Cosmetology / Barber License from Virginia to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Washington accept a Virginia cosmetology license?
Both Virginia 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: Virginia licensed you at 1,000 training hours, and Washington requires 1,600 — a 600-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 Virginia 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
Virginia to Washington (this page): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement.
Washington to Virginia (the reverse move): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Virginia matter?
Coming from Virginia 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).
- CLC membership
Virginia 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 Virginia lists $134.50 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; Virginia's is 1,000.
Washington's is 600 training hours higher than Virginia's.
- Exam rules on record
Washington and Virginia 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
- Virginia (the reverse move): Exams are not retaken when your out-of-state license was earned with substantially equivalent training and examination; the certification of licensure must come from the state board where you passed your exams. If your state used only one licensing examination (written or practical), you take the other one in Virginia (18VAC41-20-30 B)
What changes, Virginia → Washington
| Virginia (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | CLC enacted — not yet issuing |
| Training hours | 1,000 | 1,600 |
| Application fee | $134.50 (total License by Endorsement application fee (practitioner) on the current DPOR application (A450-1213END-v25, 07/01/2026), which includes DPOR's Technology Fee of $7.25 per year under 2026 House Bill 30; the underlying License by Endorsement fee set by 18VAC41-20-140 is $120; application fees are not refundable) | $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 | no processing time published on the board pages reviewed | not published; DOL states online applications are issued faster than mail |
| Licensing authority | Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) | 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
Virginia required 1,000 hours but Washington wants 1,600 — do I need more school?
Not necessarily. The 600-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)
- DPOR — How to Transfer a License from Another State (Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, rev. 01/05/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- DPOR — Barber and Cosmetology License by Endorsement application (A450-1213END-v25, 07/01/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- DPOR — Cosmetology curriculum requirements (1,000-hour program) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- DPOR — Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (forms, Technology Fee notice, FAQ) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- 18VAC41-20-30 — License by endorsement (Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- 18VAC41-20-140 — Fees (License by Endorsement $120) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- DPOR — Barber & Cosmetology Universal License Recognition application (A450-1213ULR-v5, 07/01/2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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