Tennessee
- The applying board stated in the sources
- The Tennessee Board of Nursing licenses RNs and LPNs. Its instructions are headed "Instructions for Licensure by Endorsement – RN and LPN". Instructions.
- Compact status in these sources
- Tennessee's endorsement instructions distinguish Tennessee or noncompact residence from residence in another compact state with a multistate license. The board also publishes "Nurse Licensure Compact Final Rules Effective January 2, 2024". This row carries Tennessee's statements only. Board page; instructions.
- Offices in these sources
- The background-check page gives "TN Health Related Boards 665 Mainstream Drive Nashville, TN 37243". CBC page.
- Sources last checked
- Aug 27, 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 Tennessee's endorsement route for an RN or LPN already licensed elsewhere: online filing, compact residence, verification, the published existence of temporary permits, fingerprints, contradictory fee publications, all stated timelines, and the original sources. Tennessee vocabulary is licensure by endorsement, primary state of residence, multistate license, LARS, and temporary permit. 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. A nurse whose primary residence is Tennessee or a noncompact state may apply in Tennessee by endorsement. The route uses an online application and requires original-state verification and a criminal-background check. Instructions.
Another compact home state. An applicant who declares another compact state and holds its multistate license is ineligible for a Tennessee license; the instructions say the application may be held up to one year pending a Tennessee residence declaration. Instructions.
Compact rules. The Board landing page identifies final compact rules effective January 2, 2024. Board page.
The published process
Practice while the application is pending. Tennessee's official verification system has a search specifically for "temporary permit holders", establishing that permits exist. The captured endorsement instructions, board page, CBC page, and verification page do not publish eligibility, duration, or fee for that permit. Verification.
Verification of the existing license. The instructions require verification from the original state, using Nursys for most jurisdictions. The Board provides its own form for states not participating in Nursys. Instructions; Board page.
Fingerprints and the background check. TBI and FBI review is required for initial licensure. Tennessee publishes RN OCA 1703 and LPN OCA 1704 and warns that prints must be scanned within two weeks of registration. CBC page.
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.
Current Board page. For initial endorsement on or after April 8, 2026, RN and LPN each state "Endorsement: $150". Board page.
Current-linked instruction PDF. The PDF instead says "submit $115.00 payment (PAY ONE TIME ONLY)". Both published amounts stand; neither is reconciled here. Instructions.
Background check. "$37.15 processing fee"; missing the two-week scan window requires registration and payment again. CBC page.
Temporary permit. No fee appears in the four captured sources.
Timelines, as stated in the sources
All quoted; none calculated.
Endorsement. "Allow six weeks for processing." Instructions.
Compact residence hold. Up to one year while awaiting a Tennessee primary-residence declaration. Instructions.
Fingerprints. Scanning must occur within two weeks after registration or the applicant must register and pay again. CBC page.
Temporary permit. No duration appears in the captured sources.
Source map
| Document | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| RN/LPN Instructions for Licensure by Endorsement | tn.gov | current linked PDF retrieved Aug 27, 2026 |
| Tennessee Board of Nursing | tn.gov | retrieved Aug 27, 2026 |
| Criminal Background Checks | tn.gov | retrieved Aug 27, 2026 |
| Licensure Verification | tn.gov | retrieved Aug 27, 2026 |
| LARS screens; temporary-permit rules and fee | board systems | capture pending |
Change log
Aug 27, 2026 · Page created. Captured four first-party sources. Findings recorded rather than smoothed: (1) Tennessee distinguishes its own or noncompact residence from another compact home state; (2) an application can be held up to one year pending Tennessee residence; (3) the current Board page states $150 endorsement after April 8, 2026 while the current-linked instruction PDF states $115; (4) processing is stated as six weeks; (5) the CBC costs $37.15 and carries a two-week scan window; (6) the official verification system recognizes temporary permits, but criteria, duration, and fee are absent from the named pages. Capture pending: LARS screens, temporary-permit rules and fee, and Internet Archive captures. Reviewer: Carrie Schluter, reviewed Aug 27, 2026. Corrections on the record in this log: hello@fieldassembly.net.