Nursing License from Maryland to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Washington accept a Maryland nursing license?
Yes — both Maryland and Washington are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Maryland 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 Maryland 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 Maryland — 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 Maryland 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
Maryland to Washington (this page): Compact multistate — already covered.
Washington to Maryland (the reverse move): Compact multistate — already covered.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Maryland matter?
Maryland 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
Maryland and Washington are both NLC member states.
A multistate license issued by Maryland covers practice in Washington, and one issued by Washington covers practice in Maryland.
- Application fee
Washington lists $138–$203 for an out-of-state applicant and Maryland lists $230 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Washington lists 1–3 weeks; Maryland has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Maryland 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, Maryland → Washington
| Maryland (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $230 (endorsement application; optional 90-day temporary license $70 ($300 if both); CJIS fingerprinting fee paid separately to the fingerprinting vendor) | $138–$203 ($138 single-state / $203 multistate initial application; FBI fingerprint fee paid separately) |
| Processing time | board does not publish a timeline; 90-day temporary license available while the application is pending | 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 | Maryland Board of Nursing | 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 Maryland 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)
- Maryland Board of Nursing — Licensure by Endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Nurse Licensure Compact — official commission site ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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