Ohio Enacts Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

CHICAGO – Gov. Mike DeWine signed the NLC into law in the state of Ohio on July 1, 2021. Ohio is the 38th jurisdiction to have enacted the NLC.  The compact allows registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs) to have one multistate license, with the ability to practice in person or via telehealth, in both the primary state of residence and other NLC jurisdictions. 

 

Bill sponsor, Sen. Kristina Roegner said, “There is potentially no greater incentive for nurses to move to the Buckeye State than interstate compacts that expand the flexibility and value of their professional licenses. With the governor's signature, nurses can have confidence that there is opportunity in Ohio that they may not be able to find in other states."

 

The NLC will be implemented in Ohio on Jan 1, 2023. Starting on this date, Ohio residents will be able to apply for a multistate license and nurses residing in other states who hold a multistate license will be able to begin practicing in Ohio. 

 

Licensure requirements are uniform across NLC states, so nurses who are issued a multistate license have met the same requirements, which include a federal and state criminal background check. 

 

The NLC also enables nurses to provide telehealth nursing services to patients located in other NLC jurisdictions without having to obtain additional licenses. In the event of a disaster, nurses from compact states can easily respond to supply vital services. Additionally, many nurses, including primary care nurses, case managers, transport nurses, school and hospice nurses, among many others, needs to routinely cross state boundaries to provide the public with access to nursing services, and a multistate license facilitates this process.

 

For more information, visit www.nlc.gov or contact  nursecompact@ncsbn.org. 

 

Empowering and supporting nursing regulators across the world in their mandate to protect the public, NCSBN is an independent, not-for-profit organization. As a global leader in regulatory excellence, NCSBN champions regulatory solutions to borderless health care delivery, agile regulatory systems and nurses practicing to the full scope of their education, experience and expertise. A world leader in test development and administration, NCSBN’s NCLEX® Exams are internationally recognized as the preeminent nursing examinations. 

 

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