Nursing License Lookup
Free nurse license verification for all 50 U.S. states. Select your state below for a step-by-step guide and a direct link to the official state board lookup tool.
Choose a state
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
What you can verify
- License status (Active, Inactive, Lapsed, Suspended, Revoked)
- License number and type
- Expiration and renewal dates
- NLC multistate (compact) privilege
- Disciplinary actions (public record)
- Issuing state board
Prefer a national search? Try Nursys QuickConfirm
Nursys is NCSBN's national database and covers most (but not all) state boards. It's useful when you don't know which state issued the license. Note: California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas do not participate in Nursys — for those states you must use the state board directly.
Open Nursys QuickConfirmFrequently asked questions
How do I look up a nursing license?
Select your state above to open a state-specific guide with the official board verification tool, step-by-step instructions, and license format. All state board lookups are free and do not require an account.
Is nursing license verification free?
Yes. Every U.S. state board of nursing provides free public license verification. Nursys QuickConfirm (the national NCSBN database) is also free for consumers. Paid services like Nursys e-Notify are aimed at employers who need bulk monitoring.
What is the difference between a state board lookup and Nursys?
State board lookups are the authoritative source — they come directly from each state's licensing system. Nursys aggregates data from most (not all) state boards into a single search. California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas are notable states that do not participate in Nursys, so you must use the state board directly.
Can I use license lookup results for hiring?
No. License lookup results from this site or from any state board are informational public records. They are not consumer reports and cannot be used to make employment, tenant, credit, or insurance decisions. Employers should use an FCRA-compliant background check provider.
How current is license data from state boards?
State boards typically reflect license status changes within 24-48 hours. Nursys pulls from state boards, so it can lag by one to two business days. For the most current information, check the state board directly.