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RN license verification

Looking up a registered nurse license takes one of two trusted sources: Nursys QuickConfirm or the state board of nursing. Here is how, and what the result actually tells you.

How do I verify or look up an RN license?

Look the registered nurse up on Nursys QuickConfirm (nursys.com), the national nurse license verification system, and search by name and license details. It returns the RN license’s status, type, and expiration — including whether it is single-state or multistate, which is what decides whether it carries compact privilege in other states. If the board does not participate in Nursys, use that state board of nursing’s own lookup. CompactStates.com does not store or look up individual records.

Nursys QuickConfirm ↗Last reviewed 2026-06-17

What an RN license lookup shows

A Nursys QuickConfirm result for a registered nurse reports:

  • The license status — active, expired, or encumbered.
  • The license type — single-state or multistate.
  • The expiration date.
  • The issuing state.

The single-state vs multistate line matters most: only a multistate RN license lets you practise in other compact states. A wall certificate does not prove which you hold — the lookup does.

RN license lookup by state board

Every state board of nursing also publishes its own online license lookup, which is the authority for that state and covers licenses Nursys may not show. Find your board on the verification-by-state hub or any state page. Where Nursys and a board ever differ, the board controls.

Verifying an RN vs an LPN/LVN vs a CNA

RN and LPN/LVN licenses are verified the same way on Nursys. APRN authority is separate and verified per state. A CNA / nursing assistant is different again — that is a certification on a state nurse aide registry, usually not on Nursys.

Frequently asked questions

Look it up on Nursys QuickConfirm (nursys.com), which shows whether a registered nurse license is active, expired, or encumbered, along with its type and expiration. You can also check the issuing state board of nursing’s own lookup.

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