Cosmetology / Barber License from Pennsylvania to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Washington accept a Pennsylvania cosmetology license?
Both Pennsylvania and Washington have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-10-29). Until the compact activates, transfer your cosmetology license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.
The number that defines this move: Pennsylvania licensed you at 1,250 training hours, and Washington requires 1,600 — a 350-hour deficit on paper. That does not usually mean going back to school. It means proving the gap is covered another way: most boards in Washington's position accept documented licensed work experience, supplemental hours, or their own exams. The requirements below are the exact menu Washington offers.
Both states have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact. That changes nothing today — the compact is not yet operating as a multistate network — but once the compact activates, a multistate license could cover work in Washington without a separate Washington license (changing your home state would still mean licensing there). If your timeline is flexible, check cosmetologycompact.gov before filing.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Washington
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Washington. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Washington (this page): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement.
Washington to Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, reciprocity agreement.
The two directions differ: Pennsylvania and Washington do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from Pennsylvania matter?
Coming from Pennsylvania matters here: only 12 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Washington.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (38).
- Reciprocity agreements
Washington's row names no reciprocity agreement states.
Pennsylvania's reciprocity agreement list names 41 states, including Washington.
- CLC membership
Pennsylvania and Washington have both enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, which is not issuing yet, so it does not cover this move today.
- Application fee
Washington lists $60 for an out-of-state applicant and Pennsylvania lists $89 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Training hours
Washington's first-time-applicant standard is 1,600 training hours for the standard license; Pennsylvania's is 1,250.
Washington's is 350 training hours higher than Pennsylvania's.
- Exam rules on record
Washington and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Washington (this move): No Washington exams if you passed your licensing jurisdiction's approved exams; applicants who have not taken exams must pass the Washington written and practical exams before licensure
- Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Exams are not retaken — an applicant who meets the criteria for licensure by reciprocity may obtain the license without examination (49 Pa. Code 7.31(b))
What changes, Pennsylvania → Washington
| Pennsylvania (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | CLC enacted — not yet issuing |
| Training hours | 1,250 | 1,600 |
| Application fee | $89 (licensure by reciprocity / Act 41 endorsement application fee, applied for through the PALS portal) | $60 (Reciprocity/Out-of-jurisdiction fee, $60 per license (DOL form 638-040); third-party exam fees apply if Washington exams are required) |
| Processing time | the board's processing guide describes a three-phase timeline but publishes no fixed durations | not published; DOL states online applications are issued faster than mail |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology | Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Washington's current requirements on the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Be at least 17 years old.
- Hold an active cosmetology license in good standing from another jurisdiction.
- Submit a copy of your current, valid out-of-state license with the application.
- Provide verification from your licensing board showing the license is in good standing and proof of the exams you passed.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Pennsylvania required 1,250 hours but Washington wants 1,600 — do I need more school?
Not necessarily. The 350-hour gap can usually be bridged without re-enrolling: Washington's options are listed in the requirements on this page (experience substitution and examination are the common routes). Contact the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program with your license history before paying for school hours.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- WA DOL — Get your license: Cosmetology (license by reciprocity, 1,600 hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- WA DOL — Fees: Cosmetologists ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- WA DOL form 638-040 — License, Renewal, Reinstatement, or Reciprocity Application ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- RCW 18.16.410 — cosmetology licensure compact adopted as of June 1, 2028 ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- PA Department of State — Cosmetology Licensure Guide (reciprocity section) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- PA Department of State — Cosmetologist Licensure Snapshot ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- 49 Pa. Code Chapter 7 — State Board of Cosmetology ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission — Pennsylvania becomes 13th state to enact (SB 331) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission — FAQ (compact not yet active) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com