Michigan does not yet issue compact nursing licenses. As of mid-2025, the state has not enacted the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), so there is no way to obtain a multistate license through Michigan’s licensing board. However, legislation is actively moving through the state legislature, and if it passes, Michigan nurses will be able to apply for a compact license that allows them to practice in over 40 other states without obtaining separate licenses in each one.
Here’s what you need to know about where things stand, what the requirements will look like, and how to prepare.
Where Michigan’s Compact Legislation Stands
House Bill 4246, sponsored by Rep. Phil Green, would amend Michigan’s Public Health Code to enter the state into the NLC. The bill has cleared committee and is substantively identical to House Bill 4042 from the 2019-20 session, which passed the legislature but was vetoed by the governor in December 2020. That veto is a significant part of the story: Michigan came within one signature of joining the compact several years ago.
As of April 2026, 41 states plus Guam and the District of Columbia have enacted the NLC. Michigan is one of the remaining holdouts, but if HB 4246 is signed into law, it would take effect 90 days after enactment. During that 90-day window, Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) would need to set up the infrastructure for issuing multistate licenses.
What a Compact License Would Let You Do
A multistate license issued under the NLC allows a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) to practice nursing in any party state without applying for a separate license there. You’d hold one license from your home state, and it would carry a “multistate privilege” recognized across all compact states. If you travel nurse, pick up telehealth shifts across state lines, or live near a border and work in another state, this eliminates the hassle and cost of maintaining multiple licenses.
The key rule: you can only get a multistate license from your home state, meaning the state where you have your primary residence. If Michigan joins the compact, you’d apply through LARA, not through any other state’s board.
Eligibility Requirements You’ll Need to Meet
The NLC sets 11 uniform licensure requirements that every nurse must satisfy to qualify for a multistate license, regardless of which state issues it. These are standardized across all compact states:
- Approved education: You must have graduated from a board-approved nursing program, or from an international program verified by an independent credentials review agency.
- NCLEX passage: You must have passed the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN (or a predecessor exam).
- Active, unencumbered license: Your license must be in good standing with no active disciplinary action.
- Criminal background check: You must submit to state and federal fingerprint-based background checks.
- No felony convictions: You cannot have been convicted of, found guilty of, or entered into an agreed disposition for a felony offense.
- No nursing-related misdemeanors: Misdemeanor convictions related to nursing practice are evaluated case by case but can disqualify you.
- No alternative program participation: You cannot currently be enrolled in an alternative-to-discipline program (such as a substance abuse monitoring program). You’re also required to self-disclose any current participation.
- English proficiency: If you graduated from an international program not taught in English, or English isn’t your native language, you must pass an English proficiency exam.
- Valid Social Security number: A U.S. Social Security number is required.
- Home state residency: You must be a legal resident of the state issuing your multistate license.
Proving Michigan Residency
One requirement that catches nurses off guard is proving your “primary state of residence.” The NLC requires that you hold a multistate license only from the state where you actually live. If Michigan joins the compact, LARA will require documentation showing you reside in the state. Typically, compact states accept a driver’s license, voter registration, tax return, or a signed affidavit. Michigan hasn’t published its specific accepted documents yet since the law hasn’t passed, but these are the standard options used across other NLC states.
If you move to another compact state, your Michigan multistate license becomes invalid, and you’d need to apply for a new multistate license in your new home state.
Expected Fees
Michigan currently charges $212.90 for an RN or LPN license (covering the application fee plus a two-year license period). When the compact is enacted, LARA will likely add a multistate surcharge on top of this base fee. In other compact states, the additional cost for the multistate privilege ranges roughly from $25 to $75, but Michigan hasn’t set its surcharge yet.
You’ll also need to pay for the fingerprint-based criminal background check, which is a separate cost. LARA already requires background checks for new nursing applicants, so the process itself won’t be unfamiliar. Payment for the license must be made by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover.
What You Can Do Right Now
If you’re a Michigan nurse hoping to get a compact license as soon as the option becomes available, a few steps will put you in the best position. First, make sure your current Michigan license is active and free of any encumbrances or disciplinary actions. If there’s anything on your record, resolve it before the compact takes effect.
Second, gather your residency documentation. A current Michigan driver’s license is the simplest proof, but having a backup (like a recent tax return showing a Michigan address) doesn’t hurt.
Third, if you haven’t already completed a fingerprint-based background check for your current license, be aware that you’ll need one. The turnaround on background checks can vary, so planning ahead helps avoid delays.
Finally, track HB 4246’s progress through the Michigan Legislature. If it passes and is signed, you’ll have roughly 90 days before the law takes effect, giving you a window to prepare your application before LARA starts accepting them. LARA’s nursing licensing page will be the first place to post application instructions and any new forms once the compact is official.
If You’re Licensed in Another Compact State
Nurses who already hold a multistate license from another NLC state and want to practice in Michigan face a different situation. Right now, Michigan doesn’t recognize multistate licenses because it’s not a party state. You still need a separate Michigan license to practice there. Once Michigan enacts the compact, your existing multistate license from another state would become valid in Michigan automatically, with no additional application needed. Conversely, if you move to Michigan and make it your primary residence, you’d need to convert to a Michigan-issued multistate license within the timeframe the compact allows.