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LicenseReciprocity

Teaching License from Georgia to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-08-07 · source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) ↗

A teaching certificate transfers from Georgia to Washington by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB), verify your Georgia license, and meet Washington's endorsement requirements. Out-of-state applicants must pass a basic-skills test (WEST-B or an OSPI-approved alternative) and a content-area test for the endorsement sought (WEST-E/NES or an approved alternative); comparable out-of-state tests can satisfy these as approved alternatives. Testing is not waived by out-of-state experience. Separately, an advanced-level out-of-state certificate that PESB has approved as comparable, or National Board certification, is a route to the second-tier Professional Teacher certificate.

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Verdict

Licensure by endorsement

Moving from Georgia to Washington is an application, not a transfer: Washington reviews your Georgia certificate and issues a Washington certificate of its own. The tests and requirements below are what Washington still asks — gather them before you apply, because gaps are what slow a review.

What changes, Georgia → Washington

Side-by-side: Georgia vs Washington (Teaching (K-12)), verified 2026-08-07
Georgia (current)Washington (destination)
Application fee$0–$20 ($20 processing fee payable via MyPSC for all certification transactions; waived for an applicant's first Georgia certificate when the application is supported by an employing Georgia local unit of administration (LUA). GACE exam fees and fingerprinting costs are additional.)$93 (93 USD for the Residency Teacher first issue per the OSPI Professional Certification Fee Schedule; that total includes the 51 USD OSPI processing fee plus the PESB certification fee. The Professional Teacher certificate is 81 USD. Fingerprint and background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor.)
Processing time2+ weeks (GaPSC publishes no fixed range; it posts a live queue date and asks applicants to 'wait at least two weeks after completing your application' before contacting the office. On 2026-08-07 the site stated it was processing complete application packages received on or before July 27, 2026.)OSPI publishes no fixed week range; it maintains a live Application Processing Status page showing the current pending-application count and the month of applications under review, and districts may submit rush requests through E-Certification
Licensing authorityGeorgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB)

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Washington's current requirements on the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Apply in E-Certification for the Residency Teacher (First Issue) certificate as an out-of-state applicant.
  5. Document either completion of an accredited out-of-state preparation program with supervised student teaching, or a full out-of-state teaching certificate (valid or expired) plus three years of out-of-state teaching experience.
  6. Pass the WEST-B basic-skills test and the WEST-E/NES content test for the endorsement, or approved alternatives.
  7. Submit fingerprints for a Washington State Patrol and FBI background check unless you already hold a valid Washington certificate.
  8. Pay the fees ($93 (93 USD for the Residency Teacher first issue per the OSPI Professional Certification Fee Schedule; that total includes the 51 USD OSPI processing fee plus the PESB certification fee. The Professional Teacher certificate is 81 USD. Fingerprint and background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor.)). Processing time: OSPI publishes no fixed week range; it maintains a live Application Processing Status page showing the current pending-application count and the month of applications under review, and districts may submit rush requests through E-Certification.

Official links

Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) ↗Washington application ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Washington → GeorgiaTeaching in GeorgiaTeaching in WashingtonAll teaching states

Frequently asked questions

Does Washington accept a Georgia teaching license?

A teaching certificate transfers from Georgia to Washington by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB), verify your Georgia license, and meet Washington's endorsement requirements. Out-of-state applicants must pass a basic-skills test (WEST-B or an OSPI-approved alternative) and a content-area test for the endorsement sought (WEST-E/NES or an approved alternative); comparable out-of-state tests can satisfy these as approved alternatives. Testing is not waived by out-of-state experience. Separately, an advanced-level out-of-state certificate that PESB has approved as comparable, or National Board certification, is a route to the second-tier Professional Teacher certificate.

Will I have to retake tests moving from Georgia to Washington?

Out-of-state applicants must pass a basic-skills test (WEST-B or an OSPI-approved alternative) and a content-area test for the endorsement sought (WEST-E/NES or an approved alternative); comparable out-of-state tests can satisfy these as approved alternatives. Testing is not waived by out-of-state experience. Separately, an advanced-level out-of-state certificate that PESB has approved as comparable, or National Board certification, is a route to the second-tier Professional Teacher certificate.

Can I teach in Washington right away?

Not until the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) issues your Washington certificate, so build its processing time into your start date.

What does the Georgia-to-Washington transfer cost and how long does it take?

$93 (93 USD for the Residency Teacher first issue per the OSPI Professional Certification Fee Schedule; that total includes the 51 USD OSPI processing fee plus the PESB certification fee. The Professional Teacher certificate is 81 USD. Fingerprint and background-check costs are paid separately to the vendor.) Processing time: OSPI publishes no fixed week range; it maintains a live Application Processing Status page showing the current pending-application count and the month of applications under review, and districts may submit rush requests through E-Certification.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-08-07.

Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07

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