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Telehealth nursing license requirements in Michigan

Telehealth licensing has one governing idea: you generally need authority where the patient is. Here is how that plays out for patients located in Michigan.

Do I need a Michigan license for telehealth nursing?

Generally, you need authority to practice where your patient is — so if your patient is in Michigan, Michigan licensure rules apply, even if you never leave home. Michigan does not currently grant compact privilege, so a multistate license generally does not authorize telehealth to patients in Michigan. You would typically need a Michigan license by endorsement. Confirm with the Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA) before you take the role.

Last reviewed 2026-06-17

Licensure follows the patient

The location that matters for telehealth is generally the patient’s, not yours. Sitting in one state and caring for a patient in Michigan generally means you need authority to practice in Michigan — via compact privilege or a Michigan license. See telehealth: patient in another state.

The law that governs this in Michigan

Caring for a patient located in Michigan is practice in Michigan, so it is Michigan’s own nurse practice act that defines what you may do and the Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA) that applies it. That act is Public Health Code, 1978 PA 368, art. 15 pt. 172 (MCL 333.17201 et seq.).

There is no compact statute to cite for Michigan, which is the substantive point rather than a gap in our research: Michigan has not adopted the compact, so the practice act above is the whole of the law that applies to you here.

Compact status is not the only consideration

Even where a multistate license reaches Michigan, your employer and the Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA) may impose additional requirements, and some roles carry their own rules. Compact status answers one question — it is not a blanket authorization to practice remotely.

APRN telehealth is separate

The compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses only. If you work as an APRN, your advanced-practice authority is granted state by state and is not carried by a multistate RN license — a point that catches out a lot of remote NP roles.

Why compact privilege does not reach Michigan

Michigan has not adopted the compact. Either way the practical answer for caring for patients located in Michigan is the same today: a multistate license from another state does not authorize it, and you generally need a Michigan license from the Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA). Re-check before a start date rather than assuming — this is precisely the fact that changes.

What usually comes next

Next-step checklist

  • Identify where your patients are located — that generally drives licensure.
  • Confirm your license reads multistate on Nursys (nursys.com) if you rely on privilege.
  • Plan for a Michigan license — privilege does not reach Michigan today.
  • If you practice as an APRN, confirm Michigan APRN authority separately with the board.

Frequently asked questions

Generally not on a compact license. Michigan does not currently recognize compact privilege, so a multistate license does not authorize telehealth to patients located in Michigan. You would typically need a Michigan license. Confirm with the Michigan Board of Nursing (LARA).