Washington State Nurse License Fees
Fees pay for licensing and regulating nursing in Washington state.
All nurse license fees are non-refundable.
Recent Updates
- Multistate license fees went into effect Jan 31, 2024
- WCN surcharge increased on July 24, 2023.
- New nurse license fees went into effect Dec 1, 2022*
*Fees increased to cover the cost of:
- New licensing system.
- Staffing to process applications within the 7-day timeline required by the legislature.
- Staffing to address the long-term care crisis.
Fees Amounts
| Type |
Single-State |
Multistate Initial Application |
Single-State |
Multistate Renewal |
Single-State |
Multistate Late Renewal (less than 1 year late) Total |
Single-State Reactivation (more than 1 year late) Total |
Multistate Reactivation (more than 1 year late) Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LPN | $93 | $158 | $93 | $113 | $143 | $163 | $213 | $233 |
| RN | $138 | $203 | $138 | $158 | $188 | $208 | $258 | $278 |
| Retired Active (RN & LPN) | Does not apply | Does not apply | $68 | Does not apply | $113 | Does not apply | $183 | Does not apply |
| Inactive (RN & LPN) | Does not apply | Does not apply | $68 | Does not apply | $113 | Does not apply | $150 | Does not apply |
| Type |
Initial Application |
Renewal |
Late Renewal |
Reactivation (more than 2 year late) Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARNP | $130 | $130 | $180 | $180 |
| Inactive (ARNP) | Does not apply | $40 | $80 | $120 |
| NTEC | $25 | $25 | $50 | Does not apply |
| Verification of License |
$25 for all license types. Please see Verify a License before paying. |
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| Duplicate License* |
$20 for ARNP, LPN, & RN. $15 for NTEC |
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*Duplicate licenses are issued in rare instances, please contact us first. We only print a copy if absolutely necessary. For example: The nurse needs a current copy to travel outside of the country.
Fee Information
Fees and surcharges on nurse license fees are mandated by the Washington State Legislature. These fees can't be changed or removed without the legislature’s approval.
- The application fee is set by by the Washington State Legislature.
- Health Evidence Resource for Washington State (HEAL-WA) is an online evidence-based library for health professionals in Washington State provided by the University of Washington.
- All registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are charged a $16.00 HEAL-WA fee.
- Washington Center for Nursing (WCN) is the statewide nursing workforce center.
- All registered nurses and licensed practical nurses are charged a $8.00 WCN nursing surcharge.
Fee laws and rules:
- License fees for professions, occupations, and businesses (RCW 43.70.250)
- CR-103, Permanent Rule, WAC 246-840-990 Fees and Renewal Cycle (PDF)
- Fee Changes Explanatory Statement (PDF)