Skip to content

Telehealth nursing license requirements in New York

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

Do I need a New York license for telehealth nursing?

Generally, you need authority to practice where your patient is — so if your patient is in New York, New York licensure rules apply, even if you never leave home. New York does not currently grant compact privilege, so a multistate license generally does not authorize telehealth to patients in New York. You would typically need a New York license by endorsement. Confirm with the New York State Board of Nursing (Office of the Professions) 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 New York generally means you need authority to practice in New York — via compact privilege or a New York license. See telehealth: patient in another state.

The law that governs this in New York

Caring for a patient located in New York is practice in New York, so it is New York’s own nurse practice act that defines what you may do and the New York State Board of Nursing (Office of the Professions) that applies it. That act is N.Y. Educ. Law art. 139; 8 NYCRR pt. 64.

There is no compact statute to cite for New York, which is the substantive point rather than a gap in our research: New York 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 New York, your employer and the New York State Board of Nursing (Office of the Professions) 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 New York

New York has not adopted the compact. Either way the practical answer for caring for patients located in New York is the same today: a multistate license from another state does not authorize it, and you generally need a New York license from the New York State Board of Nursing (Office of the Professions). 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 New York license — privilege does not reach New York today.
  • If you practice as an APRN, confirm New York APRN authority separately with the board.

Frequently asked questions

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