Moving between states / Wisconsin
Kentuckyto
Wisconsin, RN or LPNMoving from Kentucky to Wisconsin as a registered or practical nurse
What a registered or practical nurse licensed in Kentucky has to do to work in Wisconsin, what the move does to your pay, and who in Wisconsin is hiring from out of state.
Works on day one. Both Kentucky and Wisconsin are in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate RN or LPN licence from Kentucky is valid in Wisconsin the day you arrive. Once Wisconsin is your primary residence, apply there for a Wisconsin multistate licence; most boards allow 30 to 60 days.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Wisconsin takes roughly $813 a year more than Kentucky does.
| Salary | Kentucky state tax | Wisconsin state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,600 | $2,142 | -$542 |
| $60,000 | $2,400 | $3,213 | -$813 |
| $90,000 | $3,600 | $4,819 | -$1,219 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Kentucky: many cities and counties add an occupational tax. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Kentucky to Wisconsin
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Kentucky certificate stays on the Kentucky Board of Nursing, Nurse Aide Registry; to work in Wisconsin you apply to the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (Department of Health Services) for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
Electrician: Kentucky to Wisconsin
Exam required. Wisconsin licenses electricians through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Kentucky hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Electrical Licensing before you move and book the Wisconsin exam early.
CDL: Kentucky to Wisconsin
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Wisconsin resident you surrender the Kentucky CDL at a Wisconsin driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Wisconsin. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
Does Wisconsin pay you to come?
No statewide program in Wisconsin pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Openings filed in Wisconsin
76 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Wisconsin employers who could not fill them locally.
- Senior Commercial Credit Underwriter – Dealer FinanceSantander US · Madison
- Treasury Sales Associate I - Global Payment Solutions - Middle MarketBank of America · Milwaukee
- FarmworkerMcKay Nursery Holding Co., Inc. · Waterloo · $13.57/hr
- Farmworkers and LaborersJackson Citrus, Inc. · Ellison Bay · $13.57/hr
- Treasury Sales Associate I - Global Payment Solutions - Middle MarketBank of America · Milwaukee
- Farmworker, LaborerAppleland LLC · Belgium · $15.5/hr
Your own route from Kentucky to Wisconsin
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Wisconsin employers.
Plan my move to WisconsinSame move, by trade
CNA: Kentucky to Wisconsin · Electrician: Kentucky to Wisconsin · Truck driver: Kentucky to Wisconsin · All licences: Kentucky to Wisconsin
From Kentucky to the states next to Wisconsin
Michigan (flat 4.25% state income tax) · Minnesota (progressive, top rate 9.85%) · Iowa (flat 3.8% state income tax) · Illinois (flat 4.95% state income tax)
To Wisconsin from the states next to Kentucky
Indiana · Ohio · West Virginia · Virginia · Tennessee · Missouri · Illinois
Everything about working in Wisconsin · All moves between states · All 50 states