Arizona
- The applying board stated in the sources
- The Arizona State Board of Nursing licenses RNs and LPNs. Its public page defines "RN/LPN licensure by endorsement" for a nurse educated, examined, and licensed in another jurisdiction. Apply for a License.
- Compact status in these sources
- The board states: "ARIZONA IS A COMPACT STATE." It instructs a resident of another compact state not to apply unless declaring Arizona as the primary state of residency. This row carries Arizona's statement only. Apply for a License.
- Offices in these sources
- "Arizona State Board of Nursing", "1740 W Adams Street, Suite 2000", "Phoenix, AZ 85007", and "+1-602-771-7800". Agency Fees.
- Sources last checked
- Aug 29, 2026
Reproduced from the board's own pages and documents quoted below: potentially relevant official sources, not a determination of eligibility or of which pathway applies to any situation.
Lede
This page assembles Arizona's endorsement route for an RN or LPN already licensed elsewhere: Nurse Portal filing, compact practice, standard and 48-hour temporary licenses, verification, fingerprints, every stated fee and timeline, and the original sources. Arizona vocabulary is licensure by endorsement, Primary State of Residency, Nurse Portal, temporary license, and 48-hour emergency temporary license. Confirm applicability with the board itself. All amounts are quoted from the sources, not a total calculated for you.
The pathways, as the board describes them
Endorsement. Arizona defines this as graduation from an approved program, NCLEX or the state-board test-pool examination, and RN/LPN licensure in another jurisdiction. Filing is through the Nurse Portal. Apply for a License.
Compact move. Another compact state as primary residence ordinarily means no Arizona application; a nurse declaring Arizona as primary residence uses Arizona's process. Apply for a License.
Remote compact practice. A current multistate-license holder should not request a temporary license and may use the compact-state license while Arizona processes endorsement. Apply for a License.
The published process
Practice while the application is pending. A standard temporary license requires the fingerprint card or DPS identifier, the other endorsement requirements, and no disqualifying history or pending matter. Arizona says to "allow 30 business days for processing." The 48-hour emergency route requires an active unencumbered license, the full application, fees and documents, a Message Center request, and a job-offer letter tied to a start within seven days. Apply for a License; 48-hour notice.
Verification of the existing license. Arizona requires verification from the original state, ordinarily requested through Nursys. Apply for a License.
Fingerprints and the background check. State and federal fingerprints are required unless AZBN received a card in the prior two years. The board states electronic results at approximately 30 days and physical cards at "8-12 weeks". Apply for a License.
The three rows above answer the questions an experienced adviser raises first, from the board's own published documents, or record that a question is not answered in them.
Fees, as stated in the sources
All quoted; none totaled.
Endorsement and background check. "RN/LPN Endorsement $150" and "Background Check $50". Agency Fees.
Temporary licenses. "RN/LPN Endorsement Temporary License $50" and "RN/LPN Endorsement Temporary License (48 Hour) $50". Agency Fees.
Payment processing. Credit and debit transactions carry "$2.00 or 2.2% (whichever is greater)" beginning September 11, 2025; eCheck remains free. Agency Fees.
Timelines, as stated in the sources
All quoted; none calculated.
Standard temporary license. Allow 30 business days. Apply for a License.
Emergency route. The board calls it 48-hour and requires a job-offer letter for work beginning within seven days. Its 2020 notice also states 960 practice hours within the last five years. 48-hour notice.
Fingerprint results. Approximately 30 days electronically and 8–12 weeks for physical cards. Apply for a License.
Overall processing limits. The board states 150 business days without investigation and 270 with investigation; those are maximum regulatory frames, not promised turnaround. Apply for a License.
Renewal. The fee page states "RN/LPN: Every 4 Years $160". Agency Fees.
Source map
| Document | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Apply for a License | azbn.gov | retrieved Aug 27, 2026 by search-text transport; direct open returned 403 |
| Agency Fees | azbn.gov | retrieved Aug 27, 2026 |
| 48 Hour Emergency Temporary License | azbn.gov | Mar 27, 2020; retrieved Aug 27, 2026 |
| Nurse Portal screens; vendor collection charges | board portal | capture pending |
Change log
Aug 27, 2026 · Page created. Captured three first-party sources. Findings recorded rather than smoothed: (1) the main application page returned 403 on direct open while search-text returned full content; (2) Arizona states compact participation and directs other-compact residents away from an Arizona application unless changing primary residence; (3) multistate holders may practice during processing; (4) endorsement is $150, background review $50, and either temporary route $50; (5) standard temporary processing is stated as 30 business days, while a distinct job-offer route is called 48-hour; (6) physical and electronic fingerprint timelines differ; (7) the board publishes regulatory overall-processing maxima rather than a promised ordinary turnaround. Capture pending: Nurse Portal screens, vendor collection charges beyond the board fee, and Internet Archive captures. Reviewer: Carrie Schluter, reviewed Aug 29, 2026. Corrections on the record in this log: hello@fieldassembly.net.