Compact nursing states in the West
The West is genuinely split — a mountain-state core is compact while much of the Pacific coast is not. That matters a lot for travel and cross-border work here.
Which Western states are compact nursing states?
About half. As of 2026, states such as Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming are compact. But several big-demand states are not — California, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii, and Alaska. California in particular catches nurses out because so many work there. Confirm each state’s current status below.
NLC member states ↗Last reviewed 2026-06-17
West (13)
AlaskaNon-compact stateArizonaFull compact stateCaliforniaNon-compact stateColoradoFull compact stateHawaiiNon-compact stateIdahoFull compact stateMontanaFull compact stateNevadaNon-compact stateNew MexicoFull compact stateOregonNon-compact stateUtahFull compact stateWashingtonFull compact stateWyomingFull compact state
Status shown as of 2026-06-17. Compact law changes — always confirm with the relevant board of nursing.
Frequently asked questions
No. California is not a Nurse Licensure Compact state and has not enacted the compact. There is no California multistate license, and compact privilege from another state does not authorize practice in California.