Washington RN License 2026 — NCQAC Endorsement, POLARIS & Fees

Washington State is a major Pacific Northwest nursing market anchored by large health systems including UW Medicine, Providence Health, MultiCare, Swedish (now part of Providence), Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, and Overlake Medical Center. The Washington Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission (NCQAC), part of the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), administers RN licensure under RCW 18.79.

Is Washington an NLC compact state?

Yes, as of January 19, 2024. Washington joined the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), meaning Washington-licensed nurses with Washington as their primary state of residence hold a multistate license valid in all other NLC compact states. Nurses licensed in other compact states who maintain residency there may practice in Washington using their home-state compact privilege without obtaining a Washington license — until they establish Washington as their primary residence.

Endorsement fees (2026)

Item	Fee
Endorsement application (POLARIS)	~$90–125
WATCH background check (WA State Patrol)	~$13.25
FBI fingerprint check (if required)	~$16.50
Nursys verification (if applicable)	$30
Estimated total	~$150–$185

Verify current fee amounts at doh.wa.gov before applying — Washington fees are set by the legislature and may change at renewal cycles.

Continuing education for renewal

Washington RN licenses renew every two years on the last day of the licensee's birth month in even-numbered years. Renewal requires attestation of continued competency and either 531 hours of professional nursing practice during the renewal period or 45 contact hours of approved continuing education. A combination of practice hours and CE is also accepted. There is no state-mandated topic requirement, but NCQAC may conduct audits and request documentation.

Timeline expectations

Complete endorsement applications with electronic Nursys verification and cleared WATCH background checks typically process in 4–8 weeks. Paper verification from a non-Nursys state adds 2–4 weeks. NCQAC publishes current processing time estimates on its website; during high-volume periods (spring and fall), timelines may extend.

What we see at Ava Health

Washington is one of the top travel-nurse destinations in our pipeline, driven by competitive pay rates in the Seattle metro, Spokane, and Tacoma markets and consistent demand in ICU, OR, L&D, and ER settings. Washington's 2024 NLC compact entry has simplified the logistics for nurses already holding compact licenses — the majority of inbound interest we see comes from Texas, Florida, and Ohio compact-licensed RNs exploring Pacific Northwest contracts.

Related: Travel Nurse Salary Guide, Texas RN License Guide, Ohio RN License Guide, Nurse Practitioner Salary Guide.