Travel Nursing:
Louisiana

For the latest up-to-date information on licensure requirements and fees, visit the Louisiana Board of Nursing website or contact the Louisiana Board of Nursing licensing division at (225) 755-7500.

Licensure Requirements

If you currently hold a multistate license in another Compact state, there’s no need to obtain a Louisiana RN or LPN license to work as a travel nurse in the state. 

If you don’t have a multistate license, you’ll need to apply for licensure by endorsement.

Here are the requirements you’ll need to meet in Louisiana for licensure by endorsement:

• Must possess a current, valid, unrestricted RN license in another U.S. state, territory, or country.
• Must submit to a background check.
• Must possess a current RN licensure issued directly from the jurisdiction of last employment.
• Must have successfully completed a nursing education program approved by the Louisiana Board of Nursing that meets or exceeds the educational standards for Louisiana’s nursing programs.
• Must successfully pass the NCLEX-RN or recognized predecessor.
• Must have no grounds for or pending disciplinary action by any health regulatory or nursing board in the United States or abroad.
• Must be free of pending civil or criminal charges.
• Must pass an English proficiency test if a graduate of an international nursing program. 
• If a graduate of a nontraditional program that did not include faculty-supervised clinicals, the applicant must also provide documentation supporting the equivalency of six to 12 months of full-time clinical experience as an RN in a staff position under RN supervision in another U.S. state and provide three letters of recommendation for licensure submitted to LSBN. Letters must be typed, dated, and signed by your current/previous RN supervisor/employer and provide proof of satisfactory clinical performance with verification of RN employment dates and supervisor’s contact information.
• Have a valid U.S. social security card.
• Have no state or federal felony convictions, or misdemeanor convictions related to the practice of nursing, and not be a current participant in an alternative program.
• Must declare Louisiana as your primary state of residence.
• Submit a request for verification of RN license directly to the LSBN office from the state of licensure, as follows: 

1. From the original state where the nursing board examination was taken (even if the RN license has expired); and 

2. From the current state/province/country from the jurisdiction of last employment at the time the endorsement application is submitted to LSBN. If you are currently unemployed, official verification is required from the state Board of Nursing where you were last employed or where your last RN license was issued. If your current/active RN license is also your original licensure by examination, then only one official verification is required. This must be completed through the Nursys.com electronic RN licensure verification system. If the State Board of Nursing does not participate in Nursys.com, use this form for the Verification of Nursing License.

• Submit an original, signed, notarized Affidavit of Verification sent directly to the LSBN office via US postal mail. 
• Submit to a criminal background check (CBC). The CBC packet must be submitted directly to LSBN via postal mail or dropped off in person after you have submitted the application. 
• Submit a copy of a current/valid government-issued photo identification.

Allow 3-4 weeks for licensure by endorsement application to be verified. If you meet the application requirements for licensure, you can apply for a 90-day temporary license to practice nursing in Louisiana while waiting for your license to be verified. 

Licensure Fees

The fee for applying for licensure by endorsement in Louisiana is $185 plus a 1.85% state charge. 

Nurse Licensure Compact Status

As of July 1st, 2019, legislation was passed that allows all nurses who have an NLC multistate license for nursing to practice in Louisiana with no additional licensing required.

Is Louisiana a Walk-Through State?

Louisiana is a walk-through state.