Veterinarian Licensure Requirements in Washington
Washington licenses veterinarians through the Veterinary Board of Governors, part of the Department of Health.
Applicants pass the NAVLE — the state's page names the National Board Examination or NAVLE and restates no passing score — plus an open-book, mail-home state exam of 50 questions with a 90% passing score.
Both ECFVG and PAVE are accepted.
Under SHB 1724, endorsement is available to a veterinarian credentialed two-plus years in a substantially equivalent state, and licenses renew on a birthday-based cycle with 30 CE hours every two years.
Verify before you rely on this
At a glance
Required — the licensing-requirements page names the 'National Board Examination or NAVLE' and restates no numeric passing score for the exam.
Yes — a mail-home, open-book exam of 50 questions worth 2 points each, 90% passing; since 7/28/2025 its $210 exam fee is a one-time CE-cycle requirement rather than an initial-licensing charge.
None found in the sources read beyond the NAVLE and the state jurisprudence exam.
Both ECFVG and PAVE are accepted.
Yes — under SHB 1724 (effective 7/23/2023), a veterinarian credentialed 2+ years in a substantially equivalent state with no discipline history; the board deems every U.S. state and the District of Columbia equivalent as of 9/9/2024, with nine states flagged for case-by-case review.
30 hours every 2-year cycle (at least 20 scientific/clinical) on a birthday-based renewal cycle, plus a one-time 3-hour suicide-prevention course and 2 hours of health-equity CE every 4 years.
Yes — a temporary permit is listed at a $215 fee; its duration and conditions are not stated in the sources read.
Veterinary Board of Governors, WA Dept. of Health
No interstate veterinary licensure compact is currently operational in any state, including Washington — none of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions' own board pages, statutes or administrative codes references joining, enacting or currently considering one, as of September 2026.
The NAVLE — and the legacy National Board Examination
Washington's licensing-requirements page requires the national exam, named as the 'National Board Examination or NAVLE' — the National Board Examination being that exam's pre-2000 predecessor, so the NAVLE is the version a current applicant sits.
The page restates no numeric passing score, and this page does not attach a number to Washington that its own materials don't state.
For a new graduate that makes the NAVLE the first scheduling decision; the state-specific layer on top is Washington's own exam, described below.
Washington's own exam: open-book, 90% to pass
The state-specific layer is a mail-home, open-book exam: 50 questions worth 2 points each, with 90% required to pass.
Taking it at home changes the preparation calculus — it is an open-notes test of Washington's own practice law rather than a proctored sitting, but the 90% bar leaves little room, so reading the actual statutes and rules beats skimming summaries.
One fee detail is recent and date-sensitive: since 7/28/2025 the $210 exam fee has been collected as a one-time CE-cycle requirement rather than at initial licensing, so what you pay up front may differ from older guidance.
Confirm the current fee treatment with the board before you apply.
Degree, ECFVG and PAVE
Washington accepts both foreign-graduate certification routes: the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) and the Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE).
For a graduate of a non-accredited program, completing one of those certifications is the pathway into Washington's exam sequence rather than an optional extra.
The sources read don't lay out Washington-specific documentation beyond accepting both certificates, so treat the board's application instructions as the operative checklist.
Endorsement under SHB 1724: substantially equivalent states
Washington's endorsement pathway, in effect since 7/23/2023 under SHB 1724, is built around the concept of a 'substantially equivalent' state: the stated conditions are a credential held 2+ years in such a state and no discipline history.
What the sources read don't state is the exam treatment — nothing here says whether an endorsement applicant skips the NAVLE, the state exam, or both, so confirm with the board what an endorsee actually sits before planning around it.
As of 9/9/2024 the board deems every U.S. state and the District of Columbia substantially equivalent, but it flags nine of them — Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Utah and Virginia — for case-by-case review, so a veterinarian licensed in one of those should expect individualized scrutiny rather than automatic approval.
A licensee with under two years of credentialing falls outside the stated threshold and should confirm their route with the board directly.
The board maintains a dedicated Substantially Equivalent States page listing the current designations.
Continuing education and the birthday-based renewal cycle
Renewal runs on 30 hours of continuing education every two years, at least 20 of them in scientific or clinical subjects, and the cycle is anchored to the licensee's birthday rather than a fixed calendar date — your deadline moves with you, which is worth knowing when you plan a move or an absence.
