Nurse state crossing · Hawaii licensing · NLC status table · LPN/LVN list
RN work list: Hawaii
What an RN has to do to work in Hawaii. Pick where you live and the page shows your route.
Hawaii is not a compact state, so a multistate licence does not cover work here. You need a Hawaii licence; the steps are below.
Home and work in Hawaii
If you already hold a licence Hawaii issued, there is no state line to cross. Renewal and continuing-education rules are on the Hawaii licensing page.
Moved here from another state? Hawaii does not honour multistate licences yet, so you need a Hawaii licence to work here. The endorsement steps are below.
NCSBN · ncsbn.org · checked 15 Oct 2026
Route B: get a Hawaii licence by endorsement
For everyone else. Each step comes from Hawaii’s own licensing sources; tick it off as you go.
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Age and work authorization
- Detail
- At least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or alien authorized to work in the United States.
U.S. Social Security Number
- Detail
- A U.S. Social Security Number is required for the endorsement route.
Current out-of-state license
- Detail
- Current RN or LPN license from another state, territory, or foreign country; all licenses unencumbered.
Nursing education and examination
- Detail
- Graduate of an approved nursing program and has passed NCLEX-PN for LPN or NCLEX-RN for RN; the form also recognizes specified predecessor exams.
Conditions & source context
The form also lists the State Board Test Pool Exam for Canadian provinces and certain predecessor state exams as alternatives.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
PART 2: LICENSE You must meet the following requirements to qualify for a license by endorsement: BY ENDORSEMENT 1. You are at least 18 years old; REQUIREMENTS 2. You are a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or an alien authorized to work in the U.S.; 3. You have a U.S. Social Security Number; 4. You are currently licensed as an LPN or RN under the laws of another state, territory, or foreign country, and all of your licenses are unencumbered; 1 5. You graduated from an approved nursing program, subject to Hawaii Administrative Rules (“HAR”) 16-89-17 and HAR 16-89-18; 6. You have already passed: a. The NCLEX-PN if you are applying for an LPN license by endorsement; b. The NCLEX-RN if you are applying for an RN license by endorsement; c. The State Board Test Pool Exam (Canadian provinces only); or d. A state board licensing examination in another jurisdiction of the United States prior to the inception of the SBTPE in that jurisdiction.
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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Conditions & source context
The exact published link target was retrieved from the Board page link.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
RN/LPN Combined Temporary Nursing Permit + License By Endorsement Instructions and Application Form
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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- Amount
- 236
- Per
- application
- Non-refundable
- Yes
- Scope
- Combined temporary permit plus RN/LPN endorsement; permit issued 2026-07-01 through 2027-06-30
- Also payable
Applicant-paid Fieldprint fingerprint processing
Conditions & source context
Fee applies to the combined temporary-permit-plus-endorsement route for permits issued 2026-07-01 through 2027-06-30. Fieldprint charges are separate and applicant-paid but amount is unpublished.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
If your temporary permit is issued between July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, the fee is $236.00.
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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- Required
- Yes
- State check
- Yes
- FBI check
- Yes
- Fingerprints
- Yes
- Vendor
- Fieldprint Inc.
- From out of state
- Applicants outside the U.S. without access to a Fieldprint location may request a mailed fingerprint card in writing.
Conditions & source context
Fingerprint fee amount is charged directly by Fieldprint and not published in the instructions.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
CRIMINAL HISTORY All applicants for licensure by endorsement are required to submit to an FBI fingerprint check RECORD CHECK through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (“HCJDC”). To obtain an FBI National Criminal History Record Check and State of Hawaii Criminal History Record Check, go to http://fieldprinthawaii.com to set up an appointment at a Fieldprint Inc. location within the U.S. You must use the Fieldprint code FPHIBrdNursing (not case sensitive) when making an appointment and designate the Hawaii Board of Nursing as the agency, or else we will not be able to retrieve your results and you will be required to get refingerprinted and pay another fee. You are required to bear the cost of the fingerprint processing. All fingerprinting fees shall be paid directly to Fieldprint. Applicant Notification and Record Challenge: Your fingerprints will be used to check the criminal history records of the FBI. Your fingerprints will also be retained by the HCJDC and the FBI for all purposes and uses authorized for fingerprint submissions, which may include participation in the state and national rap back programs. You can complete or challenge the accuracy of the information contained in the FBI identification record. The procedure for obtaining a change, correction, or update to an FBI identification record is set forth in Title 28, CFR, 16.34. Applicants Outside the U.S.: If you live outside of the U.S. and do not have access to a Fieldprint location, please submit an application to us along with a written request for a mailed fingerprint card. Please provide us with an address to send the fingerprint card packet.
