What is the APRN Compact? Everything You Need to Know

In the United States, medical licensure compacts often make it easier for licensed healthcare providers to obtain new credentials in a different state and provide care. In fact, physicians in America benefit from the the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC)—which is active in 42 states; Washington, D.C.; and Guam—while physician assistants (PAs) can soon take advantage of the PA Licensure Compact, which has yet to go into effect but has been enacted by 14 states. For advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), such as nurse practitioners (NPs) and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), options for interstate licensure have been lacking—but an effort to start an APRN Compact has been gaining momentum. Let’s take a look at the status of the APRN Compact and answer some of your pressing questions about what it means for locum tenens NPs and CRNAs.

What is an APRN?

An advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) is a registered nurse (RN) with post-graduate education and comprehensive clinical training, oftentimes in a specific medical specialty. There are four different types of APRNs:

• Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
  • Primary and specialty care providers who diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications for various health conditions.
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs)
  • Specialists who administer anesthesia and provide pain management for surgical, obstetrical, and trauma care.
• Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs)
  • Experts in women’s health who provide gynecological care, family planning, and manage low-risk pregnancies and deliveries.
• Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs)
  • Advanced clinicians who optimize patient outcomes through expert consultation, care coordination, and evidence-based practice improvements.

APRNs can be primary care providers (as some states have expanded scope of practice for NPs), but these healthcare professionals typically treat and diagnose illnesses, act as educational resources on medicine and healthcare, work with patients on creating and maintaining treatment and disease management plans, and generally provide healthcare to patients.

What is the APRN Compact?

The APRN Compact is a relatively new endeavor that aims to create one multistate license for APRNs, making it easier for them to travel across state lines to provide care. This APRN compact will allow those APRNs with one multistate license to practice in all compact states.

As it stands right now, NPs and other APRNs have single-state licenses, meaning that they can only practice in those states. Advocates for the APRN Compact say that making licensure more fluid across the states will increase access to care for patients, enable better emergency response due to a wider pool of APRNs, and enhance freedom of choice for patients and providers alike. 

The APRN compact will go into effect once seven states have adopted legislation allowing the compact—but this threshold has not been reached yet. When it does, there will likely be a period in which state licensure governing bodies operationalize the compact, which could take months. 

Which states have APRN Compact license?

Currently, only four states—Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah—have enacted the APRN Compact. As mentioned above, seven states need to enact the compact before it goes into effect, but there are five states with current pending APRN Compact legislation. 

Here’s a full map of the APRN Compact by state, as of February 24, 2025:

How can the APRN Compact help solve the provider shortage?

As the United States continues to face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, NPs have increasingly taken on roles as primary care providers, bridging the gap for patients who might struggle to find a doctor. In fact, from 2016 to 2021, the proportion of NPs working in primary care remained around 33%, but the number of NPs taking on those positions grew immensely. 

By allowing NPs and other APRNs to practice medicine unencumbered from state-to-state, the APRN Compact could help these medical providers continue as a stop-gap for the growing physician shortage, ensuring that patients across the country—especially those in areas with fewer primary care physicians—get the care they need. 

How will the APRN Compact impact locum tenens providers?

As temporary medical providers who take short- and long-term assignments at short-staffed medical facilities across the country, locum tenens NPs, CRNAs, and other APRNs stand to benefit from the APRN Compact. 

This is because the APRN Compact will make it even easier for locum tenens NPs, CRNAs, and other APRNs to get a license in a state in which they’re taking an assignment. While it might take weeks, or even months to get a license today, with the APRN Compact in effect, it will likely take less time and be generally much easier for these crucial medical providers to obtain a license and provide care. 

Find Your Next Locum Tenens NP or CRNA Job with Barton

Looking to become a locum tenens NP or CRNA? Interested in taking advantage of the APRN Compact once it’s live? Check out our open positions today and let’s talk!