RN and LPN Multistate License Information

Washington state joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) on July 24, 2023.

Nurses with an active MSL in another state

Nurses with an active MSL from another state can work in Washington state as of July 24, 2023.

All nurses working in Washington state must follow the Washington Nurse Practice Act when providing care to patients in Washington.

To work with an out-of-state MSL for a mandatory employer in Washington state, you must:

Let your employer know you have an active MSL.
Work with your employer to meet employment requirements such as:
- Complete Suicide Prevention Training.
- Complete the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) MSL demographic survey.

If you are moving and changing your primary state of residence (PSOR) is Washington, you can apply for a Washington state RN or LPN license.

Apply for a Washington Multistate License (MSL)

Starting Jan. 31, 2024, nurses whose primary state of residence (PSOR) is Washington can apply for a Washington MSL.

This includes:

Nurses moving and changing their PSOR to Washington state.
Nurses who are getting their first Washington state license.
Nurses with a single-state Washington license.

Apply online

To apply for a WA MSL or upgrade your single-state Washington RN or LPN license to an MSL:

Make sure you meet all Uniform Multistate License Requirements.
Review RN or LPN License application requirements and instructions on how to apply online.

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) Information

The NLC is only available for RN and LPN licenses. (An ARNP Licensure Compact may be available in the future.)

You can practice with a Washington state ARNP license and an active MSL RN license from another state.

You won't need to renew your Washington state RN license, unless you change your PSOR to Washington state:
- Complete the ARNP MSL RN Declaration form (PDF)
- Email completed form to nursing@doh.wa.gov or mail in with your renewal fee payment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Nurses

Information for nurses about multistate licenses (MSL) and working in Washington state.

General Questions

Do I have to renew my Washington state RN or LPN license if I have an active multistate license (MSL) from another state?

No. You are able to practice with your active MSL in Washington state.

If you work for a mandatory employer, you will need to report your MSL status to your employer and make sure you meet employment requirements.

Do I need to apply for a Washington state RN or LPN license if I have an active multistate license from another state?

No. Starting July 24, 2023, nurses with an active MSL issued from another state will be able to practice in Washington state.

If you work for a mandatory employer, you will need to report your MSL status to your employer and make sure you meet employment requirements.

I applied for my Washington state RN or LPN license prior to July 24, 2023. Can I be refunded my application fees?

No.

We are unable to provide a refund for an application that was submitted prior to the implementation of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) in Washington state.

Per WAC 246-12-340: “Fees submitted with applications for initial credentialing, examinations, renewal, and other fees associated with the licensing and regulation of the profession are nonrefundable”.

Upon receipt of a nursing application and fee, the Washington State Board of Nursing completes the intake process, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) background checks, and application review. The fees received are applied to this process.

Can I apply for a Washington state RN or LPN multistate license?

The Washington State Board of Nursing anticipates being able to offer Washington multistate licenses beginning on January 31, 2024. Applications cannot be received or processed before this date. The multistate license is subject to the licensing process including an FBI background check. The multistate license application review process may take 2-3 weeks. Please do not apply for a multistate license before January 31, 2024, to avoid additional licensing fees.

I am a Washington resident and want to convert from a single-state license to a multistate license. When should I apply?

If your current license, is pending renewal, you are still responsible for paying your annual renewal fee consistent with WAC 246-840-990 and WAC 246-12-030 to maintain an active license in Washington state.

The Washington State Board of Nursing anticipates being able to offer Washington multistate licenses beginning on January 31, 2024.

Applications for multistate licenses can't be received or processed before this date.

The multistate license is subject to the licensing and FBI background check process.

The multistate license application review process may take 2-3 weeks.

Please don't apply for a multistate license before Jan 31, 2024, to avoid additional licensing fees.

If I apply for a Washington multistate license and it takes several weeks, can I still work?

Depends.

If you have an active MSL from another state or an active Washington single-state license you can.

If you have an active MSL from another state, per NLC rules, you may practice under your previous primary state of residence (PSOR) MSL license while you apply for Washington MSL license.

You must apply for a Washington MSL license within 60 days if changing your PSOR to Washington state.

You are still responsible for paying your annual renewal fee consistent with WAC 246-840-990 and WAC 246-12-030 to maintain an active license in Washington state.

I am converting my Washington state license from a single-state to a multistate license and am due for my annual renewal. Do I need to pay for the annual renewal of my Washington state license?

Yes. Your license number will not change upon conversion to a Washington state multistate license.

The conversion fee is $65, and you are still responsible for paying your annual renewal fee consistent with WAC 246-840-990 and WAC 246-12-030 to maintain an active license in Washington state.

Can I use my multistate license to practice as a school nurse in Washington state?

The Professional Educator Standards Board recently filed rules allowing for acceptance of all valid RN licenses to meet the requirements for ESA certification for school nurse, including valid Multistate Licenses (MSL). This policy is effective immediately.

Washington state recently joined the Nursing Licensure Compact, meaning that holders of valid multistate licenses can practice in the state without needing to obtain an additional license.

For questions about the policy changes related to this issue, please contact Michael Nguyen, Program Manager, Educator Credentialing, at michael.nguyen@k12.wa.us.

I hold an active multistate license, do I need to complete licensing continuing education requirements for all states that I am practicing in?

