Spouse
For purposes of Arkansas licensure, a spouse is an individual who is currently married to an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran.
There are several situations in which a spouse would need licensure information; each situation below identifies services available in each of these circumstances.
Situation 1:
Are you the spouse of an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran and do you already have a nursing license in Arkansas?
- If you answer no- advance to Situation 2 below.
- If you answered yes to both of the questions in Situation 1 and you wish to renew your active Arkansas license, click here for Renewal Instructions and note the following:
Renewal Application Information
You will submit the appropriate Renewal Licensure Application. During the process of completing your application, you will answer an eligibility question that asks “Are you or your spouse currently an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran?”
You will have a choice to select either “Yes, Spouse of uniformed service member” or “Yes, Spouse of uniformed service veteran”.
You will need to upload supporting documents.
Supporting documents for the spouse of a uniformed service member include one of the following:
- Copy of military dependent identification card; or
- Copy of spouses’ orders.
Supporting documents for a spouse of a uniformed veterans include one of the following:
- Copy of spouses Veterans Certificate of Release; or
- Copy of spouses’ Discharge from Active Duty form (DD214).
Support Services available in Situation 1
- Opportunity for expedited temporary permit licensure;
- Opportunity for preferential processing during issuance of license once receipt of all required documents;
- Opportunity for waiver of renewal continuing education requirements.
Situation 2:
Are you the spouse of an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran and do you already have a nursing license in another state?
- If you answer no- advance to Situation 3 below.
- If you answered yes to both of the questions in Situation 2:
- If your designated primary state of residence (PSOR) is a compact state and you maintain that state as your PSOR, you do not need to endorse your license to Arkansas as long as your license is an active multistate license. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are not included in the NLC. Click here for Map of Participating States.
- If your designated PSOR is a non-compact state and you maintain that state as your PSOR, you will need to endorse your license to Arkansas unless you are working in a federal facility. A nurse that works in a federal facility is exempt from licensure in Arkansas when he or she holds an active nurse license in any state.
- If you change your designated PSOR to Arkansas and you wish to apply for licensure by endorsement in Arkansas, click here for Licensure by Endorsement Instructions and note the following:
Licensure by Endorsement: Application Information
You will submit the appropriate Endorsement Application. During the process of completing your application you will answer an eligibility question that asks, “Are you or your spouse currently an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran?”
You will have a choice to select either “Yes, Spouse of a uniformed service member” or “Yes, Spouse of a uniformed service veteran”.
You will need to upload supporting documents.
Supporting documents for the spouse of a uniformed service member include one of the following:
- Copy of military dependent identification card; or
- Copy of spouses’ orders.
Supporting documents for a spouse of a uniformed include one of the following:
- Copy of spouses Veterans Certificate of Release; or
- Copy of spouses’ Discharge from Active Duty form (DD214).
Support Services available in Situation 2
- Opportunity for expedited temporary permit licensure, and
- Preferential processing during the issuance of a permanent license once receipt of all required documents.
Situation 3:
Are you the spouse of an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran? Are you a recent nursing education program graduate that has not taken the licensure examination?
- If you answered yes to both of the questions in Situation 3 and you wish to apply for initial licensure by examination in Arkansas, click here for Licensure by Examination Instructions and note the following:
Licensure by Exam: Application Information
You will submit the appropriate Initial by Exam Licensure Application. During the process of completing your application, you will answer an eligibility question that asks “Are you or your spouse currently an active or reserve uniformed service member or uniformed service veteran?”
You will have a choice to select either “Yes, Spouse of a uniformed service member” or “Yes, Spouse of a uniformed service veteran”.
You will need to upload supporting documents.
Supporting documents for the spouse of a uniformed service member include one of the following:
- Copy of military dependent identification card; or
- Copy of spouses’ orders.
Supporting documents for a spouse of uniformed include one of the following:
- Copy of spouses Veterans Certificate of Release; or
- Copy of spouses’ Discharge from Active Duty form (DD214).
Support Services available in Situation 3
- Opportunity for expedited temporary permit licensure, and
- Preferential processing during the issuance of a permanent license once receipt of all required documents.
