National Center for Interstate Compacts

NCIC helps states collaborate on complex public policy issues to strengthen economies, protect public health and safety, and champion state sovereignty.

NCIC is the nation’s only technical assistance provider on interstate compacts, offering compact education, development, and administrative services.

Interstate Compacts are tools that:

Create a
legally binding agreement among states

Similar to a contract, a compact establishes a formal, legal relationship among states to address common problems or promote a common agenda.

Promote cooperative action among states

Compacts can be leveraged for any issue where states have a need to coordinate. For example, existing compacts are used to reduce burdens for military families in transition, solve boundary disputes, manage shared natural resources and build resilience to natural disasters.

Provide a widely recognized
and durable
policy solution

There are over 250 active compacts in the U.S., and on average states are members of about 25.