California vs Tennessee for RN Licensing

Total Fees

$549

$365

Timeline

10-12 wks

4-6 wks

Renewal Fee

$190

$100

Side-by-Side Comparison

Category	California	Tennessee
Total Fees	$549	$365 ✓
Application Fee	$300	$115 ✓
Exam Fee	$200	$200
Processing Time	10-12 weeks	4-6 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

Tennessee is $184 cheaper for initial licensing fees.

Winner: Tennessee

→

Processing Speed

Tennessee processes applications in 4-6 weeks.

Winner: Tennessee

→

NLC Compact

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

Winner: Tennessee

→

Renewal Cost

Tennessee has lower renewal fees at $100 per cycle.

Winner: Tennessee

Category Winners

Lower Cost

Tennessee $365

vs California ($549)

Faster Processing

Tennessee 4-6 wks

vs California (10-12 wks)

Cheaper Renewal

Tennessee $100

vs California ($190)

California Board

California Board of Registered Nursing

Official Website →

Full California RN requirements →

Tennessee Board

Tennessee Board of Nursing

Official Website →

Full Tennessee RN requirements →

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California vs Tennessee for RN Licensing

Side-by-Side Comparison

Key Differences

Cost

Processing Speed

NLC Compact

Renewal Cost

Category Winners

California Board

Tennessee Board

Compare More States

Compare California RN License

Compare Tennessee RN License