Transfer a Real Estate License to Washington

Verified July 2026 · 33 official sources

State exam only, about $514 all in

Washington lists no reciprocal states, but any US licensee can use its open capacity-based route. If you are actively licensed in the same or greater capacity elsewhere in good standing, or were within the preceding 6 months, you skip all Washington pre-licensing education and the whole national exam and sit only the Washington law portion. Watch the tier names, because Washington calls the entry tier "broker" and the supervising tier "managing broker", so an arriving salesperson becomes a Washington broker. The order is inverted from most states, you pass the exam first, then fingerprint, then apply, and approval to test expires at 6 months with no extension.

First year: $514Renewal: $233 / 2 yrsWait: 14 business days for prints, rest confirmingWork while waiting: No, must issue then activate with a firmTravel required: None

What carries over to Washington, and what does not

Comes with you

Your active license, it drives the waiver
The national exam portion, waived outright
Washington pre-licensing education, waived
Licensed experience years from other states
Out-of-state coursework, under three tests

New for this state

Washington law portion of the PSI exam
Washington fingerprints, ORI WA920100Z
Certified license history, agency issued
Firm affiliation before you can work
90 clock hours before your first renewal

If you hold a broker license

A supervising-tier broker uses the same form for Washington managing broker, sits a longer state portion (44 items, scaled 75, against 30 and scaled 70), and pays $330, about $611 all in. DOL treats reciprocity as a full waiver of the 90 hours of management coursework and the 3-years-in-5 experience proof, but no rule says so in words, so that waiver is confirming. The lesser broker license is also allowed.

Working in Washington without a Washington license

On a single deal Commercial only. RCW 18.85.131 lets an out-of-state licensee work a Washington commercial deal in cooperation with a Washington designated broker under a written agreement, with proof of good standing, consent to Washington courts, that firm named in all ads, and documents left with the broker. Residential has no such provision, and "commercial" excludes property with one to four residential units.

Referrals Yes. RCW 18.85.301 makes paying a licensed out-of-state broker lawful, and RCW 18.86.080(9) lets a firm take a referral fee with no services agreement if it did no brokerage work. Money moves firm to firm, never to another firm's agent.

Your send-off checklist

YOUOrder a certified license history from your current state. It needs the agency heading, dates showing activity within the last 6 months, your level, expiration, any discipline, and how the license was obtained. Screenshots get you denied. varies

YOUFile exam application RE-620-017, box "Broker Reciprocity", online through a SecureAccess Washington account, and upload the license history. Form RE-620-017

STATE BOARDSDOL reviews and emails approval, good 6 months with no extension. Its processing time is confirming, so call 360-664-6488 if it drags.

YOUWait 4 business days after that email, then book PSI. Any PSI center nationwide, or Atlas remote proctor. The broker state portion is 30 items in 90 minutes, scaled 70 to pass. $210 PSI Washington

YOUOnly after passing, fingerprint through IdentoGO under ORI WA920100Z, at an out-of-state center or by mailed card. Results reach DOL in 14 business days and last 6 years. $51 plus $39.95 outside Idaho and Oregon IdentoGO Washington

YOUWait 3 business days after passing, then file the license application online. Exam results are only good for 1 year. $233 plus $20

STATE BOARDSDOL issues the license, but it sits inactive until a firm hangs it.

YOUHave a Washington firm invite you in the portal and accept it, or mail form 620004A. You cannot work until this is done.

The money

PSI exam, state law portion	$210
Original broker license	$233
Research fee	$20
Fingerprints and background check	$51
Out-of-state IdentoGO surcharge	+$39.95
Certified license history, old state	varies
Pre-licensing education	$0, waived
E and O insurance	$0, not required
Recovery fund	$0, no such fund
TOTAL First year, typical	$514
Then: renewal every 2 years	$233

Watch out in Washington

The 90 clock hours due before your first renewal catch reciprocity brokers too. A 30-hour Advanced Real Estate Practices course, a 30-hour Real Estate Law course, 30 hours of approved CE, plus 6-hour fair housing. No exemption exists. Whether a direct managing broker entrant owes it is confirming.
Approval to test dies at 6 months with no extension, and your history must show you active within the preceding 6 months. Miss it and you reapply with a fresh history.
Do not reverse the order. Exam, then fingerprints, then application. DOL wants a cleared background check before you apply.
Whether the $20 research fee sits inside the $233 or on top is confirming. The pocket listings ban effective 2026-06-11 restricts off-market residential marketing.

Official links for Washington

Keep going

The real estate planner, which builds a plan across several states at once.
Errors and omissions insurance by state, the 15 states that mandate it.
All three professions we cover.

Every other state

Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming