The act that defines RN practice in District of Columbia
The compact decides whether you may practice in District of Columbia. What RN practice actually means here — scope, titles, what you may do and delegate — is set by District of Columbia’s own nurse practice act, District of Columbia nursing licensure law (Board of Nursing, DC Health), and interpreted by the District of Columbia Board of Nursing. Two states can both recognize your license and still differ on what you may do with it.
How the compact treats RN licenses
The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN licenses. In a compact state, a single multistate RN license lets you practice in every compact state; a single-state RN license is valid only where it was issued. District of Columbia does not currently issue multistate RN licenses to its residents, so a District of Columbia RN license is single-state.
Verifying your District of Columbia RN license
The fastest check is Nursys QuickConfirm, which shows whether an RN license is single-state or multistate, its status, and its expiration. For official requirements, go to the District of Columbia Board of Nursing. See our District of Columbia verification guide.
RN vs LPN/LVN vs APRN
The compact treats RN and LPN/practical-nurse licenses the same way. APRN roles are different — the compact does not cover them, so APRN authority is handled state by state even when your RN license is multistate.