Registered nurse and practical nurse applicants for interstate endorsement may be issued a license without examination provided the applicant meets the following requirements:

(1) The applicant graduated and holds a degree from:

(a) A commission or state board approved program preparing candidates for licensure as a nurse; or

(b) A nursing program that is equivalent to commission approved nursing education in Washington state at the time of graduation as determined by the commission.

(2) The applicant holds a current active nursing license in another state or territory, or holds an inactive or expired license in another state or territory and successfully completes a commission-approved refresher course.

(a) An applicant whose license was inactive or expired must be issued a limited education authorization by the commission to enroll in the clinical portion of the refresher course.

(b) The limited education authorization is valid only while working under the direct supervision of a preceptor and is not valid for employment as a registered nurse.

(3) The applicant was originally licensed to practice as a nurse in another state or territory after passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

(4) Applicants graduating from nursing programs outside the U.S. must demonstrate English proficiency by passing a commission approved English proficiency test if the nursing education is not in one of the following countries: Canada (except for Quebec), United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands, or complete one thousand hours of employment as a licensed nurse in another state, or provide evidence directly from the school of earning a high school diploma or college degree from a United States institution.

The one thousand hours of employment must be in the same licensed role as the nurse is applying for licensure in Washington state. Proof of employment must be submitted to the commission.

(5) For RNs: If the applicant is a graduate of a nontraditional nursing education program and:

(a) Was licensed as a practical/vocational nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the applicant must submit evidence of two hundred hours of preceptorship in the role of a registered nurse as defined in WAC 246-840-035, or at least one thousand hours of practice as a registered nurse without discipline of the registered nurse license by any other state or territory.

(b) Was not licensed as a practical/vocational nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the applicant must submit evidence of at least one thousand hours of practice as a registered nurse without discipline of the registered nurse license by any other state or territory.

(6) Applicants must submit the following documents:

(a) A completed licensure application with the required fee as defined in WAC 246-840-990.

(b) An official transcript sent directly from the applicant's nursing education program to the commission if the education cannot be verified from the original board of nursing, or commission-approved evaluation agency.

(i) The transcript must contain adequate documentation demonstrating that the applicant graduated from an approved nursing program or successfully completed the prelicensure portion of an approved graduate-entry registered nursing program.

(ii) The transcripts shall include course names and credits accepted from other programs.

(c) Verification of an original registered or practical nurse license from the state or territory of original licensure. The verification must identify that issuance of the original licensure included passing the NCLEX.

(d) For applicants educated outside the United States and in territories or countries not listed in subsection (4) of this section, successful results of a commission approved English proficiency exam, or, evidence of one thousand hours worked as a nurse.

(e) For RNs: If the applicant is a graduate of a nontraditional program in nursing and:

(i) Was licensed as a practical/vocational nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the applicant must submit documentation of two hundred hours of preceptorship in the role of a registered nurse as defined in WAC 246-840-035 or at least one thousand hours of practice as a registered nurse without discipline of the registered nurse license by any other state or territory.

(ii) Was not licensed as a practical/vocational nurse prior to licensure as a registered nurse, the applicant must submit documentation of at least one thousand hours of practice as a registered nurse without discipline of the registered nurse license by any other state or territory.