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Teaching License from New York 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 New York 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 New York 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 New York to Washington is an application, not a transfer: Washington reviews your New York 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, New York → Washington

Side-by-side: New York vs Washington (Teaching (K-12)), verified 2026-08-07
New York (current)Washington (destination)
Application fee$100 ($100 per certificate title or extension for an Initial/Professional classroom teaching certificate awarded on alternate requirements (transcript/individual evaluation) — the route interstate applicants use. The $50 rate applies only to certificates based on completion of a New York State-registered approved program requiring a college recommendation. Additional: $104.50 fingerprint fee as of 2026-02-02 (DCJS $75.00 + FBI $12.00 + IDEMIA $17.50). An application is valid for three years or two evaluations, whichever comes first, and the fee is non-refundable once evaluated.)$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 timeNYSED publishes no processing-time estimate for certification applications. The Office of Teaching Initiatives states only that it 'can not determine eligibility for certification until an application has been submitted, and a review of your credentials has been completed.'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 authorityNew York State Education Department (NYSED) — Office of Teaching InitiativesWashington 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 → New YorkTeaching in New YorkTeaching in WashingtonAll teaching states

Frequently asked questions

Does Washington accept a New York teaching license?

A teaching certificate transfers from New York 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 New York 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 New York 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 New York-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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