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How to get a nursing license in Oregon by endorsement

If you are already licensed in another state, endorsement is usually how you get licensed in Oregon. Here is how it works and when the compact is the better path.

How do I get a nursing license in Oregon by endorsement?

You apply to the Oregon State Board of Nursing for an Oregon license by endorsement, based on your existing license. Because Oregon is not a compact state, endorsement is the main route to practice here — a multistate license from another state does not authorize Oregon practice.

Last reviewed 2026-06-17

The law that governs this in Oregon

Getting licensed in Oregon happens under Oregon’s own nurse practice act — the same act that defines what practice means here — administered by the Oregon State Board of Nursing. That act is ORS ch. 678 (Nurse Practice Act).

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

How verification works in Oregon

An endorsement application rests on Oregon receiving verification of the license you already hold, and that step is where these applications stall. What we found reading Oregon State Board of Nursing’s own material:

The most detailed verification in the cohort: alongside license type, number, issue, renewal and expiry dates, it reports whether the license has EVER been disciplined and names the action — reprimand, civil penalty, probation, suspension, revocation, or voluntary surrender. Most state lookups return a yes/no discipline flag, so a clean Oregon record is a stronger statement than a clean record elsewhere.

Its own lookup is Oregon State Board of Nursing primary source verification. Confirm what the receiving board wants before you pay for anything — a printout of a public lookup is rarely the document a board means by “verification”. See the two things called verification.

What licensure by endorsement means

Endorsement is applying for Oregon’s own license based on an existing license in good standing. You end up holding an Oregon license. It is different from a compact license, which is one multistate license covering all compact states.

Applying through the Oregon State Board of Nursing

Applications go through the Oregon State Board of Nursing. Requirements and fees are set by the board and change over time, so we point you to the official source rather than listing specifics that could go stale.

Why the compact does not help here

Since Oregon is non-compact, there is no Oregon multistate license and privilege from other states does not reach Oregon. Endorsement is the route. See non-compact states.

Can applying by endorsement in Oregon get you a multistate license?

No — and not because of anything about your application. Oregon has not adopted the compact, so the Oregon State Board of Nursing does not issue multistate licenses to anyone. Endorsement gets you an Oregon single-state license, which is what you need to work here — it just will not travel. A multistate license only ever comes from your primary state of residence, and only if that state is a compact member.

What usually comes next

Next-step checklist

  • Confirm your current license is active and unencumbered (Nursys).
  • Open the Oregon State Board of Nursing endorsement application.
  • Follow the board's current requirements and fees (do not rely on third-party figures).
  • Plan for processing time before you need to start work in Oregon.

Frequently asked questions

No. Oregon is not a compact state, so a multistate license does not authorize practice in Oregon. You generally need an Oregon license by endorsement.