Nursing License from Washington to Idaho: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Idaho accept a Washington nursing license?
Yes — both Washington and Idaho are members of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). If Washington is your primary state of residence and you hold a multistate license, you can practice in Idaho now; if you are moving your residence to Idaho, apply for licensure by endorsement there and declare Idaho 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 Washington and Idaho are NLC members, so the real question is not "does my license transfer" but "is this a relocation or just work". Working in Idaho while living in Washington — travel contract, remote monitoring, per-diem across the border — needs nothing: your multistate license already covers it. Relocating to Idaho means your primary state of residence changes, and the compact requires you to endorse into Idaho and declare it your new home state. You keep practicing on the old privilege the entire time.
What's different between Washington and Idaho
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Idaho. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Washington to Idaho (this page): Compact multistate — already covered.
Idaho to Washington (the reverse move): Compact multistate — already covered.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Washington matter?
Washington gets Idaho'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
Washington and Idaho are both NLC member states.
A multistate license issued by Washington covers practice in Idaho, and one issued by Idaho covers practice in Washington.
- Application fee
Idaho lists $70 for an out-of-state applicant and Washington lists $138–$203 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Washington lists 1–3 weeks for the reverse move; Idaho has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Washington and Idaho 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, Washington → Idaho
| Washington (current) | Idaho (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| NLC status | NLC member — multistate license honored | NLC member — multistate license honored |
| Application fee | $138–$203 ($138 single-state / $203 multistate initial application; FBI fingerprint fee paid separately) | $70 (board fee table lists $102 for an RN license by endorsement, which includes the $32 fingerprint processing fee; optional temporary license $25) |
| Processing time | 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) | 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 |
| Licensing authority | Washington State Board of Nursing | Idaho Board of Nursing (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Idaho 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 Idaho: apply for licensure by endorsement with the Idaho Board of Nursing (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses) when you move.
- Declare Idaho as your new primary state of residence on that application.
- Complete Idaho'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 Washington to Idaho?
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 Idaho: $70 (board fee table lists $102 for an RN license by endorsement, which includes the $32 fingerprint processing fee; optional temporary license $25).
How long will it take?
Practice can continue immediately on the multistate privilege; the residence-change endorsement processes in the background (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).
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- 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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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