Connecticut Nursing License: Lookup, Renewal, CE, and Fees

Connecticut is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, effective October 1, 2025, which means a registered nurse whose primary state of residence is Connecticut can hold a multistate license valid to practice in other compact states without a separate license in each one. A nurse moving to Connecticut from another compact state can practice on an existing multistate license once Connecticut becomes their documented primary state of residence; a nurse who does not qualify for a multistate license instead applies through endorsement.

RNs with a current license in another U.S. state or territory apply online through eLicense with a $180 fee; the state verifies every RN license the applicant has ever held, through Nursys or on paper. Connecticut does not require a separate state jurisprudence exam. Nurses who never passed the NCLEX-RN must still meet Connecticut's exam requirements, and a 120-day, non-renewable temporary permit is available while an application is pending. Multistate applicants also complete a state and federal fingerprint background check not mentioned for single-state endorsement.

Connecticut requires candidates to pass the NCLEX-RN exam and does not add a separate state jurisprudence exam. Accepted nursing education includes diploma, associate degree, and bachelor's degree programs that meet Connecticut's regulations, as well as Excelsior College's external associate and baccalaureate degree programs. Foreign-trained applicants must complete the CGFNS International Certification Program before testing. Canadian-trained applicants may substitute the CRNE, taken in English, with a score of at least 400 on each section.