DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

[Filed May 30, 2025, 12:15 p.m., effective December 31, 2025]

Effective Date of Rule: December 31, 2025.

Purpose: Athletic trainers; removing licensure barriers and updating rules to align with recent legislation. The department of health (department) is adopting amendments to WAC 246-916-010 and 246-916-030 to align with RCW 18.130.077.

Under RCW 18.130.077, all disciplining authorities shall waive education, training, experience, and exam requirements for applicants who have been credentialed in another state or states with substantially equivalent standards for at least two years immediately preceding their application with no interruption in licensure for longer than 90 days. Licensing authorities are also granted the authority to allow evidence of a national certification to qualify an applicant for a license, if applicable. The adopted rules include a pathway to licensure for applicants with the national certification through the Board of Certification (BOC) as of January 1, 2004, or later, due to changes to the national certification requirements that aligned with Washington licensure requirements that began in 2004.

To align with RCW 18.130.077, the adopted rules:

Additionally, the department has rearranged the requirements to more closely follow the structure of other department rules.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-916-010 and 246-916-030.


•	Remove the burden of providing proof of completed education and exam requirements for out-of-state applicants who qualify for licensure by meeting the standards set in RCW 18.130.077. Instead, the applicant will only submit either evidence of their license in good standing from another state that has been deemed substantially equivalent or proof of national certification through the BOC.
•	Create a pathway to Washington licensure for out-of-state athletic trainers who have been credentialed in another state that has substantially equivalent standards and a pathway to Washington licensure for athletic trainers who have a national certification that was issued on or after January 1, 2004, and is in good standing, provided that they also meet all of the requirements in RCW 18.130.077(3).
•	Provide clarifying language to create licensure requirements that are clear and easy to understand.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.250.020 and 2SHB 1724 (chapter 425, Laws of 2023), codified in RCW 18.130.077.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 25-08-027 on March 25, 2025.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: May 30, 2025.

Kristin Peterson, JD

for Jessica Todorovich, MS

Acting Secretary of Health

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-02-002, filed 12/23/20, effective 1/23/21)

WAC 246-916-010Licensure requirements.

((To be eligible for licensure, applicants must provide evidence of:

(1) Completion of an approved educational program as determined in WAC 246-916-020; and

(2) Attaining a passing score on the examination administered by the board of certification for athletic trainers (BOC) or its predecessor or successor organization as approved by the secretary; and

(3) Any other written declarations or documentation, as required by the secretary.))(1) To apply for licensure as an athletic trainer, an applicant shall submit to the department:

(a) A completed application on forms provided by the department;

(b) Evidence of completion of an approved educational program as determined in WAC 246-916-020;

(c) Evidence of attaining a passing score on the examination administered by the board of certification for athletic trainers (BOC) or its predecessor or other organization approved by the secretary;

(d) Proof of licensure history in any other state or jurisdiction;

(e) The licensing fees required under WAC 246-916-990; and

(f) Any other written declarations or documentation, as required by the secretary.

(2) Evidence of education and examination in subsection (1)(b) and (c) of this section may be waived if applicant provides verification of BOC certification obtained on or after January 1, 2004, and can demonstrate compliance with RCW 18.130.077(3).

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 21-02-002, filed 12/23/20, effective 1/23/21)

WAC 246-916-030((Applicants currently licensed in other states.))Licensure by endorsement.

((Before licensure may be issued to any individual currently licensed to practice as an athletic trainer in another state, as provided in chapter 18.250 RCW, applicants must provide evidence of:

(1) Having met the education requirements for licensure as defined in WAC 246-916-020; and

(2) Attaining a passing score on the examination as defined in WAC 246-916-010; and

(3) Verification of credential from any state; and

(4) Any other written declarations or documentation, as required by the secretary.))(1) An applicant may qualify for licensure by endorsement as an athletic trainer if the applicant is currently licensed in a substantially equivalent state or jurisdiction and has been licensed for at least two years immediately preceding an application and meets all other requirements of RCW 18.130.077 (1) and (3). The applicant shall submit to the department:

(a) A completed application on forms provided by the department;

(b) Proof of licensure history that demonstrates compliance with RCW 18.130.077 (1) and (3); and

(2) If an applicant does not meet the requirements described in subsection (1) of this section, the applicant shall apply for initial licensure as established under WAC 246-916-010.