Washington teacher licensure for out-of-state applicants
Washington accepts an out-of-state certificate that is valid or expired, with three years of out-of-state teaching — but its out-of-state checklist still lists a basic skills test and a content test for every endorsement you seek.
Washington has enacted the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (2024). Enacting it and opening it are different things, and they vary by state — Pennsylvania has published the list of licences it accepts and reviews applications under Compact rules; Colorado publishes no compact guidance at all. The compact also only governs movement between member states, so it does nothing for you if your other state has not joined. Which case is Washington? →
The regime
Route
How Washington evaluates an out-of-state teacherhold or have held a full teaching certificate in another state with at least three years of out-of-state or out-of-country teaching experienceWashington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)
FrameworkTo confirm with the agency
The compact is not mentionedMembership comes from the Council of State Governments list. Whether OSPI runs a separate compact route, and what it asks for, is unresolved from OSPI’s own pages as read on 10 September 2026.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)Order of steps
Fingerprints before the applicationEducators can skip this step if they hold a valid Washington educator certificate or if results are on file within the last two years.Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationHow to Apply for a Certificate
Framework
Grade bands are guidelines, not limitsthe designation of mandatory grade levels on certificates for assignment purposes, no longer appears appropriateWashington State Legislature (rule of the Professional Educator Standards Board)WAC 181-82-201 Grade designations for endorsements obtained after August 31, 2000
Who qualifies
Who qualifies
An expired certificate is acceptedSubmit a copy of a full, regular teaching certificate issued by another state (valid or expired) and three years of out-of-state teaching experience
Georgia and California also accept an expired certificate; New York and Nevada do not. The military route below is different: it asks for a valid certificate.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)Who qualifies
The programme option has no experience requirementBoth the traditional and alternate route programs must include a defined course of study and a supervised student teaching/internshipWashington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)
What to gather
Experience is verified on a formExperience Verification Form 4020F-1
Who must complete Form 4020F-1 is set out on the form itself, which was not captured.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)Examinations
Two tests on the checklistComplete a basic skills test (WEST-B or approved alternative)Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)
ExemptionTo confirm with the agency
Your own state’s scores may countyour passing score from your state's teacher certification exam may be used to meet Washington's basic skills or content knowledge test requirement
OSPI publishes no list of which states’ exams it accepts, and “may be used” leaves the decision to OSPI on the documents you send.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher AssessmentsExaminations
Basic skills subtests can be mixedThe subtests can be mixed and matched with any of the acceptable basic skills tests.Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher Assessments
Teaching meanwhile
Two permits at most to finish a dual endorsementAdditional permits will not be issued beyond the second 12-month permit.Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationDual Endorsement Requirements
Who qualifies
Straight to the second tierHold a certificate issued by the National Boards
Professional Teacher also requires attesting to coursework on issues of abuse (Form 4020G). Which other states’ second-tier certificates PESB has approved is on a reciprocity page that was not captured.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)Exemption
National Board areas map to Washington endorsementsExceptional needs: early childhood through young adulthood (3-18+) | Special education
OSPI adds an endorsement through National Board certification only where there is a direct equivalency between the endorsement and the National Board certificate area.
Washington Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB)Endorsements (including the National Board equivalency table)What to gather
FingerprintsSubmit fingerprints for a background check if you do not already have a valid Washington certificate on record
OSPI Fingerprint Records: 360-725-6135.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher (first-time certification: Out-of-State Applicant and Professional Teacher)What to gather
The background check is state and federalThe background record check consists of a check through the Washington State Patrol (WSP) and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
OSPI Fingerprint Records: 360-725-6135.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationFingerprints & Background ChecksMilitary families
Military-affiliated applicantsAnyone who identifies as military-affiliated personnel will receive an expedited review of their applicationWashington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationMilitary-Affiliated Educator Certification Applicants
Money
Fee
First Residency Teacher certificateResidency Teacher (1st issue) | $93
The schedule is headed “Total Fee (as of January 1, 2022)”. Whether fees are refundable is not stated on the page.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationProfessional Certification Fee ScheduleClocks and deadlines
Deadline
Otherwise, one year to passthe testing requirements must be successfully completed within one calendar year of issuance of the Residency Teacher First Issue (FI) temporary permitWashington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationTeacher Assessments
How long
The first certificate has no expiry dateThe certificate is issued without a defined expiration date until the educator has been reported by a Washington state school district as employed in the teacher role with at least 1.5 years of full-time experienceWashington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationCertificate Types & Roles
How long
No published processing timeTraps
How it goes wrong
General Science cannot stand aloneOnly educators who hold an endorsement in Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, or Physics will be eligible to add the Science endorsement.
The same pairing rule applies to Bilingual Education and English Language Learner. PESB dates the requirement from 1 September 2019.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationDual Endorsement RequirementsWhat is not published
Not publishedNot published by the agency
Out-of-state scores cannot add an endorsement laterTests from other states cannot be used to add endorsements.
Adding an endorsement costs $81 per endorsement on the fee schedule.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional CertificationAdding an EndorsementNot publishedNot published by the agency
Elementary and special education cannot be added by test aloneSecondary mathematics
WAC 181-82-201 says mandatory grade levels on certificates "no longer" appear appropriate and gives only guidelines. Which guideline applies to this endorsement is not stated on the pages captured.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Professional Certification, Teacher Assessments — read 10 September 2026Washington's own credential tiers
This is the table a destination state reads when it decides whether your certificate qualifies. Tier names matter more than they look: several states' rules turn on the word “standard” or “professional”.
| Credential | Tier | Term | Renewable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residency Teacher (First Issue) | entry | — | — |
| Residency Teacher | standard | 5 years | — |
| Professional Teacher | advanced | — | — |
Citation hazards in Washington
OSPI’s out-of-state checklist says to complete a basic skills test and a content test. A separate page, Teacher Assessments, says an out-of-state teacher’s own passing scores may be used instead. A guide built from the checklist alone tells an experienced teacher they must retest.
Checked 10 September 2026Washington’s endorsement grade levels are guidelines under WAC 181-82-201, not limits printed on the certificate. A guide that states a Washington grade band as a licence limit is overstating the rule.
Checked 10 September 2026The fee schedule is headed "as of January 1, 2022". A guide quoting different Washington fees is either older or newer than that schedule; check the date before trusting either.
Checked 10 September 2026Corridors involving Washington
California → Washington
≈390 K-12 teachers/yr · published