The law that governs this in Washington
Getting licensed in Washington happens under Washington’s own nurse practice act — the same act that defines what practice means here — administered by the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON). That act is RCW ch. 18.79 (Nursing Care).
The compact itself is separate law. Washington adopted it at Substitute Senate Bill 5499 (2023), which is what allows a multistate license issued elsewhere to reach Washington at all — the practice act still decides what you may do once it does.
How verification works in Washington
An endorsement application rests on Washington receiving verification of the license you already hold, and that step is where these applications stall. What we found reading Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON)’s own material:
Washington splits by LICENSE TYPE rather than credential: a Washington single-state license is verified through the DOH Provider Credential Search, while a multistate license issued by another state is verified through Nursys. Note the board will not verify a credential that is pending, closed, or holding only a temporary practice permit — so a genuinely new hire on a temporary permit will not return a verification, which is a timing problem rather than a red flag.
Its own lookup is Washington DOH Provider Credential Search. Confirm what the receiving board wants before you pay for anything — a printout of a public lookup is rarely the document a board means by “verification”. See the two things called verification.
What licensure by endorsement means
Endorsement is applying for Washington’s own license based on an existing license in good standing. You end up holding a Washington license. It is different from a compact license, which is one multistate license covering all compact states.
Applying through the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON)
Applications go through the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON). Requirements and fees are set by the board and change over time, so we point you to the official source rather than listing specifics that could go stale.
Endorsement vs the compact here
Since Washington is a compact state, moving your residence here can make you eligible for a multistate license instead of a plain endorsement. See moving to a compact state.
Can applying by endorsement in Washington get you a multistate license?
Yes — if Washington is genuinely your primary state of residence and you meet the compact’s uniform licensure requirements. The Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) has issued multistate licenses since January 31, 2024. Say so on the application: an endorsement application and a multistate license request are not automatically the same thing, and boards issue what you asked for.