Pennsylvania Enacts Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC)

CHICAGO – Gov. Tom Wolf signed the NLC into law in the state of Pennsylvania on July 1, 2021. Pennsylvania is the 37th 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. Lisa Boscola, said, “By not being a part of the nurse compact, Pennsylvania has frankly been at a disadvantage. We are a state with over 12.5 million people – and the proportion of our population over the age of 60 is one of the highest in the country. That number is only going to climb as the baby boomer generation continues to age and need more advanced medical care. Joining the compact is going to benefit Pennsylvania nurses, hospitals and health systems, physicians, nursing homes, home health care services and – above all – patients.”

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.

Although the NLC has been enacted in Pennsylvania, an implementation process must be completed before Pennsylvania residents will be able to apply for a multistate license and before nurses in other NLC states who hold a multistate license will be able to practice in Pennsylvania. Once an implementation date is determined, it will be posted on the  Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing website. 

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

About NCSBN
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. 

NCSBN’s membership is comprised of the nursing regulatory bodies (NRBs) in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories. There are three exam user members and 27 associate members that are either NRBs or empowered regulatory authorities from other countries or territories. 

The statements and opinions expressed are those of NCSBN and not individual members.