC membership
American SamoaAmerican Samoa Health Services Regulatory BoardNot determined 
ArizonaArizona State Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
ArkansasArkansas Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
CaliforniaCalifornia Board of Registered NursingNot determined 
ColoradoColorado Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
ConnecticutConnecticut Board of Examiners for NursingNot determined 
DelawareDelaware Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
District of ColumbiaDC HealthNot determined 
FloridaFlorida Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
GeorgiaGeorgia Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
GuamGuam Board of Nurse ExaminersNot determined 
HawaiiHawaii Board of NursingNot determined 
IdahoIdaho Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
IllinoisIllinois Department of Financial and Professional RegulationNot determinedPending legislation for NLC membership
IndianaIndiana Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
IowaIowa Board of NursingMeetsNLC Member State
KansasKansas Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
KentuckyKentucky Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
LouisianaLouisiana Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
MaineMaine State Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
MarylandMaryland Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
MassachusettsMassachusetts Board of Registration in NursingNot determinedPending legislation for NLC membership
MichiganMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory AffairsNot determinedPending legislation for NLC membership
MinnesotaMinnesota Board of NursingMeetsPending legislation for NLC membership
MississippiMississippi Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
MissouriMissouri Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
MontanaMontana Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
NebraskaNebraska Department of Health and Human ServicesNot determinedNLC Member State
NevadaNevada State Board of NursingNot determined 
New HampshireNew Hampshire Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
New JerseyNew Jersey Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
New MexicoNew Mexico Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
New YorkNew York State Board of NursingNot determinedPending legislation for NLC membership
North CarolinaNorth Carolina Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
North DakotaNorth Dakota Board of NursingMeetsNLC Member State
Northern Mariana IslandsNorthern Mariana Islands Board of NursingNot determined 
OhioOhio Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
OklahomaOklahoma Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
OregonOregon Board of NursingNot determined 
PennsylvaniaPennsylvania Department of StateNot determinedEnacted NLC, partial implementation
Puerto RicoPuerto Rico Board of NursingNot determined 
Rhode IslandRhode Island Department of HealthNot determinedEnacted NLC, partial implementation
South CarolinaSouth Carolina Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
South DakotaSouth Dakota Board of NursingMeetsNLC Member State
TennesseeTennessee Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
TexasTexas Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
US Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands Board of Nurse LicensureNot determined 
UtahUtah Division of Occupational and Professional LicensingNot determinedNLC Member State
VermontVermont State Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
VirginiaVirginia Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
WashingtonWashington State Department of HealthNot determinedEnacted NLC, partial implementation
West VirginiaWest Virginia RN BoardNot determinedNLC Member State
WisconsinWisconsin Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State
WyomingWyoming Board of NursingNot determinedNLC Member State

Disclaimer: The college makes every effort to ensure the information above is current, but please be advised that state laws, regulations and policies may change at any time. It is the responsibility of the student completing the licensure program to check with the licensing board(s) in their state of residence or in the state in which they intend to obtain a license for the most recent information and requirements. M State shall not be held liable if a student is unable to qualify for licensure or certification in any jurisdiction or cannot obtain a practicum/internship location.