Original NLC vs the enhanced NLC
The original Nurse Licensure Compact operated from around 2000 and was retired in January 2018. States that wanted uniform standards — so that every multistate license meant the same thing everywhere — adopted the enhanced NLC, which went live on January 19, 2018.
The biggest difference is the standard behind the license. Under the eNLC, every applicant for a multistate license meets the same baseline, and every applicant undergoes a criminal background check. Under the original compact, background-check practice was not uniform across member states.
What the eNLC added
- Uniform licensure requirements (ULRs) — one shared set of standards for a multistate license in every member state. See compact license requirements.
- Mandatory background checks — a fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check for every multistate-license applicant.
- Explicit telehealth authority — the multistate license covers practice in person and via telehealth in other compact states.
- RN and LPN/VN coverage — the compact covers registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses. Advanced practice is separate — see APRN and the compact.
Were nurses grandfathered?
Yes. Nurses who held a multistate license in an original-NLC state on the eNLC transition date (July 20, 2017) were grandfathered into the enhanced compact — no reapplication was needed. Nurses licensing or renewing after the transition meet the uniform licensure requirements. If you are unsure what you hold, look your license up on Nursys.
The eNLC today
The compact has kept growing since 2018 — see the current compact states list, states joining, and pending states. Because the original compact is retired, when a board or employer says “the NLC” today they mean the enhanced compact. Nothing on this site distinguishes the two unless the history matters.