StateLicensed

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements in Washington

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$293
Exam
NCLEX-PN
Renewal cycle
Every 1 year
Issuing board
Washington State Board of Nursing (Washington State Department of Health)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Graduation from a WABON-approved practical nursing education program (or equivalent coursework completed within an approved RN program), pass a criminal background check. The Board's own LPN licensure page references a fingerprint-based national background check requirement but does not publish a minimum-age figure; a minimum age of 18 is claimed by several non-official aggregator sites but is not confirmed on nursing.wa.gov, so minAge is recorded as null. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. WAC 246-840-531 requires at least 300 hours of clinical/direct patient care experience for approved practical nursing education programs. Washington does not codify a single total program-hour figure covering classroom/didactic instruction on the Board's own site or in the WAC sections reviewed, so the overall 'hours' field is left null rather than estimated. [1]

  3. 3

    NCLEX-PN

    Pass the NCLEX-PN (fee: $200). This $200 registration fee is paid directly to Pearson VUE/NCSBN and is separate from Washington's own $93 single-state application fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Washington State Board of Nursing (Washington State Department of Health) with the $93 application fee. Typical processing time: Multistate license (MSL) application review generally takes 2-3 weeks. Standard license applications are subject to a 30-day inactivity closure warning, with a 14-day window to upload requested documents once the application is submitted.. [5]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Washington State Board of Nursing (Washington State Department of Health) issues your Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for Washington.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $93
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $93
NCLEX-PN [2] $200
Multistate initial application [3] $158
Multistate annual renewal [3] $113
Late renewal (single-state, under 1 year) [3] $143
Reactivation (single-state, over 1 year lapsed) [3] $213

Washington issues one combined non-refundable 'initial application' fee ($93 single-state / $158 multistate) that covers both application review and initial license issuance, so 'license' is recorded as null rather than duplicating the application fee. The $93 single-state annual renewal is composed of a $69 renewal fee plus $16 HEAL-WA and $8 WCN legislatively mandated surcharges.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 1 year. 8 continuing education hours required per cycle.

LPN licenses renew annually by the licensee's birthday. Each renewal period requires 8 continuing education contact hours (2 of which must be health equity CE, phased in through the 2026 renewal date) plus 96 practice hours, and a one-time 6-hour suicide-prevention training.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available. Participates in: Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).

Washington joined the Nurse Licensure Compact in two phases: Phase 1 (July 24, 2023) began recognizing incoming multistate licenses from other compact states, and Phase 2 (January 31, 2024) began issuing Washington-based multistate licenses. Confirmed directly on the Board's own nursing.wa.gov/msl page.

Cost calculator

  • $93
  • $200
Total$293

Frequently asked questions

How many clinical hours does a Washington LPN program require?

Board-approved practical nursing education programs must provide at least 300 hours of clinical/direct patient care experience under WAC 246-840-531.

What exam do I need to pass to become an LPN in Washington?

You must pass the NCLEX-PN, administered by Pearson VUE on behalf of NCSBN. The exam registration fee is $200, separate from Washington's own $93 single-state application fee.

How often do I renew my Washington LPN license?

Washington LPN licenses renew annually, on the licensee's birthday, and require 8 continuing education hours plus 96 practice hours each renewal period.

Is Washington part of the Nurse Licensure Compact?

Yes. Washington joined the NLC in 2023-2024: it began recognizing incoming multistate licenses on July 24, 2023, and began issuing its own Washington multistate licenses on January 31, 2024.

Can I fail the NCLEX-PN and retest in Washington?

Yes, but after four failed attempts you must complete a WABON-approved NCLEX prep course before you can retest, regardless of whether the failures occurred in Washington or another state or country.

Sources

  1. [1] app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] nclex.com/fees-payment.page — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] nursing.wa.gov/licensing/nurse-license-fees — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] nursing.wa.gov/licensing/continuing-competency — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] nursing.wa.gov/licensing/licensure-requirements/lpn-license — accessed 2026-07-10
  6. [6] nursing.wa.gov/msl — accessed 2026-07-10