Whether you’re finishing up your nursing education at one of Washington’s excellent schools or you’re thinking of moving to the state for its high salaries and excellent quality of life, you need to know how to get and keep your nursing license.
In this article, we will cover:
What's your current role?
Your career as a registered nurse begins with earning your nursing degree from an accredited nursing school. You can apply for a Washington state license after completing a two-year Associate’s Degree in Nursing program or a baccalaureate degree ending in a BSN. Whether you studied in Washington state or elsewhere, getting a solid education from an accredited nursing program is the foundation to a successful, fulfilling nursing career.
Washington uses a unique method of applying for a license online. To start, you must establish a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account. After this has been done, follow these steps:
Once you have completed these steps, you will be returned to your SAW account page, where you will now see the Online Application Portal included in your list of services. You will apply for your nursing license from the portal.
Note: Once you have submitted your application, you will have just 14 days to upload all required documents. Access will expire after 14 days and if you have any more documents to submit, you will need to email them to [email protected].
To complete your application for a registered nursing license you will need the following:
Washington state requires verification of your nursing education.
If you are a graduate of a Washington-based nursing education program, your school will send an electronic certificate of completion (COC) to the Board of Nursing after you complete the program. There is no need to request this certification, but you will need to request that your official transcripts be sent after you have graduated.
If you are graduating from a nursing education program in another U.S. state you will need to have your official transcripts, with your type of degree and graduation date, sent to the Board. This documentation must be received to receive Approval to Test for the NCLEX-RN exam.
Your transcripts can be sent either via mail or electronically. If your school uses E-Script, Parchment, or Student Clearinghouse electronic transcript services, they can send your official transcripts to [email protected].
Paper transcripts reflecting your degree and graduation date can be sent to:
Attn: Licensing Unit
Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
PO Box 47864
Olympia, WA 98504-7864
The Washington State Department of Health conducts background checks on applicants from out of state and some applicants with a criminal history in Washington. The department will notify you if you need to undergo this background check. If so, you will need to pay $34.25 to have your fingerprints checked against the federal database. You will be required to arrange for and pay the cost of taking the fingerprints, which must be taken on the fingerprint card provided by the department. Fingerprint services can be obtained at local law enforcement offices.
Once you have finished your nursing education program, you should register and pay for the NCLEX-RN exam. You can do this online at www.pearsonvue.com/nclex or call 1-866-496-2539. Once you’ve registered and paid your $200 fee and you’ve completed and provided all of the state’s application requirements, you will receive an Authorization to Test from Pearson VUE.
Washington state residents can take the NCLEX at the following test locations:
The NCLEX-RN tests your knowledge of foundational nursing. Topics may include:
Washington nursing candidates are permitted to retake the NCLEX-RN up to eight times per year if they do not pass the exam. You must let 45 days elapse between each examination and you must pass within three years of graduation.
If you are licensed in a state other than Washington and want to work in the state as a nurse, you will need to apply for a license by endorsement. This will require:
You may be notified that you are required to submit to a fingerprint-based federal background check.
After submitting your application, you will have just 14 days to upload supporting documents. After 14 days documentation can be emailed to [email protected].
What's your current role?
