Nursing License from Idaho to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Washington accept an Idaho nursing license?
Yes — both Idaho and Washington are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Idaho is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Washington now; if you are moving your residence to Washington, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Washington your new primary state of residence — your multistate privilege continues.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact multistate — already covered
This is the move the compact was built for. Both Idaho and Washington are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Washington while living in Idaho — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Washington means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Washington and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What's different between Idaho 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
Idaho to Washington (this page): Compact multistate — already covered.
Washington to Idaho (the reverse move): Compact multistate — already covered.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Idaho matter?
Idaho gets Washington's most common result: 39 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get the same one, so for most movers the origin does not change the answer.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (11).
- NLC membership
Idaho and Washington are both NLC member states.
A multistate license issued by Idaho covers practice in Washington, and one issued by Washington covers practice in Idaho.
- Application fee
Washington lists $138–$203 for an out-of-state applicant and Idaho lists $70 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Washington lists 1–3 weeks; Idaho has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Idaho and Washington carry the same exam note for a licensee arriving from another state; any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
What changes, Idaho → Washington
| Idaho (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $70 (board fee table lists $102 for an RN license by endorsement, which includes the $32 fingerprint processing fee; optional temporary license $25) | $138–$203 ($138 single-state / $203 multistate initial application; FBI fingerprint fee paid separately) |
| Processing time | no overall range published; board FAQ says final review takes up to 5 business days once the completed application and all documents are received; applications stay open for one year | 1–3 weeks (multistate-license review may take 2-3 weeks; a temporary practice permit is issued once all requirements except the FBI fingerprint check are met (WAC 246-840-095), and WABON reported an average of about six days to issue one in January 2026) |
| Licensing authority | Idaho Board of Nursing (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) | Washington State Board of Nursing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm your current license is an active multistate license in good standing (check it in the verification system).
- If you are moving your primary residence to Washington: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Washington State Board of Nursing when you move.
- Declare Washington as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Washington's fingerprint/background check requirement if requested.
- Keep practicing — your multistate privilege remains valid during the transition (do not let the old license lapse before the new one issues).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NCLEX moving from Idaho to Washington?
No — the NCLEX transfers everywhere. NCLEX is not retaken; your license is verified through Nursys.
What does the move cost?
If you are only working across the border, nothing. If you are relocating your residence to Washington: $138–$203 ($138 single-state / $203 multistate initial application; FBI fingerprint fee paid separately).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (1–3 weeks (multistate-license review may take 2-3 weeks; a temporary practice permit is issued once all requirements except the FBI fingerprint check are met (WAC 246-840-095), and WABON reported an average of about six days to issue one in January 2026)).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- WABON — RN License requirements (licensed in another US state) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- WABON — Nurse license fees ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- WABON — RN and LPN Multistate License information ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- WAC 246-840-095 — Temporary practice permits (effective 2026-01-30) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- RCW 18.130.064 — Background checks (national fingerprint check when an applicant has recently lived out of state) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- WABON business meeting agenda, 2026-03-13 — Nurse Licensure Processing Timelines (February 2026 update) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Idaho DOPL — Board of Nursing page, FAQs and fee table (Internet Archive capture of 2026-10-02; the live site refused connections on 2026-10-29) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Idaho Board of Nursing — Licensure Policies, HP-BON-Licensure 2 (PDF; Internet Archive capture of 2026-10-16) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nurse Licensure Compact — official site ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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