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CompactStates

Telehealth when your patient is in another state

Telehealth scrambles the usual intuition about where you are practicing. The key question is where your patient is — not where you are sitting.

Which state’s license do I need for telehealth across state lines?

Usually the state where your patient is located. Nursing is generally considered to occur where the patient is, so you typically need to be authorized to practice in the patient’s state. If that state is a compact state and you hold a multistate license, privilege usually covers you. If the patient’s state is non-compact, you generally need its own license.

Nurse Licensure Compact FAQ ↗Last reviewed 2026-06-17

Why the patient’s location matters

Boards of nursing generally treat care as delivered where the patient receives it. So a nurse in one state seeing a patient in another is typically practicing in the patient’s state — and needs authorization there. Sitting at home does not change that.

How the compact applies

  • Patient in a compact state + you hold a multistate license → privilege generally covers the encounter.
  • Patient in a non-compact state → you generally need that state’s own license, even for a video visit.
  • Your own single-state license never carries privilege, telehealth or not.

Confirm before you practice

Telehealth rules also vary by employer, payer, and specific state law, and they change. This page explains the licensure layer only. Verify your license type in Nursys, check the patient state’s status with the checker, and confirm requirements with that state’s board. See also telehealth and the compact.

Frequently asked questions

Generally the license of the state where your patient is located, because that is where the care is considered to occur. If the patient’s state is compact and you hold a multistate license, privilege usually applies; if it is non-compact, you generally need that state’s license.

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