12 more states have now passed laws that make it easier for military spouses to find employment when they transfer from base to base. Transferring certification or licensing from state to state has long affected many spouses, especially in highly-trained professions such as nurses, teachers, counselors, physical therapists, and others.

This issue can have a major impact on retention of quality soldiers, and the Department of Defense has been working on this issue since 2008. The DoD and the states have come up with a variety of ways of both allowing easy portability of credentials and maintaining professional standards. Illinois, for example, allows 6-month temporary expedited licenses which allows them to work while fulfilling the requirements for a permanent license.

The following states allow portable licensing:

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nevada
• Oklahoma
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Washington
• Wisconsin