Transfer Your Teaching License to Washington: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
A Washington teaching license is not automatically exchanged for your out-of-state one. Under the NASDTEC agreement, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) reviews your out-of-state certificate and issues a Washington certificate of its own; the tests and requirements below are what Washington still asks. Application fee: $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.).
Moving to Washington from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The framing that matters for Washington: you are applying for a Washington certificate, not carrying yours across. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) issues its own certificate on review of your out-of-state one, so the work is to have every document and test score it asks for ready when you apply — gaps are what slow a review. The requirements below are Washington's list.
Reciprocity is a misnomer - Washington does not auto-exchange an out-of-state certificate; out-of-state teachers apply for the first-tier Residency Teacher certificate either by out-of-state program completion or by a full out-of-state certificate plus three years of experience, and must clear WEST-B, WEST-E/NES and fingerprinting. The coursework on issues of abuse and emotional or behavioral distress is an OSPI requirement for the Professional Teacher certificate, not for the out-of-state Residency application - a distinction one earlier draft got wrong. OSPI publishes no fixed processing range.
Washington requirements at a glance
| Exam | 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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| Additional requirements |
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| 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 |
Step by step
- Confirm Washington's current requirements on the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Apply in E-Certification for the Residency Teacher (First Issue) certificate as an out-of-state applicant.
- 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.
- Pass the WEST-B basic-skills test and the WEST-E/NES content test for the endorsement, or approved alternatives.
- Submit fingerprints for a Washington State Patrol and FBI background check unless you already hold a valid Washington certificate.
- 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
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Washington:
Nearby states
Teaching license transfer into the states bordering Washington:
Washington for other professions
- Nursing in Washington
- Cosmetology / Barber in Washington
- Real Estate in Washington
- Contractor in Washington
- CPA / Accounting in Washington
- Electrician in Washington
- Plumber in Washington
- Engineering in Washington
- Pharmacy in Washington
- Physical Therapy in Washington
- Psychology in Washington
- Counseling in Washington
- Social Work in Washington
- Occupational Therapy in Washington
Frequently asked questions
Does my teaching license transfer to Washington?
A Washington teaching license is not automatically exchanged for your out-of-state one. Under the NASDTEC agreement, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) - Certification (standards set by PESB) reviews your out-of-state certificate and issues a Washington certificate of its own; the tests and requirements below are what Washington still asks. Application fee: $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.).
Is teaching reciprocity automatic in Washington?
No. Washington reviews your out-of-state certificate and issues its own; it is the right to apply, not an instant swap.
What tests or requirements does Washington add?
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.
What does a Washington out-of-state teaching certificate 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.
- OSPI - Residency Teacher Out-of-State (two routes; WEST-B and WEST-E/NES; fingerprint requirement) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- OSPI - Out-of-State Applicants, Teachers (issues-of-abuse coursework applies to Professional Teacher applicants, not Residency; PESB-comparable advanced certificate and National Board routes to Professional) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- OSPI - Professional Certification Fee Schedule (Residency Teacher 1st issue 93 USD; Professional Teacher 81 USD; 51 USD OSPI processing fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
- OSPI - Application Processing Status ↗ (accessed 2026-08-07)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-08-07
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]