Military RN, LPN, and Spouse Information
Since July 24, 2023, Washington state has joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) effective which means that nurses with an active MSL from another state may begin working in Washington state.
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Working for a Mandatory Employer
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To work for a mandatory employer in Washington state, you must:
- Let your employer know you have an active MSL
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Work with your employer to meet employment requirements such as:
- Complete the Suicide Prevention Training
- Complete the WABON MSL demographic survey
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Washington State MLS Upgrade
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Under the NLC, nurses can practice in Washington state and other NLC states and territories, without getting additional licenses.
- If you have a current Washington state RN or LPN license, you may update it to an MSL
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ARNP Information
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The NLC is only available for RN and LPN licenses. (An ARNP Licensure Compact may be available in the future.)
If you have a Washington state ARNP license and an active MSL RN license in another state:
- You won't need to renew your Washington state RN license
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You must notify us of this transition when you renew your ARNP license by emailing nursing@doh.wa.gov
- You can't do this via the online renewal portal, you must email us