Two requirements sit on top of the 30 hours: a one-time 3-hour suicide-prevention course, and 2 hours of health-equity CE every 4 years.
The Department of Health's profession page as retrieved in September 2026 also carried notices extending renewal deadlines for professionals affected by the Eastern and Central Washington wildfires, so watch the board's notices around your own renewal window if circumstances disrupt it.
A temporary permit at $215 — terms not stated
The sources read list a temporary permit at a $215 fee, but they do not state its duration or its conditions, so this page cannot say how long it runs or who qualifies.
That gap matters most for a relief veterinarian: with the terms unpublished, do not assume the permit works like a short-stint locum license — ask the board exactly what it covers before accepting assignments built around it.
An out-of-state veterinarian planning relief work in Washington may find the SHB 1724 endorsement pathway above the sturdier route, since its conditions are stated.
Where the rules live — and where changes show up
Veterinary licensing in Washington runs through the Veterinary Board of Governors within the state Department of Health, whose profession page organizes everything a licensee needs — licensing requirements, licensing information, continuing education, laws, an FAQ, the substantially-equivalent-states list and a Rules in Progress section.
That last section is worth a look before you apply: the 7/28/2025 exam-fee change described above shows the board's exam and fee mechanics can move mid-cycle.
The page also asks licensees to keep their contact information current so renewal notices reach them.
“Keeping your information up to date is vital to continuing to receive associated renewal notices and relevant updates.”
What This Page Does — and Doesn’t — Cover
This page summarizes Washington’s own statute and board rule as read for this series, current as of September 2026. It does not list application forms, current fees beyond what’s cited above, background-check steps, or processing times, and it is not a substitute for the Veterinary Board of Governors, WA Dept. of Health’s own application instructions.
Accepted exams, endorsement conditions and continuing-education requirements change by statute and by board rule. Confirm every requirement with the Veterinary Board of Governors, WA Dept. of Health before you register for an exam or submit an application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Washington require an exam beyond the NAVLE?
Yes.
Washington requires its own exam in addition to the national one: a mail-home, open-book test of 50 questions worth 2 points each, with 90% required to pass.
Note that effective 7/28/2025 the $210 exam fee is collected as a one-time CE-cycle requirement rather than at initial licensing — a recent change, so confirm the current fee treatment with the Veterinary Board of Governors before you apply.
Is there an endorsement route for an out-of-state veterinarian in Washington?
Yes — under SHB 1724, effective 7/23/2023, endorsement is available to a veterinarian credentialed 2+ years in a state Washington deems substantially equivalent, with no discipline history.
The sources read don't state whether that skips the NAVLE, the state exam, or both — ask the board what an endorsee actually sits.
As of 9/9/2024 every U.S. state and the District of Columbia is deemed substantially equivalent, with Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Utah and Virginia flagged for case-by-case review.
Confirm with the Veterinary Board of Governors.
How much continuing education does Washington require to renew a veterinary license?
Thirty hours every two-year cycle, at least 20 of them in scientific or clinical subjects, on a renewal cycle anchored to the licensee's birthday.
On top of that sit a one-time 3-hour suicide-prevention course and 2 hours of health-equity continuing education every 4 years.
Because these mechanics can change, verify your own cycle and totals with the Veterinary Board of Governors before your first renewal falls due.
Is there a temporary or relief permit for veterinarians in Washington?
The sources read for this page list a temporary permit at a $215 fee but do not state how long it runs or who qualifies, so treat its terms as an open question for the board.
A relief veterinarian should ask the Veterinary Board of Governors exactly what the permit covers before building assignments around it.
For an out-of-state veterinarian, the SHB 1724 endorsement pathway may be the more durable route.
Has Washington joined a multistate veterinary licensing compact?
No. As of September 2026, no state — Washington included — has joined an operational interstate veterinary licensure compact; none currently exists in any U.S. jurisdiction.
If you are moving your practice to Washington, the state's endorsement pathway under SHB 1724, not a compact, is the mechanism — and confirm its current conditions with the Veterinary Board of Governors.
More Washington & Veterinarian Resources
Sourced from Washington’s own statute and board rule (see the citations above). Verified September 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice — confirm current rules with the Veterinary Board of Governors, WA Dept. of Health.