Business and professional licenses for military personnel, spouses, and domestic partners

Your military experience might help you, your spouse or your domestic partner meet licensing requirements. Learn how to get or transfer a professional license or place it on inactive status.

Get or transfer a professional or business license

Active or reserve members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, National Guard, Merchant Marines, and military spouses or registered domestic partners are eligible for assistance in getting an expedited professional license in Washington state.

You may be eligible to use your military experience to meet the qualifications for licensure. If you have a current professional license from another state and are relocating to Washington state, you may be able to expedite the processing and receipt of your license.

For more specific information, contact the program area for your license or profession.

Manage your professional or business license while deployed

Active or reserve members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, National Guard, Merchant Marines, and military spouses or registered domestic partners are eligible for assistance putting a professional license on military or inactive status.

Put your license on military status

If you have a professional license issued by Washington, you can have your license placed in military status while deployed outside the state.

Your license will remain active while deployed. You will get courtesy renewal notifications but won't be charged a renewal fee.

To put your license into military status, please contact the program area that licenses your profession.

Spouses or registered domestic partners

If you have a professional license issued by us, you can have your license placed on inactive status if you leave Washington because your spouse or registered domestic partner is deployed outside of Washington.

To activate your license, please contact the program area that licenses your profession.

Additional resources

Need additional help? Here's how to contact us:

call Phone: 360-902-3770
(TTY: Call 711)
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