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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- Verification for endorsement
- Yes
- Conditions
- Nursys verification is required for the temporary-permit document set when the applicant holds a multistate license. Verification directly from a board is accepted when the jurisdiction does not use Nursys.
Conditions & source context
License verification is required. The combined application distinguishes multistate-license holders from applicants whose boards do not use Nursys.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
Verification of all your licenses, whether current or expired, completed by the originating state board, via:
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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- Available
- Yes
- Type
- combined temporary permit with endorsement
- Fee
- 236
- Eligibility
- Valid and unencumbered RN/LPN license elsewhere, accepted appointment/employment with one Hawaii health care entity, work authorization, age 18+, and no nursing discipline; valid until full license or one year, whichever comes first.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
If granted, a temporary permit is valid until the applicant obtains a full license, but no longer than one year from the date of issuance.
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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RN
- Mandated topics
None
- Alternatives
- One of nine learning activity options per biennium. The 30-contact-hour CE option is only one option; other options include refresher, post-licensure study, precepting, research/project, publication, education presentation, residency, or pre-approved similar activity.
- Exemption note
- Current national certification or graduation within 12 months of first renewal can exempt RN/LPN from the activity requirement.
LPN
- Mandated topics
None
- Alternatives
- One of nine learning activity options per biennium. The 30-contact-hour CE option is only one option; other options include refresher, post-licensure study, precepting, research/project, publication, education presentation, residency, or pre-approved similar activity.
- Exemption note
- Current national certification or graduation within 12 months of first renewal can exempt RN/LPN from the activity requirement.
Conditions & source context
Manual covers the 2025–2027 biennium. Exactly one listed option is required; 30 CE contact hours is one option and not a universal hours total. Current certification/recent-graduate exemptions are stated separately in the manual.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
GROUND RULES - READ FIRST: • You must complete exactly ONE learning activity option per biennium. • You may NOT combine activities or hours from different options. • Activities must be completed between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2027. • Activities completed before July 1, 2025 do NOT count for this biennium. # OPTION NAME MINIMUM REQUIREMENT 1 Continuing Education (CE) 30 contact hours from approved providers 3 Board-Approved Refresher 60 hours didactic + 60 hours clinical Course 4 Post-Licensure Academic Minimum 2 semester credits from an accredited nursing Education program 5 Preceptor Activity 120 hours as a preceptor in a one-to-one organized preceptorship program 6 Nursing Research / Evidence- Completed IRB-approved research study or Board pre- Based Practice (EBP) Project approved EBP project as principal/co-principal investigator 7 Peer-Reviewed Publication Author or co-author a published nursing or health-related article, book, or book chapter 8 Nursing Education Presentation Minimum 5 contact hours of organized instruction qualifying as CE 9 Nurse Residency Program Completion of a Board-recognized nurse residency program 10 Similar / Other Activity Board pre-approval required before starting
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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RN/LPN licensees must complete one continuing-competency activity option before renewal unless an exemption applies. The Board may audit documentation.
Conditions & source context
The manual describes exemptions for qualifying current national certification and recent nursing graduates; review the exemption conditions in Sources.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Source quotation
Continuing Competency Renewal Requirements Beginning on July 1, 2017, all Hawaii nurse licensees are required to complete one of the learning activity options for continuing competency prior to the renewal of their Hawaii nurse license. Please review the Continuing Competency Manual . (Pursuant to HRS §457-9 and HRS §457-9.2(a) and (e).) The board may conduct a random audit to determine whether the continuing competency requirements have been met.
cca.hawaii.gov · State Board of Nursing
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Our Hawaii record has nothing sourced for RNs on: any jurisprudence exam, processing time. Get those from the board directly: cca.hawaii.gov.
State Board of Nursing · cca.hawaii.gov · checked 10 Oct 2026
Built from the Hawaii nursing licensing record and the compact status table. A step appears only when the record has a sourced answer for it; anything else points to the board. Informational only: confirm with the board of nursing before you apply.