Washington

Washington does not share any interstate compacts with California. A full separate licensing process will be required for most professions. Washington's general portability rating is "moderate." Growing compact participation; no universal recognition law yet.

Washington is a member of 4 compacts: Nurse Licensure Compact, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact, Physical Therapy Compact, Counseling Compact. None of these overlap with California's compact memberships.

Washington is an NLC member, but California is not. You would need to obtain a separate Washington nursing license or establish residency in an NLC state to get a multistate license.

Teaching license portability from California to Washington: NASDTEC member; reciprocal certification with endorsement review. Most states participate in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, but specific requirements vary by state and endorsement area.

Washington supports PE license comity through NCEES. Licensed Professional Engineers from California can apply for licensure by comity, which is a streamlined process using your NCEES Record. This typically requires verifying your education, exam passage, and experience meet Washington's requirements.

Expedited processing for military spouses; temporary license available. Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), updated December 2024, all states are now required to recognize valid professional licenses from other states for military personnel and their spouses.

Joined NLC; expanding compact participation.

For the most current licensing requirements and compact participation details, visit the official Washington licensing page at https://www.dol.wa.gov/. Requirements and compact memberships may change as new legislation is enacted.