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CompactStates

Is a Tennessee APRN license a compact license?

The compact covers RNs and LPNs/LVNs — but not advanced practice. Here is exactly how APRN authority works in Tennessee and why it is handled state by state.

Is a Tennessee APRN license a compact license?

No. The Nurse Licensure Compact does not cover APRN roles — nurse practitioners (NPs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs). This is true everywhere, including Tennessee. Even though Tennessee is a compact state and your underlying RN license can be multistate, your APRN authorization is separate and does not travel with it — you generally need APRN authorization in each state where you practice as an APRN. A separate APRN Compact exists but is not yet operational.

Last reviewed 2026-06-17

The compact does not cover APRN roles

The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses. It does not cover APRN authorization — NPs, CRNAs, CNSs, and CNMs. That has been the case since the compact began and applies in every state.

What that means in Tennessee

Tennessee is a compact state, so your underlying RN license can be a multistate license. But your APRN authority sits on top of that RN license and is not part of the compact — to practice as an APRN in another state, you generally need that state’s APRN authorization, granted by its board. Confirm specifics with the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

The separate APRN Compact

A distinct APRN Compact has been drafted to do for advanced practice what the NLC does for RNs and LPNs/LVNs, but it is not yet operational. Until enough states join and it is implemented, APRN privileges do not cross state lines automatically.

Next-step checklist

  • Confirm your RN license type (single-state or multistate) on Nursys (nursys.com).
  • Treat your APRN authorization as separate from your RN license.
  • For APRN practice in another state, obtain that state's APRN authorization.
  • Confirm current APRN requirements with the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

Frequently asked questions

No. The NLC covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses only. APRN roles (NP, CRNA, CNS, CNM) are not covered, so an APRN needs separate authorization in each state where they practice — and that is true in Tennessee regardless of its compact status.

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