No. You only need to meet the continuing education requirements for the state where you hold an active multistate license and primary state of residence.

ARNP Questions

Can I apply for a Washington state multistate ARNP license?

No.

The NLC pertains to RN and LPN licenses only.

An APRN must hold an individual state license in each state of APRN practice.

Information about the APRN compact is available at aprncompact.com.

Do I need to apply for a Washington single-state RN license if I have an active RN multistate license from another state?

No.

The NLC recognizes active multistate RN licenses as a valid license to support the ARNP license in another state.

At this time, if you will be applying for a Washington state ARNP license then you will have to submit a paper application to the Washington Board of Nursing:

Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner with an Active Registered Nurse Multistate License in Another State Application

You will also need to indicate on your application your active RN multistate license number and state.

Do I need to renew my Washington single state RN license if I have an active RN multistate license from another state?

No.

The NLC recognizes active multistate RN licenses as a valid license to support the ARNP license in another state.

If you have a Washington state ARNP license and an active multistate RN license in another state:

You won't need to renew your Washington state RN license after July 24, 2023 unless you change your PSOR to Washington state.
You must notify us of this transition when you renew your ARNP license by:
- Completing the ARNP MSL Declaration form (PDF)
- Email completed form to nursing@doh.wa.gov. or mail in with your renewal fee payment.

Primary State of Residence (PSOR) & Moving Questions

What does Primary State of Residence (PSOR) mean?

For compact purposes, PSOR is not related to property ownership in a state. It's about your legal residency status. Everyone has legal documents such as a driver’s license, voter’s card, federal income tax return, military form no. 2058 or W2 form from the PSOR. If a nurse’s PSOR is a compact state, that nurse may be eligible for a multistate (compact) license. If a nurse cannot declare a compact state as their PSOR, that nurse is not eligible for a compact license. They may apply for a single-state license in any state where they wish to practice.

What do I need to do before I move to Washington state?

The required steps will vary based on the moving scenario.

When moving to Washington state from another state with a multistate license, a nurse may continue to practice under the existing multistate license. If Washington is your primary state of residence, you should apply for a Washington multistate as soon as the Washington State Board of Nursing begins issuing them.

See Moving Scenarios Fact Sheet for Details

I'm moving to Washington state, when can I apply for a Washington multistate license?

The Washington State Board of Nursing anticipates being able to offer Washington multistate licenses beginning on January 31, 2024. Applications for multistate licenses cannot be received or processed before this date. The multistate license is subject to the licensing and FBI background check process. The multistate license application review process may take 2-3 weeks.

If moving to Washington state, please note that under the Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators rules section 403 (1), a nurse who changes his or her primary state of residence from one party state to another party state may continue to practice under the existing multistate license while the nurse's application is processed, and a multistate license is issued in the new primary state of residence.

Under section 402 (2) of the NLC rules, a multistate licensee who changes primary state of residence to another party state shall apply for a multistate license in the new party state within 60 days. Note, a change in primary state of residency does not include travelers living in a state temporarily and plan to return to another state of residence.

My primary state of residence is a noncompact state; it is also where I am licensed. I am applying for a license in Washington state. Do I have to give up my original license?

No, you may maintain your current license and receive a single state license in Washington state. Residents of noncompact states can hold as many single-state licenses as they would like.

What if I move from Washington to another compact state?

When permanently relocating to another compact state, apply for licensure by endorsement and complete the Declaration of Primary State of Residence form within the application, which can be found on your board of nursing’s (BON's) website.

You may start the application process prior to or after the move. You should not delay applying once you have moved. There is no grace period. If you apply in advance of the move, you may be issued a single-state license or your application may be held until you provide proof of legal residency. At that time, you may be issued a multistate license.

I live in a noncompact state, but I will be changing my primary state of residence to Washington state in a few months for a job. Can I apply for a license in that state now so I can work immediately after moving?

Yes, you may start the application process prior to the move. Washington state is not issuing multistate licenses yet. If moving from a noncompact state, you will be issued a single-state license in order to practice in Washington state. You will have the option to convert your license to a multistate license once it is available.

I live in a noncompact state, but own property in Washington state. Can I get a multistate license?

To be eligible for a compact license, your declared primary state of residence must be a compact state. Primary state of residency does not pertain to owning property but rather it refers to your legal status of residency. Proof of residence includes obtaining a driver’s license, voting/registering to vote or filing federal taxes with an address in that state. These legal documents should be issued by the same state.

I have a compact multistate license and have accepted a temporary assignment in Washington state. My employer or staffing agency is telling me that I need to get a Washington single state license.

When hired in a remote state for a temporary position or commuting to a remote state from the primary state of residence (usually an adjacent state), employers should not require you to apply for licensure in the remote state when you have lawfully declared another state as your primary state of residence (PSOR). PSOR is based on where you pay federal income tax, vote and/or hold a driver’s license. The remote state nursing regulatory body cannot issue a license to a nurse who has declared another compact state as the PSOR, since the multistate license from the home state applies to both states. You have the privilege to practice in any remote compact state with your multistate license.

Resources

More Information

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Questions?

For questions relating to the NLC implementation please email nursing@doh.wa.gov.

RN and LPN Multistate License Information

Apply for a WA multistate license