What decides whether you need a new license
Two things: whether Washington is a compact state, and whether your own license is multistate rather than single-state. Compact privilege only exists between compact states, and only a multistate license carries it. Run your exact home/assignment pairing through the compact state checker.
Practicing in Washington on assignment
Working under privilege still means following Washington's scope of practice and nurse practice act, and you remain accountable to the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) while you are here. If any of the assignment is telehealth, remember licensure generally follows the patient’s location — see the Washington telehealth guide.
The law that governs this in Washington
Taking an assignment in Washington is practice in Washington, so it is Washington’s own nurse practice act that defines what you may do and the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) that applies it. 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.
Before you sign
We are an independent licensing reference — we do not list assignments, agencies, or pay rates, and nothing here is a job offer. For the wider pre-assignment checklist (contract terms, credentialing, housing), see what to check before accepting a travel assignment. Confirm licensure with the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON).
Since when has a compact license worked in Washington?
Nurses holding another state’s multistate license have been able to practice in Washington since July 24, 2023. That is recent enough that employer handbooks, agency briefings, and articles written before then still describe Washington as non-compact — so if you are told you need a Washington license, check the date on the guidance.
Note the asymmetry: Washington opened to visiting nurses on that date but did not begin issuing multistate licenses to its own residents until January 31, 2024. If you are taking an assignment in Washington while living elsewhere, the earlier date is the one that applies to you. If you move to Washington, the later one does.