Fee Amounts
Fees pay for licensing and regulating nursing in Washington state.
The fees noted below include surcharges for 1) HEALWA electronic library access ($16) and 2) the Washington Center for Nursing workforce resource center ($8). All renewals are due annually on the applicant’s birthday.
All nurse license fees are non-refundable.
| Type | Single–State Initial Application | Multistate Initial Application | Single–State Renewal | Multistate Renewal |
Single–State Late Renewal
(less than 1 year late) Total |
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
(less than 2 year late) Total |
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. |
|||
| Duplicate License* | $20 for ARNP, LPN, & RN. $15 for NTEC |
|||
*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.
-
Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Requirements & Fees
-
ARNP Licensure Requirements & Fees — Washington State
(Including Prescriptive Authority)
License Status Requirements Continuing Competency / Practice Hours Prescriptive Authority Requirements Fees (Per Specialty / Cycle)
Active - Active WA RN license or MSL RN in another state
- Active national certification
- Attestation via HELMS
- 30 contact hours CE
- 15 pharmacology hours (if ARNP holds prescriptive authority)
Optional. New applicant requires:
30 advance pharmacology hours (didactic + clinical; pharmacodynamics, etc.) within last 2 years–or via recent education$130
renewal per designationInactive - Must hold active ARNP in good standing to request inactive
- To return to active: provide updated national certification, 30 CEs for each designation, and active WA RN license or MSL RN in another state
Same as Active upon reactivation Must meet the same prescriptive authority requirements as Active, if requesting to return to active $40
(annual inactive renewal fee)Expired ≤ 2 years expired: - Active WA RN license or MSL RN in another state
- 30 CEs for each designation
- Proof of active national certification
Same as Active upon reactivation Must complete prescriptive authority requirements if applying or renewing prescriptive authority $180
reactivation feeAdditional Details on Prescriptive Authority
Application Requirements
To obtain prescriptive authority, an ARNP must:
- Hold an active Washington ARNP license without sanctions
- Provide documentation of 30 contact hours in advanced pharmacology (didactic + clinical, covering pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacotherapeutics, and pharmacological management in the scope of practice)
- Pharmacology training must be completed within 2 years prior to application, unless the ARNP is a recent graduate from an advanced nursing education program that meets specific criteria
- A pharmacology exemption may be submitted if an ARNP is applying by endorsement to WA and has held equivalent independent prescriptive authority in another state for at least 250 hours and provides the requirements within WAC 246-840-410(7)
- If lacking adequate pharmacology training, the ARNP must additionally complete 150 hours of supervised advanced clinical practice under an ARNP with prescriptive authority, a physician, or equivalent
Renewal Requirements
Prescriptive authority must be renewed concurrently with the ARNP license. Renewal requirements include:
- Completing 15 additional contact hours of pharmacotherapeutics CE that are specific to the ARNP's scope of practice–on top of the standard 30 CE hours required for ARNP renewal
Scope and Restrictions
ARNPs authorized to prescribe:
- Cannot prescribe Schedule I controlled substances. For controlled substances allowed, the ARNP must be registered with the DEA. Prescription must include the provider’s initials (ARNP or NP).
Summary Highlights
- Active ARNP: Biennial renewal; requires proof of active national certification, and CE. Prescriptive authority is optional—but requires additional pharmacy CE and potentially supervised practice.
- Inactive / Expired: Same requirements as Active upon reactivation, plus prescriptive authority steps if applying.
- Retired Active: Not applicable for ARNPs.
- Prescriptive authority can significantly extend scope of practice but comes with clearly defined educational and regulatory obligations.
Compare Single–State or Multistate License Fees
-
Registered Nurse Requirements & Fees
-
Washington State RN Licensure Requirements & Fees
License Status Requirements Continuing Competency Fees Active Maintain license with HELMS; attest to competency Annually: 96 practice hrs + 8 CE hrs $138 total:
$114 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCNInactive ≤ 3 yrs inactive; > 3 yrs need proof of recent practice in another state or refresher course Nothing due while inactive, requirements due annually upon return to active $68
$44 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCNExpired ≤ 3 yrs inactive; > 3 yrs need proof of recent practice in another state or refresher Nothing due while expired, requirements due annually upon return to active $258 total:
$114 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCN + $50 late penalty + $70 reissuanceRetired Active Full active license holders in good standing only. Intermittent/emergent practice up to 90 days/year Annually: 24 practice hrs + 8 hrs CE $68 total:
$44 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCNSummary Highlights - Active: Standard full-practice license–annual renewal and continuing competency
- Inactive: Non-practicing hold; easier path back to Active within 3 years, otherwise refresher or verification needed. May be used temporarily for those in substance use monitoring programs or licensees needing to pause practice for a short time
- Expired: Similar remediation as Inactive, but with higher reactivation fees due to late penalties and reissuance costs
- Retired Active: Ideal for nurses wishing to practice sporadically (up to 90 days/year or during emergencies)–much lighter continuing competency and lower annual fee.
Additional Notes - Retired Active Practice Scope: Only intermittent or emergency practice is allowed–no full-time work.
- Moving Between Statuses: Only an Active license can be moved to Inactive or Retired Active–if your license is expired, you must reactivate first
- Returning to Full Active: Requires meeting WAC 246 12 140 declarations and paying full Active renewal fee. apps.leg.wa.gov
Compare Single-State or Multistate License Fees
-
Licensing Practical Nurse Requirements & Fees
-
Washington State LPN Licensure Requirements & Fees
License Status Requirements Continuing Competency Fees Active Maintain license with HELMS; attest to competency Annually: 96 practice hrs + 8 CE hrs $93 total:
$69 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCNInactive ≤ 3 yrs inactive; > 3 yrs need proof of recent practice in another state or refresher course Nothing due while inactive, requirements due annually upon return to active $68
$44 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCNExpired ≤ 3 yrs inactive; > 3 yrs need proof of recent practice in another state or refresher Nothing due while expired, requirements due annually upon return to active $213 total:
$69 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCN + $50 late penalty + $70 reissuanceRetired Active Full active license holders in good standing only. Intermittent/emergent practice up to 90 days/year Annually: 24 practice hrs + 8 hrs CE $68 total:
$44 renewal + $16 HEAL WA + $8 WCNSummary Highlights - Active: Standard full-practice license–annual renewal and continuing competency
- Inactive: Non-practicing hold; easier path back to Active within 3 years, otherwise refresher or verification needed. May be used temporarily for those in substance use monitoring programs or licensees needing to pause practice for a short time
- Expired: Similar remediation as Inactive, but with higher reactivation fees due to late penalties and reissuance costs
- Retired Active: Ideal for nurses wishing to practice sporadically (up to 90 days/year or during emergencies)–much lighter continuing competency and lower annual fee.
Additional Notes - Retired Active Practice Scope: Only intermittent or emergency practice is allowed–no full-time work.
- Moving Between Statuses: Only an Active license can be moved to Inactive or Retired Active–if your license is expired, you must reactivate first
- Returning to Full Active: Requires meeting WAC 246 12 140 declarations and paying full Active renewal fee. apps.leg.wa.gov
Compare Single-State or Multistate License Fees
-
Additional 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 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