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In January 2023, Ohio implemented the Nurse Licensure Compact. Now, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nursing students who are residents of Ohio[1] may apply for a multistate license (MSL). A nurse holding a MSL may practice in their state of primary residence, as well as all states that have joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (“NLC”) (about 38 states and two U.S. territories).

The MSL has many benefits, including removing the costly, burdensome, and time-consuming process of obtaining a single-state license in each state that the nurse wishes to practice. This is especially useful for travel nurses and nurses who want to provide telehealth services to patients located in other NLC jurisdictions.

Current RNs and LPNs have the option to renew their single-state Ohio license or convert to an Ohio MSL. Ohio nurses who wish to convert their existing license must meet the uniform licensing standards, meet Ohio’s licensure requirements as specified in the Ohio Nurse Practice Act, and pass state and federal criminal background checks. The uniform and Ohio licensing standards include various requirements relating to felonies, misdemeanors, history of professional licensing actions and investigations, and substance abuse.

If you are considering obtaining or converting your Ohio nursing license to a MSL and need help navigating the process or disclosing a conviction or other conduction on your application, you should consider contacting on of the attorneys at Graff & McGovern, LPA. Attorney Monica J. Fuster can be reached at monica@grafflaw.com or (614) 228-5800 ext. 5.

[1] Please note that Ohio is not an APRN Compact State. Therefore, an Ohio APRN license is valid only in Ohio as a single-state license. If you are an APRN and want to practice in other states, you can either: (1) practice as an RN with a MSL in another state; or (2) obtain an APRN license in the specific state in which you want to practice as an APRN.