How to Get Your LPN License in Washington (2026)

## How to Become a Licensed Practical Nurse in Washington Washington State's healthcare system ranges from Seattle's dense urban hospital market — one of the most competitive and well-compensated nursing environments in the Pacific Northwest — to rural eastern Washington communities where LPNs are essential providers in critical access hospitals and frontier clinics. If you're pursuing licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse in Washington, here's what you need to know. ### Step 1: Complete an Accredited Practical Nursing Program Washington requires completion of a practical nursing program approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC) or a nationally accredited program (ACEN or CNEA). Strong in-state PN program options include those offered through Bellingham Technical College, Yakima Valley College, Wenatchee Valley College, and several other community and technical colleges in the Washington State Board of Technical and Community Colleges system. Programs run 12–18 months and include clinical rotations in acute care, long-term care, community health, and pediatric settings. Confirm that any program you enroll in holds current NCQAC approval — this is a prerequisite to sitting for the NCLEX-PN in Washington. ### Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-PN Exam Passing the NCLEX-PN is required before Washington issues your LPN license. The process: 1. **Apply to the NCQAC** for NCLEX eligibility and receive your Authorization to Test (ATT). 2. **Register with Pearson VUE** and schedule your exam date at a Washington testing site (Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Kennewick) or via remote proctoring. 3. **Pay the Pearson VUE examination fee** ($200). 4. **Take the exam** within your 90-day ATT validity window. The CAT-based NCLEX-PN delivers between 85 and 150 questions and covers all core LPN competency domains, with increasing focus on clinical judgment under the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) framework. Results are typically available within 2 business days via Pearson VUE's Quick Results service. ### Step 3: Apply for Your Washington LPN License Applications are submitted through the Washington DOH Professions portal at doh.wa.gov. Required elements: - Completed online application - Official PN program transcripts sent directly to NCQAC - NCLEX-PN results (transmitted automatically by Pearson VUE to DOH) - Fingerprint-based background check through the Washington State Patrol and FBI - Application fee of approximately **$75–$130** (confirm current fee on the NCQAC fee schedule before applying) Washington LPN licenses renew on a two-year cycle. Processing typically takes 4–8 weeks for complete applications. The DOH online portal allows applicants to track status in real time. ### eNLC Compact Membership Washington joined the Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC), meaning a Washington multistate LPN license is valid in all other compact-member states — currently 40+ — without requiring separate applications or fees. This is particularly useful for LPNs who live near the Idaho or Oregon borders, or who work for traveling healthcare staffing agencies. To hold a compact license, Washington must be your declared primary state of residence. If you're relocating to Washington from another compact state, your current compact license remains valid until its expiration date; you then renew in Washington. ### Continuing Education Requirements Washington LPNs must complete **30 continuing education hours** per two-year renewal cycle. Washington includes a **mandatory suicide prevention training** requirement within that 30-hour block — this is a state-specific mandate not present in all compact states, reflecting Washington's commitment to behavioral health integration across all clinical disciplines. Other CE may be completed through ANCC-accredited providers, NAPNES, Relias, Nurse.com, or other approved platforms. All CE documentation should be retained for a minimum of four years in case of NCQAC audit. Washington does not require CE to be completed in-person — online credits from approved providers are fully accepted. ### Washington LPN Salary Ranges Washington offers some of the strongest LPN compensation west of the Mississippi: - **Seattle/King County:** $50,000–$70,000/year — driven by high cost of living, strong union presence, and acute care demand - **Tacoma/Pierce County:** $46,000–$60,000/year - **Spokane metro:** $40,000–$52,000/year - **Rural eastern Washington (Wenatchee, Yakima, Moses Lake):** $38,000–$50,000/year, with travel LPN premiums on top Travel LPN demand in eastern Washington is notable: rural and frontier critical access hospitals frequently use agency staff to fill gaps, and Washington's strong base wages translate to competitive travel contracts. Per diem rates for agency LPNs in Washington often run $28–$38/hour before housing stipends. ### Top Employers for LPNs in Washington - **UW Medicine (Seattle)** — Academic medical system including Harborview Medical Center, UW Medical Center, and Valley Medical Center; strong LPN presence in specialty clinics - **Providence Health & Services** — Major Catholic health system across western Washington (Everett, Olympia, Spokane) - **Swedish Health Services (Seattle, Issaquah, Edmonds)** — Part of Providence; multiple Seattle-area hospitals and outpatient campuses - **MultiCare Health System (Tacoma, Spokane, Auburn)** — Regional system with LPN hiring across acute care and ambulatory settings - **PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center (Vancouver, WA)** — Serves the Portland metro area from the Washington side - **Washington State Department of Social and Health Services** — Developmental disabilities and residential care facilities with consistent LPN demand - **Kindred/Ensign Group and SNF operators** — Long-term care is a major LPN employment sector statewide, particularly in King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties LPNs with behavioral health experience are in especially high demand across Washington given the state's expanded mental health infrastructure and Medicaid behavioral health integration.