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

Maryland belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact and has operated under the enhanced compact since January 19, 2018; it was also the first state to join the original compact, in 1999. A registered nurse who already holds a multistate license from another compact state can practice in Maryland under that license without applying for a separate Maryland license. A nurse coming from a non-compact state, or one who wants a Maryland-issued license, must instead apply by endorsement.

To apply by endorsement, a nurse must have an NCLEX-based license verified through Nursys.com, then complete a Maryland CJIS Live Scan fingerprint check and file the application within 48 hours of fingerprinting. The fee is $230, plus an optional $70 for a 90-day temporary license, available only to nurses without an active multistate license. Applicants must list Maryland or a non-compact state as primary residence; the board lists no state law exam, though foreign-educated nurses need a TruMerit CES report and proof of English proficiency.

Maryland requires candidates for RN licensure to complete a board-approved nursing program; the board does not specify whether that program must be an associate, bachelor's, or diploma track. Candidates must then pass the NCLEX-RN exam; the board does not mention a separate state law or jurisprudence exam. Graduates of programs in Puerto Rico or outside the United States must submit a TruMerit (CGFNS) Credentials Evaluation Service report and proof of English proficiency, such as Test of Spoken English scores, which expire after two years.