Skip to content

California vs Montana for RN Licensing

Total Fees
$549
CA
vs
$340
MT
Timeline
10-12 wks
CA
vs
4-8 wks
MT
Renewal Fee
$190
CA
vs
$100
MT

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category California Montana
Total Fees $549 $340
Application Fee $300 $100
Exam Fee $200 $200
Processing Time 10-12 weeks 4-8 weeks
Renewal Cycle 2 years 2 years
Renewal Fee $190 $100
CE Hours 30 hrs N/A
NLC Compact Member No Yes

Key Differences

Cost

Montana is $209 cheaper for initial licensing fees.

Winner: Montana

Processing Speed

Montana processes applications in 4-8 weeks.

Winner: Montana

NLC Compact

Montana is an NLC compact state, allowing practice in 40+ states with one license.

Winner: Montana

Renewal Cost

Montana has lower renewal fees at $100 per cycle.

Winner: Montana

Category Winners

Lower Cost
Montana $340
vs California ($549)
Faster Processing
Montana 4-8 wks
vs California (10-12 wks)
Cheaper Renewal
Montana $100
vs California ($190)

California Board

California Board of Registered Nursing

Official Website →

Montana Board

Montana Board of Nursing

Official Website →

Compare More States

Browse all RN state-to-state comparisons or use our interactive tool.

Compare California RN License

Compare Montana RN License